Today, yet another study emerged that proves Facebook causes depression, and the more someone uses it, the more depressed he or she becomes. This new study comes from the University of Michigan, where researchers observed 82 Facebook users during a two week period. They found that the more time a person spends on Facebook, the more his or her feelings of well-being decrease and feelings of depression increase.
Ethan Kross, the lead researcher on the project, explained, “On the surface, Facebook provides an invaluable resource for fulfilling such needs by allowing people to instantly connect…Rather than enhancing well-being, however, these findings suggest that Facebook may undermine it.”
Furthermore, Kross went on to say, the more time someone spends on Facebook, the worse their mood outcome:
We were able to show on a moment-to-moment basis throughout the day how people’s mood fluctuated depending on their Facebook usage. We measured lots and lots of other personality and behavioral dimensions, like, for example, frequency of Facebook use, but none of the factors that we assessed influenced the results. The more you used Facebook, the more your mood dropped… The negative effect of Facebook use on happiness became more pronounced the more you interacted with other people within that time frame.
In fact, not only does Facebook cause depression, it also causes what’s known as the “fear of missing out.” This is marked by the feelings of inadequacy someone experiences when they see members of their social circles posting photos of fabulous vacations, expensive purchases and even adorable children. Feelings of jealousy and resentment often pervade when observing the positive things in others’ lives.
While this study sample happens to be very small, there have been numerous other studies that prove the same phenomenon. In Sweden, researchers at the University of Gothenburg studied 1,011 people and found “results showed that Facebook usage had a significant negative relationship with self-esteem. In other words, the results indicated that users who spend more time on Facebook have lower self-esteem.”
Those researchers on that study did note, though, that after adjusting for certain factors, the significance of the self-esteem piece became correlative rather than causal, because the lack of self-esteem could be caused by other things such as gender or low socioeconomic status.
Besides low self-esteem and depression, Facebook has also been proven to cause narcissism. In a study done at the University of Michigan, researchers found that older or middle-aged users were more likely to fuel their narcissism by using Facebook, posting pictures of themselves and “curating their own image” to “gain approval from their peers.”
So Facebook makes us depressed and narcissistic, and harms our overall self-esteem. Setting studies aside for a moment and speaking on an anecdotal level, how does it feel when you post a status update and no one responds? Or how about when you post an achievement you won, an article you wrote, or an artwork you completed, and a “friend” says something nasty about it? Have you ever stayed awake longer than you should have because of something someone said to you (or about you) on Facebook? When thinking about how these feelings can compound over time, it is rather easy to see how terrible Facebook can make us feel.
A new study says Facebook causes depression. Maybe it’s time to click to close button on Facebook and have more real-life interactions from now on.
By: Rebecca Savastio
(op-ed)
45 thoughts on “Facebook Causes Depression New Study Says”
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CORRELATION DOES NOT EQUAL CAUSATION!!!!!
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I also have to say that I find it infuriating that Facebook and Twitter allow Jihadist and pedophile accounts. Ugh.
I just found this article. I started to wonder if it was just me. My child said that they unfortunately worked through this “liking” (essentially ranking) of posts when they were teenagers. And many of them have dropped it now. I just started FB a couple years ago and what started out as fun had become exhausting and frustrating.
I can see that I am more conservative in viewpoint than most of my friends, thanks to all the world events, and this has only served to help me feel alienated (how can one feel conservative anyway when they are pro-choice, gay supportive…?) I also see that I study things (for better or worse than lots of people) and feel frustrated when people superficially put up these virtue signalling type posts.
A tendency to depression and anxiety doesn’t help things but I think I have to leave it. I have lost respect for a lot of people for various reasons that become very apparent on this media (narcissism, ignorance, sheepleness…)
Yes, my sister and I hate each other, now I am flooded with these wedding pictures of family back east and happy faces! Family love! Smiling faces! I literally, although I would not do it, feel like slashing my wrists! All I need is more pics of family, fun, and smiling faces! I am definitely getting off the social media site!
Yes I think it’s my time to go.As an anxiety sufferer and also battling with depression, Facebook is not really a good place to be.Reading this article has made me realise it’s not just me and how certain things on Facebook can trigger things off..We all see at some point , crazy posts ,attention seekers ,nastiness and depressing posts ..Time to go for a long break..
THIS CAN BE VERY HARMFUL TO MANY I DO NOT GET ON IT VERY AWFUL,
i love u
i miss u
Yes I quit Facebook 3 years ago after deciding initially to just stop for a 2 week ‘holiday’ and I can’t say I miss it. I was concerned about the negative impact it was having on my mental health and this article conveys these feelings well. I would add that the quality of my interactions with friends improved because not knowing their news instantly made me more inquisitive and more likely to phone them or visit. Also I don’t seem to miss out on events etc because my improved interactions mean I hear anyway. I’m not going back on.
I am way depressed and I need to quit Facebook. I have asked all family members to be friends and two haven’t accepted. I had my major surgery three years ago for epilepsy and still have seizures. I do live alone, and little family support. If I post something on Facebook rarely does a family member comment. Life just plain sucks. I should quit Facebook. One true friend, all other are acquaintances.
I ultimately think this is true of Facebook, it does make you feel like everyone but you is having a fab time and I would love to ditch it because of this and get on with doing things which would make me feel better and get on with living. You have to be a strong character to not let other peoples smug posts bother you!…On the plus side there is the fact that it keeps me informed of events, and stuff like charity things and informative articles that stops me from ditching it …oh the dilemma!
Facebook OK for happenstance information encounters, but mostly a chaotic trip, wandering through random, ill-expressed verbal vomit.
Is there a facebook type site exclusively for lifes’ bummers? Bumface etc?
Nice job Rebecca, you pretty much confirmed 1. Something I’d been wondering about and 2. Why I’ve been so miserable posting my 100 Days of Happiness, which requires me to go to Facebook to update every day. Oh the irony.
OK, off to have some real life experience and ditch the compy for a few days. Cheers 😉
F*** Facebook ! it’s the modern equivalent of being a “Wanker” !
I couldn’t agree more. After using facebook for over 7 years, i deactivated my account for the first time a few days ago because i was sick of what it had become. After daily logins for about 3/4 of a decade i don’t miss it one single bit.
The life event that triggers situational depression depression can vary in severity. What will cause situational depression in one person won’t cause it in another. A teenager, for instance, who suffers an illness which requires a medication that causes her to gain 40 pounds, might fall into a situational depression because of her weight gain. A middle aged person gaining the same amount of weight might be bothered by the gain but won’t become depressed.
I deal with depression and I see myself getting more depressed .after seeing how everyone’s life seems more active and fulfilled than mine . I’ve come to believe that most of Facebook isn’t real most everyone only puts up only their good moments and leave out what their everyday life is really like .so I’m taking a break from the fiction !!!
be more careful using the word “prove”; without getting into a whole methodology of science discussion, I point you to the Karl Popper wiki.
I completely agree with this article I have deactivated my Facebook just to see how I feel over along period of time to also see if my depression subsides.
Facebook is a tool. You don’t blame the hammer when the nail bends. It’s the person wielding the hammer. And throwing away the hammer or using a saw instead aren’t going to help with that.
Facebook is a tool in one sense, but how is it meant to be used? Since it encourages people to friend people they don’t know to ‘gain’ a following, post anything from any device 24 hours a day and have it broadcast to all ‘friends’ – I don’t see how it can be just a tool that is designed to be used for just keeping in contact with people. In fact at the bottom of this reply box I have several options to share it, one of those is Facebook…. Why ?..
Well, even though I do agree with what the article is saying
, at the end of day self -esteem must be built from within. We cannot stop social media from existing so we must learn how to separate ourselves from this often superficial and hectic world of Facebook.
Have you guys ever heard of the difference between correlation and causation? You should maybe look it up before you publish another article like this.
“Besides low self-esteem and depression, Facebook has also been proven to cause narcissism. ”
Well you’ve cracked it then. Solid proof you’ve offering there.
I agree, if only more people would be honest with themselves and see that some of their emotional issues come from …
great researches
Life is win or lose.. You choose!
I completely agree with these findings. for myself, the feeling of resentment builds when I see the inane jibberish getting scores of likes and comment when something deep or important gets ignored. Someone`s silly post about their bowl of mac and cheese gets 50 likes yet a post with great pics of an epic climb to summit a major mountain gets crickets. It has a way of undermining self esteem and I think any human is susceptible to it. I deleted my profile and made one just to subscribe to news, businesses and groups. I now only use FB as a news reader.
I totally agree with this article FB, is a distraction for me and attention away from my kids, because most people like to post only happy moments of their lives on FB. It doesn’t necessarily mean that’s who they really are or how they really feel. I rather get to know a person one on one than through social media. I’m a stay at home Mom and a full-time college student and many times, I feel I’m missing out on a vacation a new car a nicer home because of FB. But I have to remember how blessed I am for what the Lord has giving me. Which is a home, my children, a husband that loves me,close family, friends health and all the simple necessities of life.
I just deactivated my account after a bout of suicidal feelings, and to be honest, I miss it. Even though I wasn’t appreciated or the fact that my own “friends” would call my body disgusting, I keep thinking up statuses and I can’t stop. I can’t even use any other social media sites, because let’s face it, the world of social media is cruel and distant and not at all personal. Anyway, I totally agree with the article, I just wish I could share it on facebook so people would know what I’m going through. I’ve never had many friends, and you know, 80 friends on facebook is better than none, right?
im out of facebook, i mean yur torally ryt , i ddnt want to make a fb at the begining , but all my friends were like we r in 21th centurey who dosen’t have a fb?, & then i have to make one , cause most of the Drs at uni depend on fb as an electronic gate that the student could get their books links, slides … etc from it , but i do believe in yur study & actually i have posted this study on my wall lol , btw m a student from the middle east & my major is Pharmacy , so i will check fb only for 1 hoiur & only for the scientific groups , thnk u alot , nw i have a real reason for leaving fb
Srry , correction *Totally *century * hour
I’m sorry, but what language are you typing in? I tried looking up some of the words in the dictionary, but didn’t find half of them, a little help please.
Of course, I never would’ve read this article, if I hadn’t seen it posted on FB!
yep totally agree. hence why i quit/deactivated facebook 3 months ago – and havent gone back. strange, or not so strange, thing is… not once have i had the urge or even desire to look. and i feel so much better for it. all the whingeing that went on in my feed. get a grip i thought. ended up deletin ppl as a result.
No more facebook. I promise.
I agree with this post. With the woman above, concerning your sister. I don’t talk to some family members because the are overtly showing others they like a stranger’s post and leave nothing on mine. Never a mention or liking my picture’s. But my cousins and sister in law will make time for each other. I think Facebook reveals the truth because people find it easier to be fake face to face. Facebook you can ignore someone then fall back on ” your taking it wrong” So if youre making time with others and not your sister I understand why she doesn’t talk to u
I agree 100% – MY OWN SISTER doesn’t speak to me anymore – and it all started because I WORK and didn’t have time to “like” ever mindless post of her and her daughter and the pictures of the kid eating a stick of butter – NOW she hates me, because on FACEBOOK she is thin, successful and a great person and I DEAL IN REALITY…. OH WELL – thanks Facebook …. Hopefully her faith in the “SECRET” will see her through!
I am hardly ever on the Facebook thing because I am going from my house to my parents because my mother is ill. The only thing I use Facebook for is my Art.
Indeed. I think the quality of the friendships and social networks is more important than the quantity. I know people with less than 50 Facebook friends who are much happier than people with 2,000.
I’m trying to do something about it. Check out http://www.projectlay.com for more info.
Very interesting I agree with the findings
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