Social media has become an integral part of our lives. While on the one hand, people are making money and gaining followers by creating reels, on the other hand, its negative impact has also surfaced, damaging love and trust in relationships. The family court of Ahmedabad, Gujarat, provides evidence of this. More than 4,500 cases have been filed in the family court of Ahmedabad this year alone, with 70% related to divorce. Out of these, 50% of divorce cases are due to conflicts between husbands and wives caused by mobile or social media addiction.
The family court explained this issue by giving examples of two cases. In the first case, the wife was addicted to creating videos for her YouTube channel. Her obsession with making videos left her neglecting other aspects of life, leading to frequent arguments with her husband. Eventually, the situation escalated, resulting in divorce. In the second case, the wife was chatting with more than two people. When the husband discovered this, it caused disputes between them, and the situation worsened to the point of divorce.
We have become so absorbed in social media that we have forgotten how to live life. Think about it—most of us are on the phone even when we are with our family or friends. We are not fully with them even when we are. Today, we tend to enjoy the superficial, colorful world of social media more than real life. Instead of savoring a moment or meal, we take photos just to post them online, hoping for likes and comments. We want others to think we are happy. But in doing so, we miss out on truly experiencing those moments.
Worse still, someone who lives a genuine life might feel sad seeing these photos because they can’t keep up with that illusion. It is good to share real happiness on social media, but we should do so authentically. After all, we must use it wisely.
