QWANZ

Making “friends” on Facebook and sharing with them seem, on the surface, like something that could boost well-being. After all, isn’t that what being “social” is all about? However, a closer look at the interactions on Facebook suggest that rather than enhancing how we feel about ourselves and others, interactions on the social media giant’s site can actually lead to jealousy, anxiety, and even depression. The reason given behind this is the fact that the sharing of photos and sta...   >>>

Making “friends” on Facebook and sharing with them seem, on the surface, like something that could boost well-being. After all, isn’t that what being “social” is all about? However, a closer look at the interactions on Facebook suggest that rather than enhancing how we feel about ourselves and others, interactions on the social media giant’s site can actually lead to jealousy, anxiety, and even depression. The reason given behind this is the fact that the sharing of photos and status updates can create comparisons between people which can lead to personal dissatisfaction. Being hooked to Facebook status updates and photos can create a virtual “keeping up with the Joneses” environment. Imagine being bombarded about who bought what, traveled where, won what, got promoted, etc. on a regular basis.