By: Virna do Brito Lopes, 401903
In today’s society making use of social media websites, such as Facebook, Twitter and YouTube, are among the most common activities. Worldwide, people login daily on these kind of websites to read news from others, or share news with others, about things that happen in daily live, events, job gains and losses, and even matters of life and death. At first sight this might seem useful, because it is easier to connect with other people in an online environment than in real-life, to keep in touch with one another and to stay updated about small and great (life altering) changes in the lives of those you’re interested in or care about. Moreover it can take away barriers for those who have a hard time in connecting and establishing relationships with people in real-life.
On the other hand, spending too much time in an online environment and following other people’s every move can overwhelm a person and stir up all kinds of emotions about others or oneself, which aren’t always positive. Imagine, for instance, a person having numerous online friends/connections, on a social media website, who selectively only share their moments of joy and happiness. Presenting themselves as people who are successful, always on the move, travelling, meeting with friends, being happily married with children (or whatever one might wish). While the person in question doesn’t have a job, is lonely and feels like his or her life is on hold. It is comprehensible that this person might feel even more miserable or depressed with his or her own circumstances. Being aware of how other people live their lives and having the idea that, in contrast to one’s own life, others live productive and fulfilling lives, might be very harmful for a person’s self-esteem.
In order to avoid this situation I think it is important to always keep in mind that posts on social media websites are selective and reflect what people want you to see, believe or think about them. Besides this, I think people should stay connected with people in the real world and invest in personal (real-life) friendships. Sometimes it is needed to unplug and be offline in order to avoid getting sucked into the whirlwind of data based on illusions and make believe.
References
Durlofsky, P. (2014). Can Too Much Social Media Cause Depression? Accessed at:
http://www.mainlinetoday.com/Blogs/Thinking-Forward/February-2014/Can-Too-Much Social-Media-Cause-Depression/
Spoon, M. (2012). What’s Social Media Depression – and might I have it? Accessed at:
http://health.howstuffworks.com/mental-health/depression/questions/social-media
depression.htm
Very interesting to read your blog on Social Media depression. I think I agree with you that it may harm some people to be constantly aware of other people’s interesting lives and whereabouts, when one isn’t happy about his or her own life. But, on the other hand I think this is very personal. I don’t believe the existence of Social Media, in itself, can cause depressions, but maybe in some degree it can fortify feelings of low self-esteem within those people who already suffer from low self-esteem or are prone to mental illnesses such as depression. Besides this I even found an article online, by Shaw and Gant (2002) named: In defence of the Internet: The relationship between internet communication and depression, loneliness, self-esteem and perceived social support, which argues that internet usage significantly helps in decreasing feelings of loneliness and depression. Don’t forget that platforms like Facebook or forums can also function as an outlet for those who are lonely or depressed and that other people on those platforms can give them support and comfort them.
References
Shaw, L., H. and Gant, L., M. (2002). In defence of the Internet: The relationship between internet communication and depression, loneliness, self-esteem and perceived social support. Cyber psychology and Behaviour, 5, 157-171. doi:10.1089/109493102753770552
I think this is a really interesting topic, and it’s encouraging to see as above that social media is being used primarily for its support features.
This, in conjunction with another blog, however, does raise an interesting thought. Social media is very much about self-disclosure, or the presentation of one’s “online self”. Whilst the extents do vary, most people’s inward self and that which is projected online aren’t entirely identical. I appreciate that before the advent of social media, people still projected a different self outwards in their interactions, however the half-life of these interactions is far greater online, after all – it stays there!
The introduction of social media, therefore, might have added extra pressure to maintain the “perfect” imagine of self and, given the intense scrutiny this is put under on the online platforms, this may make it plausible that social media contributes to struggles with self-esteem amongst other things.