Meet the Other Phone. A phone that grows with your child.

Meet the Other Phone.
A phone that grows with your child.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Relationships

Mumsnet has not checked the qualifications of anyone posting here. If you need help urgently or expert advice, please see our domestic violence webguide and/or relationships webguide. Many Mumsnetters experiencing domestic abuse have found this thread helpful: Listen up, everybody

Partner obsessed with social media

3 replies

KitkatLA · 31/01/2021 22:49

My partner and I have a good relationship. But all of a sudden she has become so obsessed with social media it is affecting our relationship. She (30F) and I (33F) see eachother at weekends only, and I look forward to quality time with her. But she spends the majority of her time when she is here texting or calling her gay guy best friend, on group chats or texting on WhatsApp. They are in contact everyday all day and it has always been like that, which is already annoying, and whenever we have a disagreement/fall out she will instantly message him to tell him and they will talk about it (often before we even manage to sort things between us). I have talked to her about the continuous texting (she used to do it even when we went out to restaurants together and I would stare out the window whilst she messaged) and she has since stopped that as I told her how rude it was.

Lately her and her guy friend have posted a Tik Tok video (don’t get me started on Tik Tok) and it has gained a lot of attention which they are both over the moon about. Likes, views and comments seem to keep increasing by the hour and it appears to be becoming quite an ego filling exercise. Now I have no issue with this, and I am genuinely pleased it’s done so well, but it is becoming an obsession for them. All they have done the last three days is call, FaceTime, and text eachother to excitedly talk about how great it is, and read out comments to me (hourly).

She woke up the other day, and the first thing she did was say ‘oh my god I need to phone xxxx to tell him to look at the comments’. We had just woken up. When I questioned why that was so important to call so early - I was probably a bit snippy (I mean we are talking 8:30am) she snapped at me and told me she could talk and phone her friends whenever she likes and how often she likes. And it ended in a silly argument.

Our weekend during the days have been spent largely out walking (away from phones which has been great) but as soon as we’re back in the house, she is glued to this phone, constantly talking about all the comments, likes and sitting smirking at her phone. I am honestly becoming so tired of it.

As I type this, she has said to me ‘oh im at 9000 likes on Tik Tok’, and I said nicely ‘that’s great babe but don’t get too obsessed’ and she said ‘why not, I can do what I like’. Which of course she can, but honestly hearing about this constantly is becoming tiring and I am genuinely very uninterested. I wish she would be more interested in me and us....but it seems social media is pleasing her more right now and I feel a bit put out. Her and her friend are already planning on what to post next.

When I’ve tried to talk to her, she makes it out like I’m being needy or overreacting and tells me she can do what she wants. Then when I say something it gives her and her best friend more ammunition to discuss our relationship.

I’m too old for all this social media - ego filled validation. I just want to enjoy spending time with her and vice versa.

Am I being ridiculous feeling like this? It makes me feel second best

OP posts:
prawncocktailpringles · 31/01/2021 22:57

When Facebook created the app they went to Las Vegas to learn how slot machines were designed to be addictive and then employed the same techniques. There are two documentaries about it on Netfix. One is called Screened Out and the other is called The Sociap Dilemma. Maybe you could watch them together.

Anyway, all of that would drive me utterly unsane and if someone I was with refused to put their phone away in favour of quality time with me when I was with them I think I couldn't be with them.

prawncocktailpringles · 31/01/2021 22:57

*Social Dilemma

2021vibes · 31/01/2021 23:29

No that would do my head in too.
Fair enough she can spend her own time doing what she likes, but time with you should be time to put her phone away especially if it's only weekly meet ups you both have!

New posts on this thread. Refresh page
Swipe left for the next trending thread