Single during the pandemic? Despite what you've been seeing all over social media, a new study shows that it might not be as bad as you may think.
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Most of us have been on our phones a lot more than usual during the COVID-19 crisis, and this means more social media, which isn’t always a good thing. While social media can be a fantastic tool for staying connected, it can also cause a whole lot of loneliness and isolation, particularly when it comes to relationships. It’s easy to feel lonely while seeing the head tilt Instagram filters, the #throwback vacay pics, and the viral #FirstPhotoChallenge, but according to a new study, the couples you follow on social media might not be as happy as their profiles suggest. A new study conducted in a partnership by The Knot, a global corporation specializing in wedding planning, and their couples’ counseling app, Lasting, recently found that social distancing with a significant other is bad for your relationship. The study, which surveyed over a thousand couples through Lasting’s onboarding process and an email questionnaire The Knot sent out, measured factors such as marriage and engagement fulfillment, argument topics, what couples are doing to grow their relationships, and more.
The main finding? In a lot of cases, your friends' social media posts about shacking up with their "person" are a bunch of crap.
According to the study, only 18% of couples are satisfied with the way they communicate with each other, and almost half, four out of ten, are fighting now more than ever. What’s more is that 35% of couples said they were less likely to work out their issues in healthy ways than they were before. This could be because people are now finding out about all those little weird quirks their partner has, like eating with their mouth open or watching the same show on Netflix at least four times in a row. Even though it doesn’t necessarily feel like it when you scroll through couple after couple on Instagram all day, being alone has its perks. If you’re single like I am, grab a pint of Millie’s, crank up 96.1 KISS on the free iHeartRadio app, and thank your lucky stars that at least you’re the only one who’s making yourself miserable. Also, if you’re one of those couples who’s totally rocking it during the COVID-19 crisis, good for you! Share your secrets with the rest of us!