If there’s an app that knows how to keep you addicted, it’s Snapchat. As soon as users start to get bored, a new feature appears. Stories, filters, snapmaps and, perhaps the most notorious, snapstreaks.

Snapchat anyone more than three days in a row and a small number appears by their name, providing a bit of gratification and a sense of responsibility to grow that number as large as possible. Snapstreaks have only increased the addiction to the app and the sense of competition and false friendship it has always provided.

Before snapstreaks were released, users could see the three people anyone snapchatted most. Of course, this list was misleadingly called your “best friends,” enforcing the idea that Snapchat equals a test of friendship. Snapstreaks helped deepen this feeling.

The longer the streak, the stronger the bond. If my streak with someone isn’t as long as yours is with them, they obviously must like you more. And when that little timer appears, signifying a ticking time bomb counting down the seconds to the streak’s demise, it’s like our friendship is on the line. All communication must die with the streak.

If that were reality, it would be ridiculous. And for some the truth is not far from that. Snapstreaks are given too much importance when they really are just another ploy by Snapchat to get you to rely on using their app daily.

Only snapchatting someone is not enough to support a real relationship, though. Sending meaningless pictures back and forth once or twice a day just to keep the streak going means nothing, so what’s the point?

Don’t waste time sending out pointless snapchats to keep your streaks. Use Snapchat to communicate with people you actually care about and want to talk to. Or better yet, make an effort to see those people in real life. Ending your streaks won’t be social suicide.