Oversharing is a common occurrence that happens online and in real life.
The act can wreak havoc when outside voices trickle in with opinion pieces and comments about a private situation. A most recent case of oversharing is the TikTok saga of Reesa Teessa’s “Who TF Did I Marry.” Her 52-part series aligns with this frequent phenomenon as she detailed the intricate parts of her past marriage and ex-husband, who she claimed to be a “pathological liar.” Although Reesa Tessa drew fame after publicly sharing her relationship with millions online, she is a rare case of finding success after oversharing.
Too often, oversharing with friends or family about a romantic relationship or partner causes more harm than good. Everyone has had those moments when he or she needed advice about an issue or space to simply vent. While these are normal human instances, the consequences, like bias or consistent reminders about their wrongdoings, have the potential to linger longer than desired.
If sharing too many negative details becomes frequent, there’s also a chance that it will become an annoyance hearing the stories. At some point, there is the possibility of them questioning the fate of the relationship.
Researchers like to classify “oversharing” as triangulation. Triangulation is when a person reaches outside of the relationship to draw other sources in during tense periods. Getting a second opinion appears to be helpful in reducing anxiety. However, researchers suggest that the underlying issues originally expressed tend to go unresolved.
In fact, a 2018 study showed how showing that outsiders in relationships caused more tension than the relationship. The study included 71 couples and found that these couples were more stressed when speaking with friends than their partners. With boundaries, sharing information with friends or family can be effective. The Huffington Post suggests avoiding relationship discussions about finances, past dating history, sex life and health struggles.