Does Facebook Cause Depression?

Sherry Turkle’s book, Alone Together: Why we expect more from technology and less from each other, introduces the positives and negatives to our recent development of digital culture.  Now that connectivity to technology and social networking is the norm, it offers alternate ways for adolescents to experiment with identity (Turkle, p. 153).  Through sites like Facebook, adolescents can establish or alter their profile to fit who they either think they are or who they wish to portray.  As Turkle argues, this constant presentation of self on Facebook is a “particular source of stress because it is so important to high school social life” (p. 183).  She mentions that the web, instead of face-to-face interaction, is how teens are establishing sense of self and learning how to communicate.  This lack of face-to-face interaction can be seen as negative because online it is easier for people to ignore others feelings and not offer their full focus.  In addition, the constant need for approval and support can lead to a fragile personality (Turkle, 176). 

This news video reflects how ‘fragile personality’ and stress from Facebook can lead to much larger health effects, such as depression.

As Michelle Aycock, psychotherapist, states children question what is wrong with them when their own Facebook profile and activity does not match up to their peers (number of friends, number of likes) (time stamp 0:40).  Some teens will get negative feedback or comments on certain pictures they post and this can really cause self-esteem issues.  Teens also have misperceptions of their peers because others often share half-truths. 

          This video extends Sherry Turkle’s argument that Facebook causes stress in students due to the comparison of others’ profiles.  Especially because the teens need constant approval and their identity is not yet established, this could be very detrimental to their mental health.  Facebook does not cause depression, however, it is understood that Facebook can induce negative self-esteem, and that specifically, is linked to depression. 

Turkle, S. (2011). Alone together: Why we expect more from technology and less from each other. New York: Basic Books.