Facebook: Where You Can Be Your Most Unauthentic Self
You could drink, smoke, or get laid. Or you could just make someone’s life miserable on Facebook.
Countless studies have documented the detrimental effects of social media on people, especially youngsters who are yet to fully grasp the harsh realities of adulthood. As someone who’s just turned 18, your honeymoon period on this planet is over, and you now have responsibilities to take care of; the house, the car, parents, spouse, kids, siblings, bills to pay and bosses to report to. Most new entrants to the adulting game flock to social media to socialize with their peers and take the edge off in this new reality full of sudden surprises at every turn. However, a study has found that social media indulgence has a detrimental effect on some of us, making us more anxious and stressed out than before. Besides, even for the general population — those not particularly predisposed to anxiety or stress from social media — the more time one tends to spend on such sites, the more susceptible one becomes to feelings of depression, sadness, anxiety and the Fear Of Missing Out (FOMO).
“Seeing all of the great things your Facebook or Twitter friends are sharing online may make you feel left out or inadequate. A similar effect is at work while checking how many “likes” or comments others get on their posts compared to your own.”
