Relationship replacement.
According to a study done by the University of Michigan, headlined by Professor Ethan Kross, Facebook makes us fundamentally unhappy because it changes the paradigm of what we expect in a relationship. In fact the study goes on to show how we replace real, physical, relationships with digital versions that aren’t as fulfilling. When you use Facebook and other social media websites to complement you relationship then everything is enhanced and you shouldn’t really feel any ill effects. However, when users decide to substitute their physical relationships with the digital alternative then you can start to see depression pop up. Fundamentally a ‘digital relationship’ is an easy, lazy, way to get a semblance of the real thing — only without all of the physical stimuli that actually make relationships worth having, such as the touch of a hand or a kiss. This goes even further when applied to simple friendships. Suddenly friends stop hanging out, then quit talking, and then resort to only communication via Facebook. It’s a sad and addicting route that can destroy social lives and lead to some major issues.
Contagious fighting.
Depression comes in many form and one form is a reflexive reaction to confrontation. The anonymity of the internet allows people to post their opinions (largely) without fear of repercussion. This same anonymous factor often leads to users behaving in more brash and conflict heavy ways. You wouldn’t typically insult someone to their face simply for having a different opinion, but that sort of behaviour is increasingly common an a hostile and digital world. So this fighting, for those who are not ready for it, can be particularly impacting which could lead to anger, depression, frustration, and bouts of bullying.
