Where online surfers will immediately go to once online, is their Facebook account, this first thing once they’re on the Internet. They will continue to log in and out for an average of ninety minutes a day. Once they do so, some will participate, while others will just remain on the sidelines and browse.
Doing so can either damage their self-esteem or elevate their confidence, this depending on what may appear on their screen at that moment. There’s more time spent on social media, then most will spend socializing face-to-face with others. Many will spend more time on Facebook, than they do eating their daily meals.
So if you’re an avid Facebook user, it then becomes important to ask yourself, Is spending all this time on it, making you feel better about yourself, or is it affecting your well-being. It’s thought for some, that Facebook can be be bad for you.
First of all, if you’re hip and modern, then you wouldn’t constantly be on Facebook, as you wouldn’t have the time for it, when rocking out your busy life. Those who are more pedestrian, are those who spend more time on it.
Types Of Facebook Users
If you use Facebook on a passive basis, while not participating that often by posting, doing so can make you feel worse about yourself.
If you’re the type to just browse and see what your friends are up to, or you just read articles while scrolling down your wall, it’s likely to damage your happiness.
Studies show that what passive behavior does, is it leads to making social comparisons. Your flaccid life to others. Once you do so, what you’ll immediately look at, are all the best qualities of them, while realizing how disappointing you are.
Is That Really You
This happens once you see the accomplishments of your high-school friends decades later, and see how they flourished, or how great they still look.
Then you begin to question, if you’ve done enough with your life. Maybe you shouldn’t of married your high school sweetheart, or decided to live in that small dead end town.
Once you see the lavish lifestyles they lead, their latest vacation photos, the scrumptious meals that they enjoy, or the fancy house they live in, you begin to wonder why you’re so boring. Face it, you’re on the outside browsing in on Facebook, and they’re the ones in it.
Making Social Comparisons
It’s just human nature to compare yourself to others, this to see where you’re at, in all facets of life. This includes all your past and present friends, your family and coworkers, as a measurement.
Realize that on social media, especially Facebook and Instragram, what everyone does is presents the best versions of themselves, and not any of their flaws.
What happens however, is that you instinctively compare their best features, to your worst personal qualities, and then decide you’re not good enough.
Why Am I Such A Failure
Almost everyone has these feelings when they’re vulnerable, frustrated, or in a bad mood. Once you see the beautiful beach that your friend went to, or when your former classmate has that dream career, spouse, or car, you realize how bad you’re struggling to make ends meet.
The little green envy monster then rears its head, and can make you feel inferior, resentful, and hostile, forcing you to question the decisions you’ve made in life, thinking that you’re unlucky or cursed.
These emotions, can then harm all of your real life social relationships. Yet, what you do is support your Facebook friends, wish them a Happy Birthday, while feeling miserable doing so.
It’s Not Who You Know It’s You You Know
But don’t worry sad surfer, Facebook can actually help you feel better. What needs to be realized, is how, when and why it makes you feel miserable. What’s known for certain, is that using Facebook actively, can do is help you feel more socially connected.
If you happen to be the type of Facebook user, who posts regularly, or scours the Internet to share funny memes, often use messenger to chat with others, while disclosing personal details and images of yourself, you then may feel happier that Facebook is in your life.
Don’t Scurry Be Happy
It turns out that both broadcasting yourself by posting frequently, along with targeted one-on-one exchanges, can do is increase your happiness on Facebook.
What this type of Facebook usage does, is helps you build weak social connections into stronger ones, where they would otherwise have ended.
What participation does is enhances the bonds that you already have, this with your existing inner core. You may even feel more connected to a larger community. As a result, you’re likely to feel less lonely, while experiencing enhanced well-being.
Use Facebook Or Not
If you’re not sure how you use Facebook to your advantage, or if you don’t feel that comfortable to post and disclose all the intimate details about yourself and your life on your Facebook wall, then you may be better off to just limit your usage, or even quit Facebook altogether.
What’s known is that the average Facebook surfer, feels worse while on the platform for just 20 minutes, than if they were browsing the internet elsewhere. But for some, Facebook is the Internet,
What some will recommend is to just take a break away from Facebook for say a week, which can boost their well-being. What’s thought once doing so, is improve their morale.
If you’re wondering if Facebook is actually making you miserable, then take some time off to find out. Ask yourself if you feel better about yourself and if it does, then take some more time off.