According to a group of doctors, “Facebook depression” is a condition that may affect troubled teens who obsess over the online social network.
Dr. Gwenn O’Keeffe, a Boston-area pediatrician and lead author of new American Academy of Pediatrics social media guidelines, told The Associated Press (AP) that there are unique aspects of Facebook that can make it a tough social landscape to navigate for kids already dealing with poor self esteem.
O’Keeffe said that it can be more painful than sitting alone in a crowded school cafeteria for kids to see status updates and photos of happy-looking people having great times. She said Facebook provides a skewed view of what is really going on and there is no way to see facial expressions or read body languages that help provide content.
The guidelines urge pediatricians to encourage parents to talk with their kids about online use and to be aware of Facebook depression, cyberbullying, sexting and other online risks.
The academy guidelines say that online harassment “can cause profound pyschosocial outcomes,” including suicide.
“Facebook is where all the teens are hanging out now. It’s their corner store,” O’Keeffe said.
She said the benefits of kids using social media sites like Facebook should not be overlooked.
“A lot of what’s happening is actually very healthy, but it can go too far,” she said.
Dr. Megan Moreno, a University of Wisconsin adolescent medicine specialist who studied online social networking among college students, told AP that using Facebook can enhance feelings of social connectedness among well-adjusted kids, and have the opposite effect on those prone to depression.
Parents should not get the idea that using Facebook “is going to somehow infect their kids with depression,” she said.
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