Mindful technology use reinforces attentiveness to the real world and strengthen interpersonal trust.

Some users may benefit from the connection opportunities that social media provides.

Social comparison on curated feeds fuels inadequacy, leading to further isolation.

Clearly, for many, social media is deeply embedded in their everyday lives, shaping how they initiate, maintain, and interpret their interpersonal relationships. Although such digital platforms offer some opportunities for connection, communication, and community-building, much research highlights their potential to produce social isolation. Rather than strengthening social bonds, excessive or maladaptive social media use actually undermines relationship quality, diminishes emotional intimacy, and fosters a sense of social disconnection—perhaps even alienation. However, there are practical strategies that can mitigate this digital isolation and promote healthier, more meaningful interpersonal engagement.

The concept of "alone together," described by Sherry Turkle,1 illustrates how social media can undermine relationship quality. Individuals may be physically present with others but remain mentally focused on their devices, leading to superficial engagement and emotional distance. Over time, this divided attention weakens even the closest of relationships.2 A practical solution is to adopt mindful technology use. This might include placing phones out of reach during conversations, actively listening without distractions, and prioritising quality interaction over multi-tasking. Such habits reinforce attentiveness to the real world and strengthen interpersonal trust.

Displacement of Face-to-Face Interaction

A key process through which social media contributes to social isolation is the displacement of face-to-face interaction.3 Interpersonal relationships rely on nuanced, in-person exchanges that convey emotional depth through tone, body language, and physical presence.4 Digital communication, by contrast, relies heavily on curated text, edited images, and brief interactions that lack these richer communicative cues—and, in fact, mimic the social style of a psychopath, and there is plenty of........

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