Facebook Friends = Real Friends?

"Facebook Makes Us All Sad Because Everyone is Happy But Us." 

This was the title of a real article I found.

Apparently, it's a human habit to overestimate others' happiness. It's also very human to compare ourselves with others. So, if we think other people are happy, and we're not happy, we get even sadder thinking about other people's happiness. Thinking that other people are happy and knowing we're not, we feel more alone in our suffering.

Facebook is yet another place, where we're constantly up against the "grass is always greener" mentality.  Facebook is a place to showcase our latest accomplishments and most flattering pictures and if someone else posts a bad picture you don't like, you can un-tag it. How safe is that?! 

What if we could delete or un-tag our real lives? Well, we can't, which is why facebook is so unrealistic.

By being able to see just the good stuff, scrolling down our Facebook news feed feeds into our misapprehension that other people's lives are perfectly happy.

Even before reading these articles, I know I am an example of this. I'm not quite at the point that I believe all of my friends are happier than I am. But, I've noticed that I don't usually post a status update when I have a bad day or a negative experience. 

 I use my facebook as the positive, happy, inspiring side of myself. OF COURSE there is also struggle, insecurities, and some sinicism in my life... otherwise, why would I need all of the encouragement? Why else would I think other people need the inspiration?

So, what can we do when friends are brave and do post the tough stuff online? When someone's status reflects a job loss or a breakup or a death in the family, there isn't a Facebook button that allows us to "Care." The virtual hug symbol ain't gonna cut it. You need to reach out to your "friends" IN PERSON!! 

Don't forget that the imperfect person you are in real life is what people relate to... not the perfect person with the perfect pictures on facebook.

 The increase in connecting through social media and technology is causing a loss of connections in person. This is what is changing our society. I like change, but I think this is a huge reason that things like depression, anxiety, obesity, and suicide have increased hugely over the last couple years. 

We are a new society of "alone together". We are close to each other, in the same room, but we forgot how to connect with people emotionally.

So if you are a great facebook or social media person like me, don't forget to talk to those people in person too!  

Let's create real life friends out of our "facebook friends".

Believe me, if people already know you through facebook, all it takes is a, "Hey girl, I see you on facebook all the time, just though I'd come say hi!". 

And just like that.. YOU just beat the social media loneliness bridge of our society... Maybe we can beat depression, anxiety, and obesity together next ;)

~ Are your facebook "friends", real friends?~