Facebook-related depression

I've been feeling down in the dumps lately because of Facebook. Does anyone else ever get this way?

High school was not a particularly happy time for me, as it wasnt for many girls. I was very insecure, very concerned with what people thought of me, I was depressed a lot of the time. Since HS, I have worked very hard to overcome that, to become a strong, secure, happy, independent woman, which I thought I succeeded in doing. I have a great life, lots of true, wonderful friends, a good job, great husband, etc.

But now that I'm on Facebook, seeing people reconnecting and seeing people I never thought I'd see again, I feel like I've been transported back to high school. I'm starting to have a lot of those old feelings I had back then; stresses, jealousies, insecurities, etc. I have to keep reminding myself that its 2008, not the early 90's, and that I've moved on and probably so has everyone else from HS.

Does anyone else ever experience something like this?

Re: Facebook-related depression

Facebook is supposed to be fun and flighty and cheesy -
If it's making you feel bad about yourself, delete your account ...........

Re: Facebook-related depression

Honestly- Facebook is not all it's cracked up to be.
If it's causing you to revisit old pain, delete your account and join Myspace!

Re: Facebook-related depression

that is exactely why i haven't made an account on facebook. i wasn't friends with those people back in high school because they were idiots so why would i want them to know what's going on in my life now? i say delete your account or just delete everyone off of it besides your important people. don't let a website get you down~

Re: Facebook-related depression

If it is making you feel sad, delete the account - it is supposed to just be something to pass the time.

It makes me sad for a different reason. I see some of my friends who dropped me like a bad habit - they are all still REALLY close so that hurts but I am corny and I like reconnecting with old friends so I enjoy it overall.

Re: Facebook-related depression

Either delete your account, or don't list your name, or use the privacy settings to your benefit. Don't accept people just because they ask -- keep your circle small!

Re: Facebook-related depression

Then delete your account.

Facebook should not be about "keeping up with the Jones". If you are generally happy with where you are in life now, then don't go on and upset yourself. Those people should never have any kind of hold over your emotions

Re: Facebook-related depression

Thanks! I dont really want to delete the account; all of my current friends are on there, and in that respect it is a lot of fun. And I have defintely reconnected with people which I'm excited about, so there have been positives.

Its just that I can't help but feel the other stuff too...

Re: Facebook-related depression

Delete the people you are NOT happy to reconnect with.

FB doesn't send any notification when you delete someone

Keep your FB Friends to only people you are friends with, and people you are HAPPY to have found.

Re: Facebook-related depression

I agree with all the posts above. If it's making you feel upset or bringing back bad memories, I would delete your account. You can always keep in touch with those you want to via e-mail. Or one of my friends did her first and middle name, no last name. That might make it easier for you to find people, but harder for people to search for you.

Re: Facebook-related depression

I love it because I found family I lost when I stopped talking to my mom. Most of the friends I have on there are either LIF or real-life friends I talk to anyway. Why would you want it if it upsets you?

Get the friend's emails you want to keep in touch with and start a group email contact list or something!

Re: Facebook-related depression

Since you don't want to delete the account altogether, than just take out your high school and if you have a maiden name listed. I don't think anyone can find you unless they look through a ton of people. I would delete the people that upset you too. Let them think that you just friended them to see where they are now!

Re: Facebook-related depression

I had the same kind of expeirence. HS was awful for me! Which is why no one from HS are my "friends" on facebook.

My "friends" are filled with people I loved and adored from college and law school. In fact, two people have recently contacted me out of the blue to tell me how much they missed me and how they have thought about me throughout the years and smiled. (Granted there are not HS people).

Re: Facebook-related depression

Posted by MarisaK

Facebook is supposed to be fun and flighty and cheesy -
If it's making you feel bad about yourself, delete your account ...........

Re: Facebook-related depression

For me it wasn't Facebook or depression, it was Livejournal and jealousy. I had a friend from HS who I was becoming obsessed with. I'd read her journal and get upset about her life vs. mine. This was obviously unhealthy because I hadn't spoken to her since a mutual friend's wedding in 2006. So, I left Livejournal behind and life has been GREAT.

Re: Facebook-related depression

Posted by MarisaK

Facebook is supposed to be fun and flighty and cheesy -
If it's making you feel bad about yourself, delete your account ...........

Re: Facebook-related depression

You shouldn't have to delete your facebook. Don't feel pressured to be "friends" with someone on facebook that you weren't friends with in HS or don't want to be now. I have seen quite a number of people I graduated with on Facebook, only a few (3 or 4) did I friend request or accept their friend request. They were people who I had great memories of and had good times with. The others, I ignored their request if they requested me.

Re: Facebook-related depression

I agree; delete if you must--yuo're too good for that. I MUST ask though, it sounds as though you have truly overcome hs and have it all-great life, lots of true, wonderful friends, a good job, great husband...what else is there? Maybe you need to look at yourself through more objective eyes and see how fabulous you really are.

Re: Facebook-related depression

Posted by BJandDan

Since you don't want to delete the account altogether, than just take out your high school and if you have a maiden name listed. I don't think anyone can find you unless they look through a ton of people. I would delete the people that upset you too. Let them think that you just friended them to see where they are now!

Re: Facebook-related depression

Posted by anonttcer

Posted by BJandDan

Since you don't want to delete the account altogether, than just take out your high school and if you have a maiden name listed. I don't think anyone can find you unless they look through a ton of people. I would delete the people that upset you too. Let them think that you just friended them to see where they are now!

I did exactly that! I did not put my maiden name like everyone else does- and I did not put my HS- so far NONE of the a-holes from HS have found me- it's GREAT!!

Re: Facebook-related depression

I sort of detest facebook for the high school connection. Myspace really didn't have much of that, but all these fools that I didn't talk to in high school are coming out of the woodwork, etc. I feel like most days it's a Merrick Reunion which I wasn't down with when I lived there I use it to keep in touch w/family and some friends and that's that.

Re: Facebook-related depression

That's one of the reasons why I refuse to create a page.

The other reason is that if I were killed in a tragic accident and there were news stories written about me, they'd reference my facebook page.

Yes, I'm insane.

Re: Facebook-related depression

Posted by lilacwine

That's one of the reasons why I refuse to create a page.

The other reason is that if I were killed in a tragic accident and there were news stories written about me, they'd reference my facebook page.

Yes, I'm insane.

Re: Facebook-related depression

Re: Facebook-related depression

While I am having a great time reconnecting...I don't befriend someone that I hardly knew at all or wasn't friendly with or have no intention fo becoming friendly with.

Maybe if you delete those people, you will feel better.