Facebook...The Good or the Bad...Your Say!

[blondguy]

Hi Everybody

Without a doubt Facebook is one of the best social media sites. I have been on FB for a long time and found it invaluable yet very stressful at times whilst having anxiety and/or depression or even just checking it every day.

Your views on FB, its impact on your mental health, well being, whether good or not so good are more than welcome.

Thankyou for reading my thread topic!

my kind thoughts

Paul

[BeKindRewind4Life]

Hi,

Glad my post was helpful Blondguy. Whilst I can't fully leave Facebook for the moment for personal reasons, which is why it's over the next year, which will also give me time to untangle all linked sites.

I have however installed an extension on chrome called Block Site which has over 1.5 million users, I have set Facebook.com to auto redirect to google.com using this extension. The reason I've done this is, when I open chrome I automatically type in Facebook.com into my address bar (sometimes) , this way I will automatically be redirected. somewhere else.

I don't know if others do this but I'm sure I'm not the only one that has got into the habit of opening sites so often that they visit them automatically when they open a web browser.

Doing this means If I really, really need to check Facebook, I have to open internet explorer, and I only open it if I "really" need to check it and only before or after work/study. I have to consciously make the decision to check.

This seems to me to be addictive behaviour to automatically do something without actively thinking about why you are doing it, and no doubt has something to do with the reward system of the brain and the chemicals released by seeing someone has liked something or responded.

[quirkywords]

BeKindRewind4life,

I am feeling so old after reading your post especially this line,

"I have however installed an extension on chrome called Block Site which has over 1.5 million users, I have set Facebook.".

I think I understand what it means sort of.

I think it is funny that the people who seem to have the moist trouble with FB is the younger people whereas older ones embrace it.

My adult children hardly use it and think it is old hat now because it is full of grandparents.

I think it is sad that people use FB to hurt other people and even to bully them.

I just like keeping in touch with old friends.

I wonder is it the medium that is the problem or the fact people choose to use FB to upset others.

I remember when I was young, people would use the phone to hurt others and before that wopuld send awful hurtful letters in the mail.

So is it there are just mean people out there whatever the medium.

I realise FB is in your face.

Just a few thoughts but I am sure many will disagree.

Take care everyone and work out what suits you.

Quirky

[LeeA18]

Quirky

you are 100% right when you say that people use Facebook to hurt people. Social media in general really.

People can be passive aggressive with it. Like in my previous post, my ex has used it to block me, and to me that makes it clear that he no longer wants to have anything to do with me. So I sent him a text message to ask if he wanted to talk about it. He lied but it was enough of a lie to stop a conversation going forward. People don’t communicate. I would rather someone say to me “this is my issue.” And try and resolve it. its also amazing how 1 passive aggressive move like that speaks volumes.

[RoseToez]

Personally I think Facebook is the most unhealthy and un-natural thing out there. I went through two psychotic episodes 6 and 8 years ago.. and Facebook was my weapon of choice both times. When I was being treated in a mental ward I got to know some of the other patients, we were all sitting in a circle one day just chatting and the facebook conversation come up. Every damn person in that circle was involved with Facebook negatively during their breakdowns. There is too much freedom of speech.. it is unnatural to know every single thing about people you wouldnt even talk to in the street. It's way too easy to stalk someone. And the worst part about the whole thing is half the time people dont realise how much their info and photos get shared around all because a post has been liked or commented on. I have deleted mine altogether I dont see why I should share my life with total strangers or people I dont even care about. And even the people i do I'd rather personally send them a text with an MMS. no thanks, I'm done with that!

[LeeA18]

I’ve gone 6 days without Facebook and I don’t miss it at all. I am thinking I might go without it for a few months now.

I don’t want to see all these people pretending to have the most wonderful lives. So much of it is fake.

It has been proven that Facebook can affect your mood. They even did tests on it a few years ago.

[blondguy]

Hi Everyone and thankyou so much for being a part of the discussion 🙂 New Members are Welcome!

Hey BeKindRewind and for your kind post. Its good that you have 'reigned in' Facebook whilst still being on it...and I might join again so I have a redundancy plan in place as I was checking my account all the time ...Thankyou for this tip as its what I have been looking for 🙂

Hey Quirky....Its always great to have your experience on any thread and thankyou heaps for your take on this thread too! I agree with you as I keep hearing the older people tend to benefit from being on FB. The grandparents love it as you mentioned and this is one of the benefits of having an account so they can keep in touch with their kids and grand children too 🙂

Hey LeeA18.....you have brought up an excellent point by mentioning "People can be passive aggressive with it. Like in my previous post, my ex has used it to block me" This is important as social media can have an effect on our mental health especially when we are fragile.

LeeA18 also mentioned " I would rather someone say to me “this is my issue.” And try and resolve it" Thankyou Lee for posting the true meaning of communication

my kind thoughts and thanks heaps everyone (thumbs up!)

Paul

[blondguy]

Hello RoseToez

Thanks heaps for your post and being part of the forum family too 🙂

You mentioned "There is too much freedom of speech.. it is unnatural to know every single thing about people you wouldnt even talk to in the street"

The freedom of speech is fine yet you have a good point. I just wish people wouldnt continually post how 'wonderful' they are feeling (as you mentioned) I used to have chronic anxiety/agoraphobia followed by depression ( under management) and just for me I find Facebook way too raw and confrontational yet I respect the older people that use all the privacy controls to keep in touch with their grandkids

Just my humble opinion Rose....I dont think its a good social media site for people with any level of mental illness. Sure the Beyond Blue forums have rules yet its a peaceful place to be in and there is no judgement

You also mentioned "I have deleted mine altogether I dont see why I should share my life with total strangers or people I dont even care about"

Thankyou Rose for your helpful post. You are not alone

I really hope you can post wherever you wish when its convenient for you

my kind thoughts

Paul

[Moonstruck]

Good morning BlondGuy...i recall reading your comment "don't think it's a good media site for people with any level of mental illness".....and I tended to agree with you then. Just for the record..my experience this morning.

Woke feeling pretty OK...content with myself and handling life pretty well, considering recent traumatic events and being somewhat emotionally drained. I felt more confident and secure in myself and looking forward to a relaxed day looking after myself!!!

checked on FB, friends & family's posts , anything I needed to know..what acquaintances are doing etc. not on there too long...nothing controversial or upsetting on there...

I say with all honestly, that when I finished, and got on with my morning, my mood had gone down considerably, I did not feel as positive and at ease as i was before I read FB, my day had sort of been "disrupted".

I felt worse after being on FB than I did before (to put it simply).

Everyone on the list seems to begin with a positive, uplifting, newsy, social post....with cute emojis, or sharing funny videos etc. As I said, no nasty stuff directed at me or anything.........so can anyone explain why I felt worse after reading FB, and not better???

[smallwolf]

Moonstruck,

You asked...

so can anyone explain why I felt worse after reading FB, and not better???

LeeA said "I don’t want to see all these people pretending to have the most wonderful lives. So much of it is fake." It might be interpreted that way, but people are selective in what they post, creating the image of wonderful lives. How many people talk about things on FB that get them down? And so...

Could it be that when you see pictures of different people on, or going on holidays, or learning a new skill, or picture of cakes, all might show us things that we do not have, or want to have at a subconscious level? Thus becoming unhappier?

Tim

[PamelaR]

Hi Moonstruck

Maybe Tim has pinpointed the reason why you feel unhappy after reading fb.

To add to this, perhaps you can identify the thoughts you think as you are going through all the posts. Are you able to find ones that lead you to feeling unhappy? It's not all that easy to do, give it a go and see what happens.

Kind thoughts

PamelaR