8 Common Instagram Mistakes That Could Ruin Your Relationship

It's almost ridiculous to think that Instagram could ruin your relationship, but it most certainly can.

Your social media behavior is just as important as your IRL conduct with your partner. If you want your relationship to last, you have to be aware of how your online actions influence the health of your partnership.

So is your social media hurting your romance? Keep scrolling for eight common Instagram mistakes that could ruin your relationship.

Forcing Your Partner to Post About You

Going "Instagram official" is pretty much its own relationship milestone now. When you get coupled-up, you obviously want your partner to post about you. But you can't force them to put up pictures. Demanding that your partner post photos every time the two of you hang out isn't only overbearing, it can also take a serious toll on your relationship.

Your partner should post about you when and how they want to. If you constantly tell them to post pics of your relationship, you're putting far too much pressure on them. The more you demand, the less they'll want to post. Eventually, the resulting bitterness and irritation will cause issues in your relationship. Let your partner know that you want them to post about you, but allow them to do it on their own schedule.

(via Unsplash)

 

Refusing to Interact With Your Partner

While some couples force their partner to post about them, other couples refuse to interact online at all. If you're talking to your partner every day and spending quality time together, you might think that it doesn't make sense for you to like their pictures and drop comments on their posts.

While you and your partner should be closer IRL than you are on Instagram, interacting online gives both of you a boost of validation. It lets your partner know that you care about them and shows that you're not embarrassed of them or of your relationship. You don't have to follow their social media obsessively, but the occasional like and comment will let your partner know that you care about them, even when you're apart.

 

Comparing Yourself to Other Couples

Instagram is just a snippet of real life. Not only is it a small part of someone's story, but it's also a highlight reel of the best elements of a person's life. Even when you know that, it's difficult not to compare yourself to other people online, particularly other couples.

Every Instagram couple looks happy and perfect. They're always smiling and talking about how much they love each other, and it seems like they never fight. In short, they always manage to look better than your relationship.

But if you compare yourself to other couples online, you'll find that you'll always end up unhappy in your own romance. Remind yourself that you don't know what happens between those couples in private. Focus on how you feel in your relationship, rather than how your romance measures up to the ones you see online.

(Pretty Little Liars via Freeform)

 

Liking Suggestive Pictures

Instagram is full of thirst traps. And truly? We're all for it. We love a good thirst trap, but the rules of engaging with thirst traps when you're in a relationship are a little different than when you're single. While you may want to hit that "like" button to show your support, constantly liking sexy photos of other people might make your partner insecure.

In general, it's best to avoid showing public support for sexy thirst traps when you're in a relationship. You would feel a little strange if your partner's name showed up in the likes of a sultry pic, so you should show them the same respect. A like might seem innocent, but it can breed a lot of jealousy and anxiety in a relationship.

 

Stalking Exes

If you haven't stalked a partner's ex, you're lying. We all do it. While it's not something to be proud of, clicking into your partner's ex's account once or twice isn't the end of the world. However, if you're constantly stalking a partner's ex, it could spell trouble.

You shouldn't become so preoccupied with your S.O.'s ex that looking at their profile is a normal part of your routine. Your partner broke up with that person for a reason. If you're constantly stalking their account, you're allowing your S.O.'s last relationship to bleed into your current partnership. Stalk the ex if you must, but try to keep your Insta-snooping to a minimum.

(via Unsplash)

 

Controlling Your S.O.'s Activity

You might be in a relationship, but that doesn't mean you and your S.O. are the same person. Remember, their Instagram is just that: theirs. In other words, you don't have control over what they say and do on the app. While you can set boundaries of respect in your relationship (for example, not flirting with other people online), you can't demand that your S.O. say and do certain things on their Instagram.

Don't force your S.O. to like every pic you post. Don't tell them that they should put up a certain caption. Don't keep them from chatting with their friends over DM. Remember, your S.O. is a person entirely separate from you. Just because you might say and do a certain thing online doesn't mean you should expect the exact same behavior from the person you're with.

 

Interacting With Your Ex

Some people end relationships on good terms, and that's great for them. But if you're in a new relationship, you shouldn't be regularly interacting with your ex on Instagram. Keeping in touch with your ex is perfectly reasonable. However, posting old photos of the two of you, commenting on their pics or responding to every one of their stories is a little disrespectful to your current relationship.

You don't have to cut off contact with your ex, but putting them on your public Instagram profile will probably make your new partner uncomfortable. Keep in touch with your ex if you want, but try to keep most of your interactions off the 'gram.

(via Unsplash)

 

Posting Too Much

If you're really in love with your S.O., you obviously want to post them online. However, there is definitely such a thing as posting about your relationship too much. If you're showcasing every detail of your partnership online, you're not leaving anything for just you and your S.O.

Sometimes the best moments are the ones that the two of you share together, without anyone else around. If you're posting all of those special moments online, it feels like you're more interested in how people view your relationship rather than actually being present in your relationship. Posting every detail of your romance online is bound to erode the intimacy between you and your S.O. after a while.

 

Looking for more advice on Instagram and your relationship? Click HERE for eight things your boyfriend should never do on Instagram.