Facebook Users Who Overshare Are Likely Lonely
The more you post to Facebook, the more likely it is that you're depressed. That's according to a study, at least. The report, by researchers at the Charles Sturt University in New South Wales, Australia, claims that those people who share a lot of information and generally are high use Facebook users are typically lonely in the real world. It's yet another thorn in the side of a social network that seemingly isn't very social at all.
The study, which analyzed over 600 female Facebook users, found that about 80 percent of those who would describe themselves as "lonely" disclosed personal information, like their phone numbers, addresses, and places of employment via the site's "public" setting (which allows ANYONE to view it). That's compared to just 65 percent of other Facebook users. What's more: 98 percent of those who said they were lonely openly shared their "relationship status” with the Facebook world.
Of course, this isn't very surprising: If you desire better relationships, you reach out to more people. “It makes sense that the people who felt lonely would disclose this type of information,” Yeslam Al-Saggaf, an associate professor and lead author of the study, told CBS News. "They want to make it easier for others to initiate contact with them, which may help them overcome their feelings of loneliness."
Yet, this study shows what other similar studies have found: That relying on a social network to replicate real life feelings is a flawed experience. In 2011, a report titled "The Impact of Social Media on Children, Adolescents and Family," by the American Academy of Pediatrics, found that kids who are ignored on Facebook end up feeling depressed and feeling a (thoroughly dramatic sounding) "less meaningful existence."
Another study, "iDisorder: Understanding Our Obsession with Technology and Overcoming Its Hold on Us,” didn't find much better information from Facebook usage. According to that report — which analyzed 800 Facebook members and then had them complete tests that scanned for a variety of psychological disorders — found that those who engaged the most on Facebook were also likely to be manic or compulsive.
There are countless more studies that point to Facebook's downfall, but you've probably noticed the common thread through the above examples: Facebook only enhances the negative qualities people already possess. If you're lonely, Facebook will likely make you feel isolated. If you're compulsive, Facebook will make you more so. The problem really isn't Facebook, but since it isn't going away, it's an easier target than people with real, complex problems.
[Image via Flickr - Blondinrikard Fröberg]
