Could Using Facebook Lead To Depression?
Facebook has become very popular in recent years. Many people have a Facebook account and you can find people on Facebook that you haven't spoken to in years. People post pictures daily and write about their lives openly on this social media website. Going on Facebook may be a way to connect with people online, however, it may also have its drawbacks. For a person who is prone to depression, or who does not have much going on in their lives, going on Facebook may actually cause a person to feel depressed. Here are some of the reasons why Facebook may contribute to feelings of depression.
A lot of comparison can go on when a person sees what other people have that they do not have. People post pictures and details of vacations, brand new homes, their great relationships, a new baby and their careers. A person who can not afford vacations or who does not have some or any of these things may start feeling inadequate and down about their own life. This may eventually cause a person to feel depressed and it may lower their self esteem. A person who uses Facebook daily and is constantly reading posts of people who have happy lives may also feel the need to compete with others. All of this comparison may end up causing jealousy, frustration and depression.
NEGATIVE OR NO FEEDBACK
Some people who post pictures or comments who do not receive enough positive feedback may end up feeling a blow to their self esteem. Also, since a person is writing a post for a good number of people to see, they may receive some negative feedback or none at all. Having negative or no feedback may cause some people to feel down about themselves. This could lead to depressive feelings if this happens to a person often enough.
Another way that Facebook may contribute to feelings of depression is if a person becomes absorbed with it so much that it affects their life in a significant way. A person may feel that they are missing out something if they aren't always reading up on new Facebook friends' news. It may get to a point where a person becomes obsessed with Facebook and chooses to use it as a main source of communication with others. This may lead to isolation which in turn may lead to depression.
Some people may become victims of bullying or harassment on Facebook. If this is the case, a person may feel down about themselves and it could lower their self esteem. If someone publicly writes something bad about another person, it could cause embarrassment and shame to the person who they are writing about. A person who is being bullied on Facebook may be more prone to feelings of depression. School age children who get bullied outside of school may also get bullied on Facebook. This could eventually cause the child to become depressed.
COULD FACEBOOK LEAD TO DEPRESSION?
While Facebook may be a nice way to keep in touch, I would say that it may cause depression in some people. If you feel jealousy, anger or low self esteem when you use Facebook, you may eventually end up feeling feel down and depressed. It may be a good idea to give Facebook a break by limiting your time on there or give it up totally.