It is said that marriages are made in heaven. There is nothing more devastating in a relationship than having to call it quits. However, in recent years, we have observed an alarming rise in divorce rates all over the world.  According to the Centers and Disease Control and Prevention, the divorce rate in the US was 3.2 per 1,000 people in 2016. All of us are more or less aware of the top reasons for divorce such as a two-timing partner, ideological differences, sexual incompatibility, abusive relationships, and the like.

Relationship experts and divorce attorneys suggest that many of today’s failed marriages have something to do with the use or overuse of advanced technology. In recent years, numerous relationships have fallen apart due to excessive texting, spending too much time on browsing the internet, and addiction to watching television. Many couples have been forced apart by the techno fixation because these partners have a higher preference in life for their gadgets compared to their life partners. Mentioned below are a few ways in which technology may contribute to deteriorating marital quality and rising divorce rates.

• Often times, the expenses resulting from excessive use of expensive tech gadgets put the couples in a tight spot in terms of their finances. New phones and gadgets are released every now and then and keeping pace with these advances can be a costly affair. If one of the partners is desperate to have the latest smartphone in the market and the other is saving to purchase an important household item, strife in the marriage is inevitable.
• Social media obsession has emerged as one of the major concerns for relationships. This rapidly increasing habit has been found to be responsible for distracting partners from each other. Many recent studies have indicated that individuals that spend a major part of their day following their idols on Instagram or browsing Facebook (News - Alert) news feed are more likely candidates for a divorce. The University of Boston and Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile have recently concluded a study that indicates a direct correlation between divorce rates and per-capita Facebook accounts.
• Spending more time on technology gadgets invariably means having less time to spend with the partner. It has been observed that divorce-related to indiscriminate use of technology is more prevalent amongst the younger couples. Studies indicate that a higher number of divorce cases are filed by women. Also, men within the age bracket of 30 and 35 files often for divorce. This is primarily because of the fact that today’s younger generation is extremely tech-savvy, and tends to find more happiness and comfort in the presence of their digital gadgets compared to the company of their partners.
• Amongst the younger couples, it is common these days to spend the entire day at work in front of computers and the entire evening on social media. A Nielsen Company audience report reveals that on average, a working adult spends over ten hours per day in front of his or her computer. Naturally, this results in communication breakdown between couples and they lose the much-needed together time. In many instances, this weakens the marital bond and the relationship falls apart.
• Lack of social life is yet another serious problem caused by the excessive use of technology. Gone are the days when couples used to spend evenings attending shows, plays, concerts or things they enjoy. They also had plenty of time for going out socially and calling others on. Life was certainly more interesting with these activities. Selfish attainment of happiness through technology destroys people’s social lives and jeopardizes relationships.     

To end this discussion, it is important to remember that technology was made by us and its impact depends entirely on how we use it. Therefore, instead of blaming technology for broken relationships, it is important to use it smartly so that it doesn’t come in the way of building and maintaining healthy relationships.