Social Media Overuse Threatens Family Relationships – Expert Warns
Mental Health Advocate Justice Ocloo has warned that excessive use of social media is weakening family connections and increasing the risk of misunderstandings in everyday communication.
Speaking on Business Breakfast on Zed 101.9FM, Mr. Ocloo expressed concern about the growing tendency for individuals, especially within the nuclear family to prioritise digital engagement over meaningful, in-person interaction.
According to him, the widespread habit of giving mobile phones to children at an early age is contributing to a culture where digital content becomes more engaging than real-life relationships.
“Children become used to whatever happens on social media more than engaging with their parents,” he noted.
He explained that this pattern extends to adults, where couples and family members often struggle to maintain prolonged conversations because their attention is divided by their devices.
“In many homes, people are unable to give each other their full attention because there is always something more entertaining on their phones,” he said.
Mr. Ocloo highlighted that divided attention not only weakens relationships but also creates room for frequent misunderstandings. He illustrated how simple jokes can be misinterpreted when individuals are not fully present in conversations.
“Someone might say something playfully, but because the other person wasn’t paying attention to the tone or facial expression, it could be taken as an insult,” he explained.
Mr. Ocloo also revealed that nonverbal cues such as smiles, tone, and body language are critical in communication but are often missed when individuals are distracted or relying on digital platforms.
The mental health advocate further stressed that overreliance on online communication reduces people’s ability to empathise with one another. Text-based interactions, he noted, often fail to capture the true emotional state of a person.
“If someone says ‘I am fine’ in a message, you may not detect anything unusual. But in person, you can easily tell when something is wrong,” he said.
Mr. Ocloo therefore warned that the growing dependence on social media is masking genuine human connection and limiting opportunities for authentic interaction.
He urged individuals and families to be more intentional about setting boundaries with device use, particularly during conversations, to foster stronger relationships and improve emotional understanding.
