Mental Health

Does Facebook Trigger Depression? [VIDEO]

By Abbie Kraft | Update Date: Mar 08, 2017 07:49 PM EST

Social media is continually taking its toll on the person's mental health, especially when it comes to broadcasting one's daily activities, status, and whatnot. Despite its purpose to make connection and communication easier on all parts of the globe, health care experts explain that one of the best social media platforms can potentially do more harm than good.

A study by UK disability charity which involved 1,500 participants revealed that almost 60 percent of Facebook users would feel jealous with their peers. Most of them tend to compare their current status to others; thus making themselves feel inferior. Sixty-two percent of the participants, on the other hand, mentioned that they feel inadequate in terms of lurking through their friends' profile on Facebook, according to Psychology Today.

"If it is used as a way to size up one's own accomplishments against others, it can have a negative effect," Professor Margaret Duffy stated. "If Facebook is used to see how well an acquaintance is doing financially or how happy an old friend is in his relationship - things that cause envy among users - use of the site can lead to feelings of depression."

As Facebook and other social media sites continually gain popularity among millennials, psychologists explain that they should at least take a break from social media and try to spend more time connecting with their peers through meet ups and physical communication.

It was also advised that if one feels depressed when it comes to spending too much time on Facebook, having the account deactivated can go a long way. Deactivating a Facebook account is one of the best options as it can be reactivated if the individual chooses to go back online.

The Journal of Social and Clinical Psychology explains that Facebook and depressive symptoms are strongly correlated. One of the most common points that emerged among different researchers involving Facebook and depression is "social comparison," where a people would tend to compare themselves with their friends that can result to jealousy and depression.

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