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Facebook: Is it an Obsession or a Drug?

Genna Apfel

It appears that almost every person has a Facebook account. Some of us may go on it ten times a day where others may check it once or twice daily. However, it seems our daily rituals have changed, or at least it has for me. It used to be waking up, showering, getting ready, etc. This has now changed to waking up and immediately checking my Facebook. While some of you can relate to this, I find myself asking, “Is Facebook an obsession or are we suffering from FAD- Facebook Addiction Disorder, which can feel like being addicted to a drug?”

Well, my curiosity as to why we are so obsessed with Facebook has led me to find out there is an actual disorder called FAD, also known as Facebook Depression Disorder. This disorder explains that people who stay on Facebook for a long period of time a day means they are more unhappy with their lives then people who do not spend as much time on it.

Some of you may agree that as much as we try not to check our Facebook so many times a day, we do anyways because we may not have self- control. When I get a notification; whether it is a wall post, someone tagging me in a photo, and of course having to comment back on my friend’s page, I feel like Facebook is a drug. If I don’t check my Facebook numerous times a day, it’s almost like a withdrawal. Or, if I am online, it is nearly impossible to log out or stop scrolling down the page and basically stalking someone’s Facebook. Then again, maybe your just curious to know what your ex-boyfriend or girlfriend is up to now-days (Oh come on, don’t act like you haven’t done that before).

The worst part of FAD is people who see pictures of their friends going out and smiling think “these people” have better lives from them. First of all, this is not true. In fact, these pictures don’t represent who you really are and obscure reality. So why do we care so much and feel the need to see each picture they just posted and examine everyone?

In my opinion, I feel students are so addicted to Facebook because it is filling a certain void in their lives and it will always be available to connect with others, find out information that you maybe didn’t know, or just a “hobby” to fill your time with. Well, whatever the reason, you may find yourself suffering from what we would like to call the phenomenon of Facebook Depression.

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