A Study Shows You’d Have Higher Risk of Depression if You Go to Facebook More Often Than Others

In the past, the first thing people used to do after waking up was brush their teeth, have a bath, and then maybe read the newspaper.

Now, the first thing we do is open Facebook to check what our friend’s cat had for dinner the previous day and enquire about its tastiness.

Much like a butt, everyone seems to have a Facebook account these days.

We use it to keep in touch with friends, catch up with the latest news, and watch cute cat videos.

But unbeknownst to many, this seemingly innocuous site may be the cause of your everyday blues.

And if so, it might just be time to take a break from it.

A Study Shows You’d Have Higher Risk of Depression if You Go to Facebook More Often Than Others

A study has confirmed something that many of us may not want to hear: Facebook can turn our smiles upside down.

According to a study conducted by Nanyang Technological University, a person’s risk of depression increases with more time spent on Facebook.

The nationwide study began in 2016 with 1,240 participants aged between 18 and 65.

By the time it concluded in 2019, only 355 respondents were left, as the rest dropped out for various reasons.

The main cause of the Facebook Blues, the study found, seems to be due to an innate human characteristic: comparing ourselves to others.

Here’s an example: your old friend from secondary school has recently become the CEO of a successful company, and often spends her evenings swimming in a pool of cash.

Without social media, you probably wouldn’t know about her achievements, because the two of you have drifted apart over the years.

But since you’re both living in the 21st century and are friends on Facebook, you see all her posts about her fancy house and constant vacationing around the world and feel bad about yourself.

We all feel this envy and fear of missing out, and then become depressed about our own lives.

It was therefore unsurprising that a similar US study found that passive Facebook use – like scrolling through friends’ photos – could lead to depression in people that were more prone to jealousy.

Interestingly, there was no difference in the Singapore study between passive Facebook users and those who actively post on the platform.

On average, the participants spent around 2.5 hours a day on Facebook, with younger and more educated participants reporting higher levels of use and consequently, depression.

Like any kind of rush or addiction, once participants were depressed, they were likely to use the app even more, leaving them stuck in a vicious cycle of gloom.

No One Has a Perfect Life

But the secret is that no one has a perfect life. Even Jeff Bezos might have had diarrhea here and there, and Bill Gates, as we know, has had love troubles.

We all try to present the best version of ourselves on social media to compete with everyone else, and in the process, make others believe we have an idyllic existence.

As a result, other users feel bad about the way they look, their jobs, or even the number of followers they have.

Some might not even be real. Watch this video to the end and you’d know why some people post their achievements online:

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