Anti-Facebook, Social Media, reality?

[Nikki]

First things first, I know Facebook is a great place to keep in touch with families and friends... that is not what this is about. So please don't answer that.



Long story short, in 2006-2007, My Space was the big thing. I remember during that time, I would work all day, then go home, get on the computer, and be on my space all night. In addition to that, all the other people on My space would be online, posting comments and their moods or what not.

I noticed, when this was happening, I was looking at peoples' My Space accounts, people I knew years ago, people I currently knew, ex girlfriends etc. And when looking at these people, and all their photos, and personal lives, I felt compelled to compete for attention, and to try and look more important, to look cooler and better. I felt I had to show off that I am better than everyone else. Well these feelings were me feeling insecure, which is an uncomfortable position.

In January 2008, I left for Boot Camp, and was away until the end of summer in 2008 (seven months). During this time, I had no access to computers, cell phones, My Space, Face Book, nothing.

When I came home from boot camp, I worked in Security, in a City an hour away from where I grew up. I had no computer or smart phone, just a regular phone. When working, there are a lot of nights where things were slow, I would read books, usually history, and other popular material.

While spending this time alone, away from all the social media, I just felt better, healthier, I had fun working, I was just happy.

I created a Facebook once for advertising, and right away, Facebook displays people you may know, and sure as hell, I started clicking on peoples profiles. I was doing the same thing again like My Space. This incident with Facebook only lasted one day, then I decided to delete it, and refuse to use it. A lot of those uncomfortable feelings started coming back as opposed to when I was away from social media for a few years before that.

The point of all this, and the Question I ask is "Could Face book be bad for Mental Health?"

"Would you consider it a health Hazard?" I can't find a study on this subject, or any evidence, and whenever I ask people this question, I always hear people say Face Book is a great way to keep in touch with friends, maybe it is ok to keep in touch, but what about email addresses? Cell phones? You can use those to keep in touch with friends?

So what do you think?

[THE BANNIBAL ONE]

I am a person who wrote to some officials asking cell phones and facebook among other sites only be for those 18 and above.
Of course they won't pass any such law since money is everyone's
top priority.I notice the same.It seems people base their whole lives
on what others think.So many people lie.If they were happy,
They would be too busy to post every detail of their life.