Facebook makes me feel depressed - Page 2

Logan · #31 30th August 2007, 00:00

After months of resisting, I finally cracked and had a look at Facebook the other night... and it was awful. Just like happened a while back when I had a look around Friends Reunited, I felt horribly uncomfortable reading about all these people with fantastic social lives, heaps of friends and suchlike.

As with FR, I doubt I'll ever go back onto Facebook, unless perhaps I get a specific request from a friend I already know well to keep in touch that way. It wouldn't be my first choice even so.

This isn't to say that I hate all online groups; LiveJournal, despite its various problems, is somewhere I've felt much less uncomfortable and made more friends (in the true sense of the word, rather than just "contacts") than I have anywhere else, pretty much ever. Not huge numbers, but some at least. I've met two of my closer online friends in RL now, and got on well with both, so I'm quite sensitive to the idea that "online friends" might be "lesser friends", as I just don't think that's necessarily true.

Anyway, I think part of the problem with Facebook is its university/college roots. That's probably the place you're expected to socialise most in your entire life, and I dislike the bordering-on-the-socially-mandatory status Facebook seems to have in many unis. Since my university years were socially unhappy and lonely, the preponderance of students there does inevitably bring back bad memories. The other part of the problem, of course, is that Facebook is designed to be a social network first and foremost, so it's much more "in your face" about it than LiveJournal is.

caughtbythefuzz · #32 30th August 2007, 00:03

Myspace and Facebook are both just a fairly braindead means to making people feel like they fit in or belong.

I had 300/400 odd friends on myspace and only know 3 of them in real life.

Pal · #33 30th August 2007, 00:04

^^I've had three people mark me as friends on Facebook and i barely know anything about them. ^^

ClaireLou · #34 30th August 2007, 19:10

I logged onto myspace on Tuesday night and viewed old school friends to see what they're all up to. Most, in fact, all are at college, going out clubbing, having fun with new friends from college and university and quite a few have gone or are going to Magaluf for a week or 2. I feel so down and depressed when I see this. It's my own fault for looking at the sites, but I really just cannot help myself. It's a MUST to me. I MUST search for old school friends, or something bad will happen. I really am a strange individual!

I then couldn't get to sleep because I was very, very depressed.

The Lone Stranger · #35 30th August 2007, 21:48

I`ve never looked on there but friends reunited makes me depressed seeing all the people with good jobs and families so i expect facecrap would do the same.

Demonique · #36 30th August 2007, 22:03

I had a little look at Friends Reunited yesterday, most have had babies by different dads, and love 'gettin pizzd wiv m8s' it's times like this I thank god I didnt fit in at school.

I went to a rough school by the way.... was the only one in walking distance (oh and my best mate wanted to go there and I was a follower)

Facebook is different, it has 5 ex students saying they are at Uni and thats it, I wonder where everyone else is... prison?

SCREAM · #37 30th August 2007, 22:15

Quote:

Originally Posted by ClaireLou

I logged onto myspace on Tuesday night and viewed old school friends to see what they're all up to. Most, in fact, all are at college, going out clubbing, having fun with new friends from college and university and quite a few have gone or are going to Magaluf for a week or 2. I feel so down and depressed when I see this. It's my own fault for looking at the sites, but I really just cannot help myself. It's a MUST to me. I MUST search for old school friends, or something bad will happen. I really am a strange individual!

I then couldn't get to sleep because I was very, very depressed.

God your a right depressing bunch you lot!lol why cant you do the same? if anything its a good call to sort your own life out and live a little, i dont mean that in a bad way!

Mis fit · #38 30th August 2007, 22:56

I agree, someone asked me to join facebook so i did, but i have barely bothered using it as it seems well embarrassing having only two friends plus i find it hard to express myself even enough to make a profile

. Sometimes id like to have a myspace,It just seems as tho every1 else has this great social network with great nights out and loadsa friends, but then u think it does seem very like its people wanting to seem as though they have loads of friends and its just a load of baloney, and things aren't always what they seem are they? am i right or am i right????

*Starla* · #39 31st August 2007, 00:51

I think for some people it is a popularity contest. Some people in ma friends lists have wall messages saying "yeah are you that guy from school..." which I find weird myself. What I mean is, I would think them think me weird for remembering their name after 10 years plus thinking we had anything to talk about just cos we went to the same school! Like a bit stalkerish, searching for everyone you've ever known.

I do prefer facebook to myspace though, it's more fun and grown-up. Plys you don't have to design a snazzy profile or nt b able 2 spll.

Shy_79 · #40 1st September 2007, 13:30

I recently joined facebook and like a lot of people do find myself checking friends profiles from time to time to see if they have more friends than me, seriously though i have an old school friend on there who has about 80 friends - but looking at the info on how they know them its generally through a friend or through facebook so i think they are only superficial cyber friendships!

I think that when you suffer with SA you can spend a lot of time comparing yourself to your more sociable friends but i have found that over the years that this only makes you more anxious - so i will never probably have as many friends as these people but for now im just concentrating on improving my social confidence as much as i can!

There is a thread for people with SA who want to be friends on facebook and myspace, feel free to add me anyone

And think of it another way - its important to remember that its quality and not quantity with friendships anyway, your real freinds are the ones who are there for you when everything is going wrong, and at the end of the day thats all that counts

Jules07 · #41 5th September 2007, 23:11

I think you can delete your facebook profile, if its bumming you out.

caughtbythefuzz · #42 6th September 2007, 00:03

*kicks facebook's lame ass* :D

gyhu · #43 11th June 2009, 19:22

I actually found this post by googling "facebook depresses me"!

I think what depresses me the most is the lack of communication I seem to receive. I usually comment on pictures or whatever, while I do not have anyone even post "happy birthday" on my wall.
I see these pictures of my friends of all their vacations, family, and parties, and I'm the dork sitting at home looking at facebook. I refrain from putting negative statuses on my page so I don't seem like a "downer".

I get irritated, bored, jealous, and depressed.

I am so glad I am not alone!

yay.

xNelliex · #44 11th June 2009, 19:34

whats facebook??

no seriously bith my hb and son spend hours chatting to their mates in the evenings

i wouldnt even think about setting up a profile, i know no one irl to add

it would depress me too much

plus im too old for all that new fangled technical stuff, just about cope here

miaddiction · #45 12th June 2009, 09:05

DITTO that

i always seem to be on the damn thing, and seeing everyone else moving on,having fun and posting pics of themselves out partying etc. and then ppls status when they seem so at ease and im sat at pc eating and then goin bathroom and repeat blahhh hate it

Concept · #46 12th June 2009, 09:14

I've never tried facebook (nor would I want to), but I'd be hypocritical if I said I haven't briefly dabbled in social networking before I inevitably kill the profile after a couple of weeks.

It's slighty bemusing how easily people are willing to throw huge chunks of information about themselves on to the net without any thought.

StevieC · #47 12th June 2009, 18:17

it's friggin awful for people who are not sociable, it's one of the worst inventions ever.

Oh god i ****ing hate it.

(note: I'm very angry today so this may be an exaggeration of my feelings)

xNelliex · #48 12th June 2009, 18:19

aww steve, cool down hunny

hugs xx

indiegirl1980 · #49 12th June 2009, 18:37

I saw a Paul O'Grady show once where he reads the letters out and someone said : "Hey, Paul, why aren't you on Facebook? Come on and make a new friend" and he said "I'll go down the pub if I want a new friend, and actually talk to people, you know? Like you used to?"

Also, if these people have so many friends, then why aren't they out with them instead of spending their time sat in front of a screen on Facebook?

julie6672 · #50 13th June 2009, 02:19

Quote:

Originally Posted by indiegirl1980

I saw a Paul O'Grady show once where he reads the letters out and someone said : "Hey, Paul, why aren't you on Facebook? Come on and make a new friend" and he said "I'll go down the pub if I want a new friend, and actually talk to people, you know? Like you used to?"

Also, if these people have so many friends, then why aren't they out with them instead of spending their time sat in front of a screen on Facebook?

paul is on facebook and he's got 321 friends

Generation Erm · #51 13th June 2009, 02:42

is there any point opening up a facebook account when you have no friends? i'm approaching 40 but i'd still like to be hip and trendy even though i'm not.

black_mamba · #52 13th June 2009, 12:32

Quote:

Originally Posted by indiegirl1980

Also, if these people have so many friends, then why aren't they out with them instead of spending their time sat in front of a screen on Facebook?

Don't take facebook at face value (oer that was cheesy!

)

Friends is a very loose term there, and from what I've seen even people who are outrageously social and outgoing accumulate impossibly long lists of 'friends' by adding not only true friends, but also acquantences. When you're in the habit of going out at least 2, 3 times a week, you can easily meet many new people.

Median · #53 14th June 2009, 00:14

I had to post in this as ive just been on Facebook to have a peep at some people I know and more importantly who they know. (Ive had a thing about who other people know and how they might spread negative things about me)
Im not signed up , but i was just clicking on refresh and seeing who they had all added. It seems all the pics were taken on nights out etc.

Even if i got the most amazing life tommorow, doing what i loved for a living and the best friends ever i still wouldnt want to be signed up for facebook because of fear of seperate parts of my life clashing, like people ive met in the past adding my family or best friends. I dunno why i feel like there going to talk about me behind my back or something.

prettylittlefists · #54 14th June 2009, 23:14

Quote:

Originally Posted by gyhu

I actually found this post by googling "facebook depresses me"!

I think what depresses me the most is the lack of communication I seem to receive. I usually comment on pictures or whatever, while I do not have anyone even post "happy birthday" on my wall.
I see these pictures of my friends of all their vacations, family, and parties, and I'm the dork sitting at home looking at facebook. I refrain from putting negative statuses on my page so I don't seem like a "downer".

I get irritated, bored, jealous, and depressed.

I am so glad I am not alone!

yay.

Yes, this is exactly how I've felt about it before. I deactivated my account over a year ago because I didn't get any pleasure from looking at it.