Skip to main content

Pediatricians identify a new illness: Facebook depression

facebook depressionWe already know that Facebook has its ties to health – studies have shown girls who inundate your feed with self portraits have low self esteem and that the social media site is more addictive than sex and cigarettes. Now, we’re being warned that it could play a part in childhood depression – so much so that it’s even being called Facebook depression.

According to the report from the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), “researchers have proprosed a new phenomenon called ‘Facebook depression,’ defined as depression that develops when preteens and teens spend a great deal of time on social media sites, such as Facebook, and then begin to exhibit class symptoms of depression.”

The AAP is encouraging doctors and parents to start keeping tabs on children’s use of Facebook, and other social media and communication tools in general. Youth Internet time has skyrocketed and doctors feel they need to warn parents via new guidelines that outline how to “talk to children and adolescents about their online use and the specific issues that today’s online kids face, such as cyberbullying, sexting, and difficulty managing their time.”

One somewhat hilarious suggestions is for parents to ask “What did you write on Facebook today?” or “Any new chats recently? Anyone text you today?” We can already hear the snide remarks and see the eye rolling these types of innocent queries are certain to elicit from a decent amount of teens.

Of course, there’s already been hype over Facebook depression. We’ve already heard that scrolling through your friends’ seemingly happy digital lives can induce some feelings of stress, envy, and mild depression – and of course, the occasional asthma attack. But it seems that Facebook’s getting a worse rap than it should. It’s important to ask if these feelings of Facebook depression exist in all teenage users, or perhaps those already prone to depression. Plus, there’s there’s also the notion that excessive Internet use can lead and also be a symptom of depression, making this entire “phenomenon” of Facebook depression seem a touch overblown.

The AAP wants parents and doctors to be particularly concerned about Facebook (no other platform is singled out in the statement), and of course it’s perfectly fine and probably best if parents are aware of their kids’ Facebook activity to some extent. However, this type of warning and labeling seems to toe the line of fear-mongering. The report also touches on the benefits of social media, including boosted communication skills and enhanced learning opportunities – which apparently we can allow children to experiment with so long as they don’t contract symptoms of Facebook depression.

[Photo via Getty Images]

Editors' Recommendations

Molly McHugh
Former Digital Trends Contributor
Before coming to Digital Trends, Molly worked as a freelance writer, occasional photographer, and general technical lackey…
When is the best time to post on Facebook?
A smartphone with the Facebook app icon on it all on a white marble background.

Knowing when to publish your Facebook posts to gain maximum exposure is important if you're trying to bring more attention to your brand or business. But figuring out the best timing can be a bit tricky as there's no real clear-cut answer that works for every Facebook page. And that's because the optimal timing for different Facebook pages will vary depending on the browsing/viewing habits of their respective audiences.

In the guide below, we'll answer a few of your questions about when to post on Facebook (generally), and we'll mention some ways to figure out the best publish times for your specific Facebook page.
Is it better to post in the morning or at night?

Read more
Snapchat’s new Dual Camera uses both front and rear cameras simultaneously
The Snapchat app store listing on a mobile device with a stylus resting on it.

Ever wanted to take a Snap using both of your phone's cameras simultaneously? You can do it now with Snapchat's latest feature.

On Monday, Snapchat announced the rollout of Dual Camera, a feature that allows Snapchatters to record content using their devices' front and rear cameras at the same time. And judging by the images Snapchat provided in their announcement, using Dual Camera results in capturing two perspectives of the same moment, often letting the person taking the Snap have more of a starring role in the moment that they're recording.

Read more
Instagram further restricts content for new accounts under 16
Three mobile screenshots showing Instagram's Sensitive Content Control settings.

Months after expanding its Sensitive Content Control feature, Instagram has recently announced further updates to it that are focused on the privacy and safety of its teen users.

On Thursday, Instagram published an updated version of its June 6 Sensitive Content Control expansion blog post announcement. In the updated version, the popular photo- and video-sharing app detailed additional measures it would take to protect its younger users. These measures include defaulting the accounts of new teen users to the "Less" Sensitive Content Control option, sending other teens prompts that recommend that they choose the "Less" option, and experimental prompts that nudge teen users to review and update their privacy and safety settings.

Read more