Are Social Media Comparisons Making You Depressed?
Majority of the day we are glued to our social networks. A lot of people create a depression from comparing ourselves to those on social networks.
Facebook, Instagram, Twitter! These are some of the places where people go to share some of their greatest life experiences. Many people become depressed by comparing themselves to others on social media.
Psychiatrist Dr. Susan Samuels discusses the depressed feelings we can experience when comparing ourselves to others on social media. Our groups of real life women also discuss their experience with this issue.
Duration: 3:11. Last Updated On: Nov. 8, 2017, 6:14 p.m.
- 00:02 I know I'm definitely a culprit of somebody who only posts good news.
- 00:05 You're not gonna find me posting like, today was the worst day of my life.
- 00:08 [MUSIC]
- 00:14 Facebook sometimes can make you feel a little bit down if
- 00:17 maybe you're reading your news feed and a,
- 00:19 a bunch of people that, you know, are doing maybe better their career.
- 00:22 Or better in relationships then you are.
- 00:25 Do you ever feel bummed out because of that?
- 00:28 >> I feel like I only use it as a photo album.
- 00:30 But then again, it might be looked at like I'm bragging,
- 00:33 because who takes pictures of negative things going on their lives?
- 00:37 >> No, I'm- >> You're posting pictures of fun things,
- 00:39 happy things.
- 00:41 So, in a way, I guess it can be looked at as I only share good things.
- 00:45 >> You think of what you're gonna put, you pose for the picture.
- 00:49 Automatically, you're projecting the person that you wish you were.
- 00:53 >> I actually deleted my entire Facebook after college,
- 00:56 to get rid of those photos you don't want, and those posts you don't want.
- 01:01 When I became like professional adult in my adult career.
- 01:04 I've started a professional Facebook.
- 01:06 >> I think, it's a nice way to stay in touch with
- 01:08 people that you wouldn't necessarily pick up the phone and have one of the-
- 01:11 >> Sure.
- 01:12 >> Catch up, you know, chat, but you still want to be a part of their lives.
- 01:15 I can get depressed if I'm looking at it constantly, if I'm always on it.
- 01:19 I try to avoid that, but just maybe like.
- 01:21 Once a day.
- 01:22 Like, you know, checking in on everyone.
- 01:24 See how everyone is doing.
- 01:25 >> Yeah. >> I like it like that.
- 01:27 >> I used to be a sharer on Facebook.
- 01:29 But as soon as my grandmother, and my mom, and
- 01:32 my aunts, and uncles started requesting me, people from church.
- 01:37 Things like that, that.
- 01:39 I, I don't want.
- 01:40 Them to see everything that I'm doing.
- 01:42 >> Yeah. >> So in
- 01:42 a way it kind of makes you mask who you really are, just because,
- 01:47 you might not want certain people in your life, to know that side of you also.
- 01:53 [MUSIC]
- 01:58 >> It's only human to compare yourself to other people.
- 02:02 Particularly in today's world with social media,
- 02:05 where you're constantly being exposed to the details of everybody else's lives.
- 02:09 Whether you're walking down the street on your phone,
- 02:11 or whether you're at home, whether you're looking at your Twitter feed,
- 02:15 you know about the details of what's going on with other people.
- 02:18 So, it only makes sense that you might compare your life to theirs.
- 02:23 The question is, how much of this is fun to share, and
- 02:26 how much of it is a little bit self destructive?
- 02:28 On the fun side, yeah, it's great to post some pictures and
- 02:31 learn about other people's stories.
- 02:33 But on the other hand, what you got to remember is people,
- 02:35 and we ourselves, are choosing specifically what to post.
- 02:39 Probably the more positive things, are the things that are being shared.
- 02:43 But, there's this whole other part of their life.
- 02:46 The things that they're not sharing, that we know nothing about.
- 02:48 So if it's affecting you in a way that's actually bringing you down,
- 02:52 this might be the time for you to take a step back.
- 02:54 And it might mean putting that phone down for a whole day, and
- 02:57 not checking a Twitter feed or Facebook post for one whole day.
- 03:02 And you might find that at the end of that day, you actually feel a little better.
- 03:05 [MUSIC]
