Dear Abby: Husband's social media seems to serve one purpose

Lust vs Emotional Cheating on Social Media: A Growing Concern for Marriage

A married couple is at odds over a husband's Instagram following, which appears to be comprised of scantily-clad women. The wife feels emotionally cheated, while her husband insists it's just lust with no real threat to their marriage. However, the line between lust and emotional infidelity can be blurry.

While many men engage in this behavior without any issues, the wife's feelings are legitimate. It's not about being possessive or controlling, but rather about feeling seen and respected in the relationship. The husband's actions may be perceived as attention-seeking or an attempt to fulfill a deep-seated desire, rather than a genuine connection with others.

In Alabama, where the couple resides, there is no specific law that addresses social media behavior as grounds for divorce. However, emotional infidelity can still have significant consequences on a marriage. Couples need to communicate openly and honestly about their feelings and boundaries.

A hairstylist who has been in the profession for 37 years finds herself at odds with her sister-in-law over taking on another niece's wedding hair job. The stylist feels betrayed after learning that her sister-in-law had already offered the service, causing tension between them.

In this situation, it's essential to acknowledge the feelings and concerns of all parties involved. The hairstylist may want to consider having an open conversation with her sister-in-law about her concerns and exploring ways to work together on future projects. It's also crucial for the bride-to-be to communicate clearly about her needs and expectations.

A couple is struggling to find a solution after the wife feels consistently disrespected in their conversations. The husband wants to protect himself from being questioned or doubted, leading him to withdraw from communication altogether. This approach may exacerbate the problem rather than resolve it.

It's essential for both partners to communicate effectively and work together to address their issues. The husband should consider having an open conversation with his wife about her behavior and finding ways to improve their communication. If necessary, seeking counseling or therapy can help them develop healthier communication habits and strengthen their relationship.
 
πŸ€” this social media thingy is getting out of hand... married couples need to have real conversations about boundaries and feelings πŸ“±πŸ’¬ instead of just brushing it off as 'it's not a big deal' πŸ’β€β™€οΈ. and what's with all these women showing way too much skin on instagram? πŸ€·β€β™‚οΈ it's like they're trying to make us feel bad about our own lives πŸ˜”. couples should be supporting each other, not competing for validation online πŸ‘«πŸ’•. we need to take a step back and reevaluate what matters most in relationships πŸ’­πŸ‘€
 
I saw this thread pop up on my feed like 2 days ago but I gotta say, it's still got me thinking πŸ€”... I think the husband is kinda missing the point - yeah, his Instagram following might be all women, but if he's feeling seen and respected in the relationship, that's not a bad thing. It's just a matter of how he handles the attention. Like, wouldn't it be cool if he could share those moments with his wife and make her feel included too? Instead, it seems like he's trying to shut down the convo altogether 🚫. I mean, I get why the wife is upset, but can't they just talk about it instead of letting it build up into this huge issue? It's all about communication, right? πŸ’¬
 
πŸ€— I think its really sad that people have to go through this in their relationships... like the couple with the instagram issue, its not just about lust but also how it makes the wife feel seen & respected πŸ’”. And on a different note, my aunt's friend had an awkward encounter with her sister over taking on a wedding job πŸ€·β€β™€οΈ... open communication is key in situations like that.

I totally get why the hairstylist felt betrayed, but maybe they could've talked it out instead of letting things fester πŸ˜’. And in another situation, I feel for the wife who's being disrespected in conversations... her husband needs to listen & try to understand where she's coming from πŸ—£οΈ. Counseling or therapy can be super helpful in these situations πŸ’•
 
πŸ€” I think this is way too common in today's world where everyone's so connected online. Like, I've seen friends post stuff that makes you go "um, what's going on here?" And honestly, it's not just about the partner who's being cheated on - it's also about how it affects the person getting sent those messages or DMs.

I've had my own share of weird online interactions and I can see both sides. It's not always easy to know where someone's line is crossed. But what really gets me is when people ignore the issue altogether because they don't want to deal with it. That just makes things worse in the long run πŸ€·β€β™€οΈ
 
😊 I think social media is a major contributor to all this drama! It's like, we're so connected online that it's easy to get caught up in the idea of "friends" and "connections" with people who aren't even in our real lives. And let's be real, some guys are just gonna chase after pretty pics on Instagram πŸ“Έ no matter what their partner is feeling. But at the same time, I think it's also super important for us to acknowledge that online interactions can have real-life consequences. My sister's been telling me about how she's always gotten caught up in online drama with her friends - like, they'll be arguing on Facebook and then expect you to just drop everything and join in πŸ€¦β€β™€οΈ. Anyway, I think the key is for couples (and friends) to have those hard conversations and set some boundaries around online behavior. We need to prioritize respect and empathy over likes and follows πŸ’•
 
I'm so done with people thinking it's okay to just ghost your partner when you're feeling overwhelmed. Like, I get it, we all have our own stuff going on, but that's not an excuse to shut down the conversation entirely πŸ™„. It's like, hello, we need to work through this together! A little bit of vulnerability and effort can go a long way in resolving conflicts. And btw, if you're feeling consistently disrespected, it's time to have a serious chat with your partner about setting boundaries, not avoiding them altogether 🀝.

I also think social media has made us all a bit more aware of the blurred lines between lust and emotional cheating, but we need to stop making excuses for our own behavior. If you're engaging in this stuff without discussing it with your partner first, that's just infidelity, period πŸ’β€β™€οΈ. Communication is key, folks!
 
πŸ˜•πŸ€·β€β™€οΈ I drew a simple mind map on this one...
```
+-----------------------+
| Lust vs Emotional |
| Infidelity on |
| Social Media |
+-----------------------+
|
| Legit concerns:
v
+-----------------------+
| Feeling seen |
| and respected |
| (not just lust) |
+-----------------------+
|
| Husband's actions
v
+-----------------------+
| Attention-seeking |
| or desire fulfillment|
| (no genuine connection)|
+-----------------------+
```
I think the key here is to acknowledge both parties' feelings and concerns. It's not just about whether something is "lust" or "emotional cheating", but also about how it makes each person feel in the relationship. Communication is key! πŸ’¬ Let's chat more about this...
 
Instagram follows shouldn't be a deal-breaker but they do say somethin' about your priorities πŸ’β€β™€οΈπŸ‘€ And honestly, if ur wife feels seen & respected, she should be all good 😊 But for the record, some men do objectify women online & that's never cool 🚫
 
<3 I think these social media situations are super tricky πŸ’β€β™€οΈ! Imagine being on Instagram and seeing all those cute pics of hot girls... it's natural to feel drawn in, right? πŸ€” But when your partner feels seen and respected, and you're not, that's a big deal 🚨. It's like, you need to consider how your actions are making your partner feel, not just about being alone or seeking attention πŸ”.

And can we talk about boundary-setting for a sec? πŸ’β€β™€οΈ It's all about communication... if you don't want someone seeing certain things online, just say so! 🀫 Don't make it a game of "if they like me on social media, I'm still with them" πŸ˜’. Your partner should feel loved and appreciated in the relationship, not constantly being questioned or doubted πŸ€·β€β™€οΈ.

These situations might be frustrating, but talking about them can actually help you work through your issues πŸ’¬. It's like a big ol' puzzle, and figuring out how to fit all the pieces together is key πŸ”©!
 
omg u no this is like so weird... i was watching a vid the other day where ppl were arguing over who's turn it is 2 play fortnite with their bf/girlfriend lol but then i read this article about married couples fighting bc of instagram pics of guys chatting w/ girls πŸ˜‚πŸ‘€

i feel bad for the wife tho, she prob feels super insecure & unappreciated πŸ€•. but u know what's even crazier? A lady got mad at her sis-in-law 4 takin' a wedding hair job from another niece lol... like who does that?! πŸ˜‚πŸ‘―β€β™€οΈ

anywayz back 2 the topic, i think communication is key πŸ’¬. couples need 2 talk it out & figure out what's goin on in each other's heads πŸ€”. maybe they could even get counseling or somethin πŸ€·β€β™€οΈ. idk, just seems like it's all about findin' that balance between trustin' each other & bein' comfortable w/ ur own space πŸ’•. what do u think? πŸ€”
 
Can you believe how far social media has come? I mean, back in the day, if someone was getting it on with a random person online, it wasn't even a thing... or at least, people didn't talk about it πŸ™…β€β™‚οΈ. Nowadays, it's like everyone's got an Instagram account and is flaunting their moves... and some of those moves aren't exactly marriage material 😳.

It's so true what that hairstylist said about her sister-in-law - you can't just take something without talking to the person first πŸ€”. And don't even get me started on how frustrating it must be for the bride-to-be when someone else is trying to steal the show... I mean, she's paying them to do a job, right? πŸ’‡β€β™€οΈ

And those couples who think they can just shut down and hope their partner gets over it... nope, that's not gonna fly 🚫. Communication is key, folks! You gotta talk things through and find a way to make it work... or at least, try to πŸ˜”.
 
I gotta say, social media can be a real double-edged sword for marriages πŸ€―πŸ’”. On one hand, it's easy to see why the wife would feel like her husband is getting attention from other women online - it's some pretty provocative pics 😳. But on the other hand, is it really about lust or is there more to it? I mean, what if he's just trying to stay connected with old friends or family members? πŸ€”

And don't even get me started on the hairstylist and her sister-in-law drama πŸ’‡β€β™€οΈπŸ‘―. It sounds like a pretty petty fight over who gets the girl (or in this case, the wedding gig πŸ˜‚). But seriously, can't we all just talk it out and work together? 🀝

As for the couple struggling to communicate, I feel ya, bro πŸ’•. It's hard when you're not getting heard or respected in your own home. Maybe they should try couples therapy or something... or just have an open and honest convo about their issues 😊. Either way, it's not gonna be easy, but it's worth a shot 🀞.
 
Back
Top