Irish experts believe the Internet is breaking up marriages

Too much web use can be destroying relationships

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In recent years, people’s ability to communicate has drastically changed and has been made easy, yet our in-person communication is suffering. We are easily connected to one another throughout the entire day but could our quickly reachable ways be making us too connected to each other that we are losing touch?

The Catholic marriage care service has announced that internet misuse was the fastest growing area of concern in wedlock. National director Ruth Barror said text messaging or spending time on the internet is detrimental to any relationship, reported the Irish Times.

Constant checking of a mobile device during a night out, at a dinner table or simply during day-to-day conversation can often cause people to drift away from each other. The number of couples reported to have been affected by their Internet usage went up by 20 percent last year and by 125 percent over the last three years.

“It can be a distraction from a relationship. It’s so easy to spend hours on the internet doing other things instead of being in the relationship with your partner," Barror said.

“Texting is also emerging as an issue, with people receiving texts and one partner wondering what the text is and the other not saying.”

There is so much to be lost from text messages or communication via the web. There is no actual contact or use of charm, and the tone of the written message can often be misconstrued, leading to a misunderstanding between two people.

A record 43,627 hours of marriage counseling was provided to 6,145 couples last year by Accord, which tried to warn men and women to invest as much time in their relationships as they do in their home, job or hobbies.

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Instead of chatting with friends on Facebook, e-mailing, gambling or visiting porn sites, a couple should shut off their electronic devices and spend one-on-one time with their significant other to strengthen their bond outside of the realm of technology.

Stress, a breakdown in communication, difficulties with intimacy and financial problems continue to be at the top of the list of couple issues, the Catholic marriage care service said.

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