Heavy social media users 'unhappy in their relationships'

Three quarters of single Brits feel that social media, TV and film give people unrealistic expectations of relationships, according to a study.

36% of couples and 33%of singles are disillusioned by images of "perfect" relationships portrayed on social media, the study by Match found.

The findings, in partnership with Oxford professor and evolutionary anthropologist Dr Anna Machin, found that 29 per cent of adults feel jealous about what they see on social media, and a quarter often compare their relationship to those of other couples.

Heavy social media users were said to be twice as likely to be dissatisfied with their relationship as intermittent users (7 per cent vs. 4 per cent), and five times more likely to feel under pressure to present their own relationship as ‘perfect’ online (28 per cent vs 5 per cent).

Dr Machin said: "Humans naturally compare themselves to each other but what we need to remember is that each of our experiences of love and relationships is unique to us and that is what makes human love so special and so exciting to study; there are no fixed rules.

"So try to look at these images as what they are, aspirational, idealized views of a moment in a relationship which sit some way from the reality of everyday life.”"

Match is putting on an event in Shoreditch which ends today celebrating 'unfiltered' romances, featuring talks from Dr Machin, a dating expert as well as a gallery and street art event.