Do you feel depressed after reading facebook?

[SilentStranger]

I look logged onto my fake facebook account and spied on people from school & uni. Now I feel so depressed. Its because most of them are married/in relationships and/or have kids and overall seem to living normal lives.

Last time I met one group was at my 10th school reunion and even back then I couldn't ignore peoples 'normal' lives, but at least the some of the 'losers' I hung around at school were living sort of dysfunctional lives. Mind you not bad as me, But now more of them seem to be growing up and living normal lives. More and more pics of their kids are on their pages and some are talking about buying houses or boasting about their long term relationships. Meanwhile I have I have nothing really to show

Hmmm I have been a bit 'fragile' (partly due to my own doing) last couple of days and maybe looking at facebook was a bad idea.

Reason I looked at it was I have been meaning to increase my circle of friends and was thinking of creating a real fb account, but maybe right now was not the best idea.

Sorry for the vent post... thanks for reading!

 

[Sinar_Matahari]

Yeah, when I see that everyone has a job or a career. Everyone I know tells me that the only way to get decent jobs around here is if you know someone who knows someone. After a year of applying for various jobs and not hearing a word from any employer, I'm starting to believe that there's some truth to what people tell me. It's not like I apply for jobs if I do not fit the qualifications. I've even applied for menial jobs. Maybe it's time for me to start networking with people who can hire me for jobs.

 

[The Nephilim]

I look logged onto my fake facebook account and spied on people from school & uni. Now I feel so depressed. Its because most of them are married/in relationships and/or have kids and overall seem to living normal lives.

Last time I met one group was at my 10th school reunion and even back then I couldn't ignore peoples 'normal' lives, but at least the some of the 'losers' I hung around at school were living sort of dysfunctional lives. Mind you not bad as me, But now more of them seem to be growing up and living normal lives. More and more pics of their kids are on their pages and some are talking about buying houses or boasting about their long term relationships. Meanwhile I have I have nothing really to show

Hmmm I have been a bit 'fragile' (partly due to my own doing) last couple of days and maybe looking at facebook was a bad idea.

Reason I looked at it was I have been meaning to increase my circle of friends and was thinking of creating a real fb account, but maybe right now was not the best idea.

Sorry for the vent post... thanks for reading!

If you are feeling crap about yourself, FB definitely helps to make it worse.I think most of us compare ourselves a lot to other people, we also tend to isolate ourselves. I try to tell myself that other peoples lives may not be as they seem. I've found throwing myself into it has helped as I avoided it a lot and this only made it worse when I later went on. I try not to dwell on other posts and even "like" comments here and there, just small things to try and ease in to it. The more you put into it the more you get back. In saying that I try and only use it a couple of times a week. It can definitely make you depressed, but in some ways can help your confidence also.

 

[KiaKaha]

Absolutely. I have a facebook account with a about 40 friends. They are people who I had met in the years gone by who I was friendly with but never actually made it into the hang out zone. But yes I agree, I see people living their lives and where they are going. Some of them have kids and houses and great jobs...other people are travelling the world and having great experiences, while I am here in my bedroom, unemployed lonely and unhappy. It def does make you feel a bit crap. Without a doubt Facebook has a tendency to make you compare yourself to others. I do think its a bit of a farce anyway, I get annoyed by people who add me as a "friend" when I havent even spoken to them for about 10 years.... but thats just the cynicism speaking there...

 

[Mendel]

Reason I looked at it was I have been meaning to increase my circle of friends and was thinking of creating a real fb account, but maybe right now was not the best idea.

Sorry for the vent post... thanks for reading!

My two cents on facebook. I initially created an account for this very same reason, to increase my circle of friends. At first, I had a lot of people that I hadn't seen for quite a while adding me as friends. Most of them seemed very receptive when I would bring up the idea of hanging out and catching up, so I was optimistic, but I soon found that they would just say that, and then I wouldn't hear from them again. To me, it seems like fb is a convenient way for people to be "social" without being social. If you do create an account to increase your circle of friends, I hope you have better luck than I did. I also don't even look at my profile anymore because, as you said, it is a bit depressing to me to see all of these other people having families and careers, etc.

 

[Sinar_Matahari]

For what it's worth, sometimes things are not always as they seem. You might go through your friends' pictures on FB and feel a tinge of envy as you see them smiling with their families and friends. Do you really know that they're happy or satisfied with their life by those pictures alone or by what they write on their status? They may have bigger problems that you or I, but we may never know because they don't comment about them on their status. They sure as hell won't post pictures of themselves while they're crying, sad or vulnerable. It's too easy to envy others when you imagine that they have ideal lives.

 

[hopelives]

Do I get depressed after reading facebook? Yes I used to, so I stay away from it. Ignorance is bliss.

 

[sanitariumcalls]

Sometimes, yes. I keep in touch with good friends that have moved away, joined the military, etc. and extended family that I don't feel like vomiting on...

But there are some "acquaintances" on there who have kids, married(albeit unhappy), etc and I get melancholy... but at the same time, I'm one who's actually going to college, not working a dead end blue collar job, have a STABLE relationship (unmarried) and I'm not broke from kids or partying it up like they are...

So initially, yes, I get depressed, then I laugh that them, because despite having a ring on their finger and the capability of reproducing, I'm happier in reality than they THINK they are!

 

[Falkor]

I feel depressed too, sometimes when I read those profiles.
Especially when I see pictures of people having parties with lots of people around them, or bday parties. Because I can't give a bday party, because I'm too anxious to do that.., Wish I could!!!
But organize my own party, I can't.. Just afraid of all those people coming over and talk to me at the same time.. aahh
And when I see teenagers in huge groups going on holiday, or go camping. I think like, Why can't I make some fun, like them?
Stupid, i know

 

[Dronee]

For what it's worth, sometimes things are not always as they seem. You might go through your friends' pictures on FB and feel a tinge of envy as you see them smiling with their families and friends. Do you really know that they're happy or satisfied with their life by those pictures alone or by what they write on their status? They may have bigger problems that you or I, but we may never know because they don't comment about them on their status. They sure as hell won't post pictures of themselves while they're crying, sad or vulnerable. It's too easy to envy others when you imagine that they have ideal lives.

I don't know about ideal lives... I'm the kind of person that people often confide in in real life for some reason. The problems I usually hear are of the kind.. "I'm worried that our new marriage won't have the finances and my parents in law want me to get a better job..." or "I've this gambling problem, I can't seem to save any money at all. I'm working two jobs now to fund my habit..."

It's seldom along the lines of completely having no life at all. Sometimes I think I'm really completely invisible and wonder if I exist at all to anyone.

 

[coyote]

I find it crucial to be informed when someone I barely know needs help assassinating a cow in "Farmville Mafia Wars."

 

[Emma03]

Looking at people's Facebook profiles can be very depressing...especially when it seems like everybody is moving on with their lives...getting married...having kids. I have found myself recently becoming very upset by this because I feel so stuck and unhappy with my life. I think looking at Facebook is especially depressing because people often portray their lives as being perfect....which isn't really true.

 

[Falkor]

Well the thing is.. You can post ANYTHING on facebook!
So yeah, some people just wanna be in the ´´hype´´ of coolness at Facebook... Reality is different. That´s internet.
But I believe on SPW people are really honest , I like this site much better!
Thumps up for SPW!
And also, i think spw is much kooler, than Facebook.

 

[Inspiration]

Sometime. That is why i don't write anything or read anything anymore. I log in just to press a button every 15 minute. Kinda like "LOST". Need to press the button or else LOL.

 

[Harley<3Quinn]

Absolutely. I have a facebook account with a about 40 friends. They are people who I had met in the years gone by who I was friendly with but never actually made it into the hang out zone. But yes I agree, I see people living their lives and where they are going. Some of them have kids and houses and great jobs...other people are travelling the world and having great experiences, while I am here in my bedroom, unemployed lonely and unhappy. It def does make you feel a bit crap. Without a doubt Facebook has a tendency to make you compare yourself to others. I do think its a bit of a farce anyway, I get annoyed by people who add me as a "friend" when I havent even spoken to them for about 10 years.... but thats just the cynicism speaking there...

This is how I feel. Except I don't have a FB. My bf thinks I should have one and just keep him and my mom on it. That probably wouldn't be so bad.

 

[petrified eyes]

When it comes to farcebook, not all is as it seems. Read the body language of people in photos, read the comments their friends make. One of my friends (former classmate) looks to be "successful" but is actually a stoner that works a dead end job. Another friend is going to college, has a decent job, and always posts pictures of themselves with friends, but their body language says they're about as comfortable in groups as I am!

 

[Feathers]

Yup, I can relate.

A friend of mine only has single people or interesting people in her FB and has it as 'home page'. (Then she calls me and says, 'Ooh, have you seen this?' and I go and comment, and only then she comments - it's odd, lol!!

I have some people from my local surroundings and from past (high school, Uni etc) and it's odd sometimes...
It's interesting what some of them are up to though..

 

[Felgen]

I find it depressing sometimes, which is why I don't use it much.

 

[Luke1993]

I imagine I would feel awful if I saw other people's succeses, so I made sure not to have Facebook!

 

[FinalSolution]

I know a solution! Delete it! Facebook is one of most useless inventions of our time (probably not for business). You dont need it. But you want it. Coz you feel like you need to be like everyone else. Dont be a sheep. Why everyone from your so called "friends" need to know everything about you. Privacy FTW. Where does this world go :/