Is Technology Killing Our Friendships?

With the help of technology, we can maintain close friendships even if we live far away. We can watch our baby cousin grow on Instagram or stay connected to hundreds of people all at once.

Social media sites and mobile apps can help us share our daily activities with other people without the time lag involved in writing letters. We can also facetime with people we don’t get to see in person. While it’s difficult to replace a physical meeting, we can still maintain close relationships with our family and friends.

Teenagers are becoming increasingly aware of the consequences of technology and the impact on friendships. Almost a third of them have had a fight with their friends over texts and online communication.

While technology can help us connect and build support, it can also destroy the peripheral relationships that were once strong and meaningful. There are common anxiety issues associated with cell phones and using social media. Teenagers also express anxiety over being too easily reachable.

In addition to the negative effects of social media and text messaging, the research shows that good friends are more likely to be close and meaningful. A close friendship has been linked to better functioning throughout our lives. In a study of 270,000 adults, researchers found that strained relationships prompted more chronic diseases, such as diabetes and cardiovascular disease.

The study was conducted by Jennifer Chesak, a freelance book editor, health and fitness writer. She holds a Master’s in journalism from Northwestern’s Medill School of Journalism. She’s currently working on her first novel set in her native North Dakota.

Technology Negative Aspects

Despite its positive aspects, technology has its negative aspects, including cyberbullying and oversharing. It also puts tremendous pressure on existing friendships, especially if one friend is active on social media. It also makes communication difficult and can lead to misunderstood feelings and behaviour.

In addition to the negative impacts of social media, technology can also affect our relationships in the classroom. When we’re using technology, we’re giving our students the opportunity to think, learn, and execute skills. The new role of the teacher also makes technology more compatible with the new teaching role.