Social media and anxiety

[MidnightCalm]

I decided to get rid of Facebook and Instagram and other things like that. I found it stressful and sometimes to be a trigger. It also wasn't helpful seeing other people's lives carry on just fine whilst mine is on pause.

[pulisa]

I think social media has played a large part in the increasing levels of mental health issues in young people today. I'm thankful I didn't have it shoved down my face when I was growing up.

[petals]

Thanks for all the responses guys. Good to see I'm not the only one. It's funny, on FB you see people doing lots of supposedly amazing things and then other people join in, so if you don't join in, you feel left out. Well I do. Silly I know. I know I just have to concentrate on myself and be happy with who I am.

I have actually unfollowed 90% of my friends on FB, probably only see posts from about 5 people now, as they are the only ones I care about. Everyone else can just p*** off lol!

It's interesting, with the Internet, how we are all encouraged to express ourselves and to tell everyone everything about our lives. On forums, like here, that's good, as we all need help and advice sometimes. But there does appear to be an obsession these days to reveal the ins and outs of your daily lives. Different to when I was growing up. Kinda makes me feel a bit sorry for the kids of today...

[snowghost57]

As for anything on the internet, you find what you seek, whether it be Facebook or "Dr. Google". Personally I enjoy FB to keep in touch with long distance friends, family and join groups I enjoy. If people cause drama or i don't enjoy a group, I unfriend them. The internet is pretty much like anything in life, you get out of it what you put in it.

[Bill]

I wonder how many people know H.G. Wells book - The Time Machine. To my knowledge, there are at least two films that have been made based on it.
In case anyone hasn't heard or seen it, it's about a man who invents a time machine and goes into the future to discover that after world wars, man evolves into two species - the Eloi who live above ground who think and behave like sheep, and the Morlocks who live below ground who survive by eating the Eloi.

The film has always made think, what would happen to the human race if we forget the real world to live our lives in the virtual world. For instance, sat navs. People use them a lot these days but it means they may never learn to use maps. We also rely on calculators instead of working out calculations ourselves. Would we become like the Eloi because we wouldn't know how to write or read a book?

Our lives revolve around modern technology but sometimes when new things are created, I think to myself that might sound like fun but other times I ask myself why and is it really necessary to survive.

A doctor once said to me, if the News makes you anxious, watch childrens programmes, and if Newspapers create worries that you can't do anything about, then why feed yourself with unnecessary worries. In other words, if something isn't essential and it causes you anxiety, why copy everyone else just because they find enjoyment in it. One day they may become the Eloi but your future generations will still know how to read a map and then they'll be copying your future generations to do important things like surviving.

I know it's unlikely but how many people remember the days before the internet. We must have been so bored in those days meeting and talking to real people in the real world. That should spark some interesting reaction.

One other thought - if we lost all our modern technology and we were plunged back to 100 years ago, would more or less people in the modern world know the basic skills to survive?

[beatroon]

Petals, I'm in the same boat as you - hesitating over parenthood, and frustrated by Facebook and its endless stream of baby pics. Did you know there's an app you can get that replaces the baby photos in your newsfeed with kittens? That gives you an idea of how many people suffer the same problem.

It's really true what others have been saying though, that you don't know what goes on behind closed doors. If you looked at my FB profile, you'd think this is a person who has it really good: but I'm as anxious as the next person! And I know lots of others whose quality of life is not great but who project an aura of confidence and Instagram perfection.

PM me if you want to chat!

[snowghost57]

Facebook is like life, you get out of it what you put in it. I have found friends in England, and I have family spread all over the country. It's a nice way to keep in touch and I have found school friends I thought were gone for years. If people cause drama I just unfollow them. No big deal, if you don't want to be found on Facebook you can set your profile to private. There are many security features on that site. If I don't like someones opinion or a photo of their supper I just scroll on by, its not a deal breaker to lose a friend over. To each his own and I let it go.

[braindead]

REDING MENTAL FORUMS triggers far more than face book