Are computers breaking our hearts?

“I have a lot of couples coming to me about issues that cause tension in their relationships — of course, finances and job stress are the usual suspects, but I am also hearing more concern about computers and technology being a source of tension. It is clear that we need to reconcile how and when we are using computers and get a better gauge on their impact on our personal relationships,” says Dr. John Gray, relationship expert and author of Men Are from Mars, Women Are from Venus. The problem that Dr. Gray is talking about is a widespread one. Forty-five percent of males and 37 percent of females agree that time spent on a computer is causing stress in their relationship.

Where is this stress coming from? Eighteen percent of people surveyed indicate their computer has caused more frustration more frequently than their spouse or significant other. Problems such as crashing, freezing and slowness can stress people out a lot. Twenty-one percent of people say that these problems cause more stress than an argument with a loved one does.

In this infographic, Crucial.com explores the ways in which computer problems can cause harmful stress that may in turn cause tension within relationships.