Impact of Communication in Relationships

communication in relationships

How does one describe the feeling when one suddenly sees an email from a long-lost friend in the mailbox? It is a mix of a multiple emotions: surprise, joy and a sense of peace that one has not been wiped from the friend’s memory.

My friend’s long email was almost akin to her dropping by for a chat. I realized it connected so much better than a mere facebook update or a “like” pressed on the update or a picture.

Lonely lives

Even though there are so many more options and means to connect up with friends and family, we actually seem to be leading lonelier lives. Studies show that depression is on the rise. Why so? This happens because our emotional connection to Facebook or Twitter is just for mere seconds.

On the other hand, when we write a long email (since the concept of writing long letters is almost alien to the generation born post 1990’s) or meet a person in real-time or talk to him/her in real-time the attention and time span required for the communication is so much longer and hence the connection with the person is at a deeper level.

Feel the love

It is this feeling of connection that makes one feel loved and wanted. It is only once when we feel this connection, that we are able to share our joys and fears. It is this feeling of being loved and wanted which helps us ride through the not-so-happy days and difficult times.

Man, as we know, is a social animal. One cannot live in isolation. In fact no wonder solitary confinement is considered to be the worst form of punishment meted out to offenders.

Nourish the relationship

Communication wherein one actually spends some time in forming an emotional connection helps to nourish the relationship, otherwise one just drifts away from the person. Lack of real communication is what primarily leads to breakdown of relationships.

While the ability to share silences is also a form of communication in relationships, it should not be the norm. Otherwise it becomes a habit and one ceases to understand and empathize with the concerned person over a period of time.

So while it may sound like a cliché, nothing infuses a sense of well-being and warmth in a relationship more than spending time with each other in real time. But, in today’s busy schedule, spending time with each other is not always possible—especially if you are stationed in different cities. In that case, the next best option to keep the relationship growing is to keep the other modes of communication in relationships alive.

For example, calling up and talking. If that too is not possible (time zones may differ), then at least spend some time and write an email to the concerned person, and thus make him/her aware that he/she is still very much in their thoughts and heart.

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About the Author

Nishi Roy is business writer by profession. What she loves most is being able to delve a little deeper into situations and people and share her understanding through her writing voice

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