8 Signs Your Smartphone Could Be Killing Your Relationship

The smartphone has changed the way we work, the way we communicate and the way we interact with one another. Thanks to a plethora of modern dating apps, the smartphone has even changed the way we meet new people and enter into relationships. But if you are not careful, the same smartphone that helped you land your significant other could cost you that relationship.

It seems we have become so addicted to our phones that some individuals are ignoring the people right in front of them in favour of what is on that tiny screen. It is a growing problem, so much so that it now has its own name.

Phubbing, or smartphone-based snubbing, has been quietly killing relationships all over the world, driving otherwise loving couples apart and leaving partners feeling unfulfilled and worried about their future.

So are you guilty of phubbing, and could your own relationship be at risk? Here are some sure signs it is time to put down the smartphone and stare into the eyes of the one you love.

1. You go into panic mode when you leave your smartphone at home. Smartphone addiction is a gateway to phubbing, and a sign you may have a problem.

2. You check your email and instant messages while dining out with your spouse. If you find yourself peeking at the screen during a romantic candlelight dinner, you could be putting your relationship at risk.

3. Your smartphone is always in your hand. It is easy to engage in phubbing when your smartphone is always within reach.

4. You immediately reach for your smartphone, even when in the midst of a face-to-face conversation. Human contact should always take precedent, especially when spending time with the people you love.

5. You seek out messages from friends even when spending time with your significant other. Phubbing has a way of destroying priorities – and relationships.

6. You use your smartphone as a crutch when your current conversation gets slow. Conversational lulls are a normal part of a healthy relationship, and filling those gaps with your smartphone is a form of phubbing.

7. You check your smartphone while on a first date. If the person you just met catches you cheating with your smartphone, there may not be a second date.

8. You reach for your smartphone as soon as you wake up. If you cannot go 30 seconds without reaching for your phone, your addiction could soon turn to phubbing.

Smartphones have brought great things to our lives. When the Apple iPhone was introduced a decade ago, few people grasped its true implications, but those consequences have been both good and bad. Phubbing may be the most extreme form of smartphone addiction, but it is becoming more common. If you recognise any of the warning signs listed above, it may be time to put your smartphone back in your pocket – or even leave it at home.

We have written another blog about tech phobias which you may find interesting, click here to have a read!