By Melissa Boyd (Whetstone staff writer)
As I like to keep myself relatively informed about the news, I occasionally check different websites like CNN.Com, FoxNews.Com, and the Drudg- eReport.com. I like to hear all sides of the story, but I have to admit, the Drudge Report tends to be the most interesting.
Recently, an article was pub- lished about an influential doctors group who said that Facebook can lead to teen depression.
Melissa Boyd
At first I laughed, but it was one of those articles you feel like you just have to readmore.
I mean, Facebook is just a website. What influ- ence does it really have on your life?
Except that it’s not. Facebook allows you to talk to all of the people you’ve practically ever known. I’m friends with people who were in my first grade class, and I’m sure I’m not the only one.
This doctors group insisted that Facebook has the power to show teens, who may or may not be already depressed, what “good lives†other teens
have – including the statuses these other teens post, pictures of smiling faces at parties that the depressed teen wasn’t invited to, and who has more friends.
It makes sense, if you think about it. If you’re having trouble with self-esteem, and you’re already upset about not being invited to some party, seeing 20 people post pictures of themselves at that party is like a slap in the face.
Additionally, the doctors urge parents to be aware and talk to their kids about the Facbook de- pression problem, as well as “sexting†and “cyber bullying.â€
I’ve known people who like to post status up- dates about specific people, making fun of them in the process; I also have known the people who the statuses were about. I’ve seen both sides of the story with cyber bullying, and I can see it does exist; I just didn’t know it was a specific type of bullying.
I think Facebook is only a depressant if you let it be. Just like alcoholics who let the alcohol depress them, Facebook depresses only the addicts.
So just don’t be an addict – why isn’t that what the doctors are urging?
