Have you seen a trending topic of concern related to “FaceBook Addiction”, “Facebook Syndrome”, or “Facebook Depression?”
When searching Google, phrases like “How not to become addicted to Facebook” are showing up more frequently in the suggested keywords section.
New research is trickling in.
The problem, as defined by victims is spending too much time on Facebook and feeling out of control over its use. Part of this dependence is using Facebook to give one’s life meaning.
Since all things connect, is workplace productivity being affected by this new affliction.
If one look at your Facebook page tells you that everyone else’s life seems more exciting and happier than yours–and this affects your social and occupational functioning–you are probably experiencing Facebook Syndrome.
New research was released that shows social media has a direct bearing on how we feel about ourselves. A recent study of a group of undergraduate students discovered being denied the use of Facebook or receiving fewer “likes” and “comments” had a direct bearing on the participants’ self-esteem and feeling of “meaningful existence.”
Do you feel stressed, anxious, or have negative thoughts about yourself after using social media?
Do you have employees who need to take steps to detach from Facebook’s mental assault? (Even creator Mark Zuckerburg didn’t mean for his invention to be a way of life, but only a utility.)
Do employees, even while not a work, find themselves in the frustrating trap of using social media as a time filler, a way to validate life’s worth, or to prove how much happier others are than they.
Reality check: Most people do not post negative information, and as a result, any Facebook user is exposed to a selective set of information, which of course warps one’s perception.
You may wish to consider a brown-bag or awareness article on this topic at some point in the near future to help help employees struggling with this problem step back from the screen. (If your company subscribes to FrontLine Employee, we gave employees a shot in the arm on this topic in the June issue.)
You will find the research mentioned above is at —
www.uq.edu.au
Daniel A. Feerst, MSW, LISW-CP
Publisher