Halloween 2012

Inspiration:

Components:

Results to follow.

Yes, my facebook is deactivated. For now.

I've been keeping sort of a diary on google drive. I'll post stuff that isn't incredibly private here to periodically update my friends. :) Here is what I wrote today about facebook.

So I haven’t written every single day. But here I am, writing again. It’s Sunday, and I have just deleted my facebook. Well “deactivated” it, not deleted it. Because for some reason, once you have a facebook, you can never *not* have a facebook. I go back and forth on social networking sites.  
It’s like this. Things like facebook are a wonderful advancement in technology. The possibilities of facebook and google+ and other such sites are endless. But these possibilities include causing anxiety issues. See, mentally, facebook is a setback for its users. Especially for me. In fact, if you just do some simple research, there are several articles about the detrimental facebook addiction.
Here are some signs you may have a problem, found on various sites:

• You check your facebook or feel an urge to check your facebook in these places:
• In bed
• On the bus
• In a car
• During a movie
• You check your facebook first thing in the morning, possibly before even using the restroom or having your coffee.
• If you check your facebook multiple times in an hour, or even every hour.
• When at your computer, you occasionally have facebook open in more than one tab.
• You become agitated when you do not have access to facebook. (Frustration when your internet goes down, or your phone loses signal, and you can’t post a status or whatever)
• You have other things you’d rather be doing (hobbies/activities), but instead you find yourself browsing the newsfeed.
• The majority of your “friends” are people you would never talk to in real life.

There are more signs, but these are the main ones. I found this very cool graphic which I pulled many of those from: http://www.adweek.com/files/adfreak/images/Facebook-Addiction.png

It suggests that facebook may be more difficult to avoid than alcohol, tobacco, sex, and even sleep.

How often do you think to yourself “ok, I should really go to bed now,” then spend another hour or more on facebook? Maybe you have a book you’d really like to be reading, a friend you should be  but instead you are reading a really intense thread on facebook where people are arguing marriage rights or sharing what they put in their coffee.

When I step back and think about it, I am like holy crap - who gives a shit?!

But I have totally been in that situation.

Then there are those million times per day that you see something, say something, watch something, hear something, do something, take a picture of something, accomplish something, fail at something, wonder something, think of something... etc. And you have this crazy weird urge. This urge to share it with all your facebook friends and see what they all have to say about it.

Do you remember when that urge was to call your best friend and tell them? Or to call your significant other? Or how about that feeling of satisfaction knowing you just did something awesome, and leaving it at that?

For example, I have just deleted my facebook and have since thought of a million things I’d like to share on there. I’ve seen two youtube videos I’d like to share, thought of two friends I’d like to message, and a couple statuses I’d wanted to post. That’s ridiculous. I’ve only been deactivated for an hour.


So friends, what does an addiction mean for society? Social anxiety, withdrawal symptoms, anxiety from game requests, responding to friends, etc. You are constantly worried about it, especially with those push notifications to your phone. Oh Meghan just posted a picture, I better see how cute Ellie looks today! Eryn just posted a status, I hope things are ok, better read it. Then it’s I better comment on what they’re saying! Holly b’jeezus no wonder we feel too busy to do anything!

Anyway, I am going to stop writing for now. I need to go to my neice’s birthday dinner/party.

 


Any Thoughts?

=)