Do you log onto Facebook several times throughout the day out of habit to see what’s going on with your “friends,” and then come to realize it’s the same old, same old? The majority of us have Facebook accounts with a lot of friends. Would you consider your friend’s list to be your real friends? I think Facebook has created this altered reality in which we need to feel the sense of virtual popularity.
Another reality of social media is how it can influence your mood and emotions based on the content shared. I admit, that I will log onto social media a few times per day simply out of habit or boredom. As I mindlessly scroll, scanning people’s posts and photos there are moments where I question the society we’ve transformed into. Are we becoming a bunch of a narcissists where we need constant praise, validation, and attention? Are our “friends” really happy behind closed doors or is it what I like to call Fakebook happy? Vacations, smiling children, sappy posts about partners, endless selfies, and the list goes on. Reader’s Digest cited a recent study that was published by the University of Georgia that their findings suggest the connection between social media use and “grandiose narcissim.” Social media is linked to our egos and the way we communicate with each other is a form of self-promotion.
Do you know that social media affects the brain with a rush of happiness and contentment? Neurochemical dopamine, also known as the “reward molecule” is released and it creates the same feeling as a human hug according to media-buyer, RadiumOne in recent article published by the American Marketing Association. The Real Therapist noted that during a recent session with a client, she divulged that she decided not to be on “Fakebook” anymore because it brought her down. Things weren’t going great in her life and seeing the happy, perfect posts and photos of others made her feel isolated and alone. I’m sure we’ve had our share of bad days and can relate all too well.
“The gap between reality and the Facebook version can be striking, and troubling, psychologists say,” according to Kathlene Burge of the Boston Globe. Behind those retouched, photos and selfies that visually convey happiness and perfection that there is truth and life’s challenges too.
In conclusion, remember it’s okay to live beyond the social media lens because life is life.
