Social Media Depression – yep you read that right ever heard of it?
It is not something I made up honestly. Apparently it is now something that is being caused by spending too much time on sites like Facebook and Twitter and there are studies being done into it.
According to some of the sites I have seen we get depressed when our friends post “sunny status updates and photos of perfect children”
Bullshit!
What a lot of people do not understand is that social media is, for many people, the only form of contact we have with people because of our illnesses.
Here is one post about social media where it outlines what we should do to prevent us adding social media depression to our growing list of problems – what is social media depression
The following is taken from that article
Like most things in life, it’s a good idea to approach social media in moderation. The effects of obsessively checking social media accounts aren’t well studied, but research shows that the more time a person spends doing this, the more likely he will experience anxiety and emotional loneliness . So far, it’s believed that people’s addiction to social media sites is influenced by their personality traits — a fact suggesting that psychology may play a larger role than social media Web sites on their own.
To avoid what some refer to as social media depression, experts suggest resisting the urge to compare your life with those of other people in your social networks. Also, remember that online communication is very different from face-to-face interactions; online, body language and face-time can’t be used to prevent miscommunication. There’s nothing wrong with using social media to stay in touch, but consider talking over the phone or meeting in person if you’re not satisfied with your online relationships with others.
If social media is taking a toll on your mental health, don’t be afraid to talk to someone about it or contact a trained professional for advice.
All well and good but what if you cannot manage face-to-face interaction because you have problems leaving your home, what if there is no one in your life that you can have face-to-face interactions with?
From my point of view it is well documented by me that I have no friends in real life so am I supposed to just ignore social media and the opportunity to speak to people. What twitter and Facebook has done is introduce me to people I would never have met in the real world. I have friends from all over the world which means that anytime of day there is usually someone around for me to interact with.
I can’t rely on my family for any contact – by family I mean my parents and siblings, I speak to my nans and great aunt 2-3 times a week. I have not spoke to my father in 18 months and my mother a couple of times since May. My brothers and sister could not care less about me or my kids. So I HAVE to use social media to talk to people.
Not only is it a case of needing social media to have any contact with people it also helps me meet those with the same mental health illnesses as me which is vital because it is a great comfort to know your not alone in suffering.
Mark Brown, who writes for One in four a mental health magazine has written a great blog post about the virtues of social media which can be found here
I agree with his sentiments especially the last paragraph
If we want to stop the internet doom mongers judging us, we need to stand up and say: “Yes, I have a mental health difficulty. Yes, I use social media. And, you know what? It’s something that adds something great to my life not takes away from it. And it’s not something that’s going to go away.”
Sure I spend at least 12 hours a day on twitter and facebook but that time is spent learning more about depression from others point of view, socialising and helping others.
Would I be able to walk into a pub for example and announce “I have depression” and receive the same reception that I get from people on twitter. Of course that would not happen so before judging someone for the amount of time they spend using social media think about the reasons behind it.
For many people it is quite simply a lifeline and I know of people, myself included, who would not be here were it not for the kindness of stranger on these sites that send a positive message or words of advice or just a simple virtual hug.
So say it loud, say it proud I LOVE SOCIAL MEDIA and the friends I make on there keep me going through the bad days, unlike the real world people who wouldn’t know I was having bad times because they simply don’t care.
Social media depression? Don’t make me laugh! soon I suspect I will be suffering from depressed depression
Social media does not make me depressed it gives me a way of meeting new people from different walks of life and connect with fellow sufferers. Things like silly studies into mental health give me more cause for concern!
For those who don’t follow me on twitter find me here you can find me on Facebook here
The Depressed Moose 