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facebook depressionDoes Facebook cause depression? That is a tricky question.

No. Facebook does not cause clinical depression. I have talked about my experience with depression many times on this blog. It is a chemical imbalance. It is a very real illness. If you are experiencing this depression, please talk to someone immediately.

The depression I am talking about here is immediate doubt, sadness, insecurities, jealousy, etc.

When you see all of your friends going out and doing something you used to do with them. Have they forgotten about me?

When you see your friends or family are doing something without you. Why didn’t they invite me?

When you see someone announce that they are pregnant by surprise and you have been trying for years.

When you see people going on lavish vacations and you can’t even leave the house.

When someone posts a major life event that they did not share with you personally and you think they should have.

Maybe you are envious of someone’s new house, new car, new love.

You feel defeated when someone else announces they got something that you have worked so hard for.

When we compare ourselves to what others make their life out to be, we hurt. When we take it personally that we were not invited or told about something, we hurt. These things cause us to feel bad. They cause that immediate depression.

So does Facebook Cause Depression? Sometimes.

How can we avoid it?

  • Don’t check in every time you have a break.
  • Don’t follow people’s every move. If someone specific is hurting you, hide their updates.
  • Do NOT compare your life to someone’s post.
  • Remember, things are NOT always what they seem.
  • Take a break from Facebook. If it hurts, don’t look at it! You will not miss anything huge. If it is that important, someone will call you or you will see it on the news.

It goes both ways.

  • Remember, everything does not need to be shared online.
  • Keep some things private and personal.
  • Be sensitive about what you post.
  • If it is not uplifting, don’t post it.

REMEMBER THIS: People overly share the great things. They often hide the bad part of their lives. Keep this in mind when someone posts everyday how awesome her life is. Inside, she may be dealing with a nightmare.
someecards.com - May your life someday be as awesome as you pretend it is is on Facebook.
I post more personal things now that I live away from my family. How do I keep it private? When I post I click on the earth icon. The drop down menu lets you choose who can see it. Make a list of family or close friends. Share those personal things with only those people. Then when you do check Facebook, just follow those lists. See what is happening with the ones you love.

I hope this helps you cope with Facebook Depression better. Have you been hurt by Facebook? What are your tips to avoid being hurt and hurting others.

Heather Brummett

I am Heather Brummett . I'm just a real mom, sharing my real life experiences with the world. Thank you for being a part of my world. Here you will find recipes, crafts, fun ideas for the kids, how to work at home, encouragement, inspiration, and the latest news in and around Houston. To be featured or for information on freelance work contact me at [email protected].

1 Comment

  1. The problem with Facebook is that it gives us too much information! People really should be careful about what they share, we ought to remember that ourselves.

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