Understanding cyber-relationships

A reflection on how cyber-relationships affect us in the context of the Internet.

Long-distance relationships are an increasingly frequent phenomenon in an interconnected and globalized world.. The massification of Internet use multiplies the opportunities to meet someone living in a distant country, and as always, love does not understand geographical areas.

Maintaining long-distance relationships is a psychological challenge that not everyone knows how to manage. In this sense, there are now new studies that indicate that a long-distance relationship can be much more successful than a conventional one. What is the reason for this?

The keys to long distance relationships over the Internet

Interestingly, it has been shown that the degree of communicative intimacy is seen much more often in long-distance couples than in co-located couples.

However, long-distance relationships can also be very painful, long-distance relationships can also be very painful because they expose people to uncertainty, jealousy, lack of commitment, lack of physical contact, misunderstandings in communication, monotony and ignorance of the other person's social circle. In a sense, these problems also occur in a relationship in which both people are in the same place. Could it be that long-distance relationships are not really as crazy as they sounded before?

The problem before was the lack of communication channels between two people far from each other; the ones that existed were not effective. But now all that has been remedied. In the same way, new communication channels such as the recently announced Metaverse offer us hundreds of possibilities to continue communicating despite the distance, and to establish in this context and in a healthy way a relationship, either friendship or love. establish in this context and in a healthy way a relationship, be it a friendship or a love relationship..

We have seen over the years some successful cases of affective or loving relationships initiated on the Internet; stories that end in weddings or lifelong friendships.

The psyche of people is an extremely important element when entering into a relationship of any kind. And in this case, in the context of Internet interactions, rules should be upheld to keep oneself safe, rules should be upheld to keep oneself safe from threats, deception and emotional charade.. Especially if you want to take the relationship to the level of getting to know each other deeply.

The consolidation of relationships.

Once we have decided to venture into a situation where there is a face-to-face deal after meeting on the Internet, it is important to take precautions, such as going accompanied (although it is known that a date is for two, you can ask someone you trust to watch them until a sense of security appears), or meet in public places. Or, if the other person changes location from the previously agreed location, move away immediately.

We should check basic information about the user, that it is not a very recent profile, that it has real photos, make video calls on different channels so that it is more difficult to modify the video, etc.

Making friends over the Internet

Speaking of cyber friendships, this can also be a tricky thing to manage. Especially for children and adolescents, who tend to tend to objectify the participants in online video games..

A child may be playing with another in online mode and suddenly disconnect and see messages such as: "see you later, I'm leaving", "bye", "keep in touch". This can cause two reactions:

• The person is objectified and you play as if nothing matters too much; the interaction becomes casual as you find participants.
• Children may feel totally rejected, sad, and frustrated at being objectified.

• You may be interested in, "What is Social Psychology?"

What to do in the case of minors?

It is important to keep an eye on children to see if they manifest behavioral alterations linked to their Internet entertainment routine..

Another very important point is the supervision of the conversations they have with strangers, and if possible to be aware of them while they are playing.

Concluding

If anything, the isolation of the pandemic has exacerbated the need for contact, even assuming that some online interactions are "fictitious" relationships. I believe that the use of the Internet is a two-sided coinbut with a mature and healthy psyche we can enjoy it and avoid going to the "dark" side.