Why is Facebook so Depressing

Why Is Facebook So Depressing - Some years ago, a brand-new type of communication has actually dominated the world by broadening substantially the means individuals appreciate information and enjoyment: tv. Back then tv was a big step for humankind, even if there were individuals that had a various viewpoint. The poet and also playwright TS Eliot, for example, specified: "It is a tool of amusement which allows millions of individuals to listen to the very same joke at the same time, however however, they remain to be alone".

Facebook And Depression

Now you might apply the exact same reasoning to social networks, particularly Facebook, which in 10 years has reached 1.3 billion customers, fifty percent of which passes an average of 18 minutes logged. Facebook attaches individuals around the globe. Nonetheless, the impact of this social media network is not as positive as you may assume.

Why Is Facebook So Depressing


A boosting variety of studies suggest that the possibility to be "attached" with other individuals does not always suggest to be happier; as a matter of fact, it might detrimentally impact our mood, due to the fact that many individuals are linked yet still are alone.

Hereof, psychologists of the University of Michigan and also College of Louvain, have determined to strengthen the relationship between making use of Facebook and a rewarding life. These researchers asked a group of individuals to state 5 times a day for two weeks on their mood. So they located that the use of Facebook is associated with a poor wellness. They also discovered that people state they feel worse after going to the social media network, not before.

Friendly World Syndrome: Everyone seems to be more happy and successful than us
Why making use of Facebook can affect our state of mind making us really feel even worse? These psychologists indicate that of our basic demands is the social contact. Interpersonal relationships are an incredible resource of convenience. Yet the social network does not offer us the type of social call we need to stay healthy and balanced.

One possible description could be the straightforward envy. Nevertheless, Facebook enables us to see the success of individuals with whom we have shed call. In addition, in a specific feeling, this social media network has actually come to be a collection of bluster, a location where individuals accumulate their successes at the office and also in their personal life, upload pictures of their fantastic family, of the costly auto or the amazing getaway.

Actually, this phenomenon has a name: the "friendly world síndrome", which describes the propensity to believe that every one of them have a far better life than us. This sensation is the outcome of an impact determined by sociologists in 1970 called the "considerable world síndrome", according to which, people who saw a lot of violence on tv believed the world was far more terrible than it truly was. Something comparable happens to us with Facebook, considering photos as well as updates, we believe that the others are happier than us, which minimizes our fulfillment with life and may also create us clinical depression.

Popularity Contest: The friendship paradox
There could be an additional trouble underlying the frustration as well as sadness that generates Facebook, the sensation that everyone is extra prominent than us. It is referred to as the "friendship mystery" because, as a rule, our pals tend to have even more pals than us.

This phenomenon results from an easy mathematical factor: if you're an autist, there is a good chance that among your pals there are lots of extroverted individuals, which in turn have several friends. It is a bias that becomes a lot more noticeable in socials media because with a peek at the profile we can know how popular our good friends are.

This exploration could sadden lots of people making them think that they are not worthwhile of interest or affection from their good friends, as well as this might create clinical depression.

What would happen if you stop using Facebook?
This concern is what some psychologists of the Happiness Research Institute of Copenhagen asked themselves, and also to reply to it have hired more than 1,000 customers of this social media. Fifty percent of them continued to utilize the internet daily, the other half has stopped completely.

It is significant that after just one week, 88% of individuals that have quit making use of the social network reported feeling happier, less upset, a lot more fired up, less depressed, as well as more pleased with their lives. Similarly, it was noted that their tension degree has decreased by 55%.

These psychologists have additionally found that we have a tendency to concentrate on what others have. The study revealed that 5 out of 10 people envy the wonderful experiences that upload on the social media network, 1 out of 3 people covet the apparent happiness of others, and also 4 of 10 envy the noticeable success of others.

Of course, isn't Facebook that is reducing our fulfillment with life and makes us feel negative, yet our propensity to confront and also the cognitive prejudices that show up during the process. Yet the fact continues to be that the way in which this network is structured significantly facilitates such contrasts.

Therefore, the very best remedy is to concentrate on our reality, past the electronic accounts, and also avoid contrasts that do not bring anything to us. We need to begin to concentrate on what we really require, instead of on what others have.