What A Couple's Anniversary Post On Social Media Reveals About Their Relationship
Affectionate photos and gushy words can be deceiving.
Doczky / dekazigzag / Prostock-Studio / Shutterstock If you know any avid social media users, you are most likely familiar with the yearly anniversary posts couples dedicate to their partners and spouses. Phrases including “we’ve been through so much together” and “I couldn’t have asked for a better partner” most likely ring a bell.
Some may read these social media posts and view them as an indication that a person is in a happy and healthy relationship. However, according to frequent social media users, it may actually imply the complete opposite.
According to TikToker Faith Neece, “the longer the anniversary post caption, the worse the relationship.”
She is not the only person who believes in this philosophy. Entrepreneur Sam White (@samwhiteout) not only agreed with Neece’s proclamation but also shared other indicators that a couple’s relationship is in shambles revealed by their anniversary posts.
He claims that if the man of the relationship discusses all the “ups and downs” the couple has had throughout the years, then it implies that the moments were “all downs” and that the man may have cheated.
White also believes that how the man describes his partner in anniversary posts says a lot about how he truly feels about her.
“When he talks about her and he’s describing the things that she does and the things she does for him, and not who she is as a person, he doesn’t like her,” he says. “He is glad to have an employee that he doesn’t have to pay.”
Additionally, White claims that any person who refers to their partner as a “real man/husband” or “real woman/wife,” begs the question, “real to whom?” Real to the rest of the world for what a husband or wife is expected to be or real by their own standards, even if they are not being treated well by their partners.
“Also most straight people just don’t like their partner,” White adds.
Other TikTok users agreed with Neece and White’s claims based on their own personal experiences.
“My sister just posted the longest anniversary post, and her husband missed her third kid's birth because he was having an affair,” one user commented.
“My sister-in-law’s anniversary posts are just nauseating. I know they HATE each other,” another user shared.
However, there were people who attempted to debunk the theory that long anniversary captions implied miserable relationships.
“I’ve been married 26 years and always write long posts. I’m just a romantic,” one user revealed.
“It was the opposite for me. When I was in toxic relationships, posts were short or nonexistent. Now that I know real love, I can write a book!” another user wrote.
Some people may exaggerate details about their relationship on social media if they are feeling insecure about it.
There is no conclusive evidence that determines that lengthy anniversary posts on social media mean that the relationship is an unhappy one. However, one study conducted by researchers at the University of Kansas found that those who post often about their relationship tend to experience “lower levels of happiness” compared to couples’ who refrain from posting.
Some may ask themselves if couples are so unsatisfied in their relationship, why do they constantly post pictures with one another and describe their partnership as nothing but good? The hard truth is that they may be trying to convince others — and themselves — that their relationship is perfect, even if it is far from. Some people may believe that fooling their peers and followers that they have a happy relationship will ease their insecurities about it.
Photo: Stock Unit / Shutterstock
“The oversharer may be genuinely happy and want to express that via social media ― or they might feel they have something to prove to their peers or want to take the focus off other areas of their lives they feel insecure about,” Danielle Kepler, the owner of DK Therapy that specializes in couples, told the Huffington Post.
“At this point, it’s a societal norm to smile in pictures, even if you just had an argument five minutes before the photo was snapped.”
Others believe that painting a false picture of the ideal relationship on social media will manifest itself in their own lives.
However, the truth is if you are unhappy in your relationship and want to improve it, you shouldn't kid yourself by turning to social media. Instead, you should have a discussion with the person you are praising in all of your posts and work on making all of those beaming photos and overly corny captions a reality.
Megan Quinn is a writer at YourTango who covers entertainment and news, self, love, and relationships.