Dr. Gwenn O’Keeffe, lead author of new social media guidelines in the American Academy of Pediatrics, asserts that Facebook can lead to depression in adolescents. For teens predisposed to poor self-esteem and depression, Facebook can become a painful reminder of their lackluster social life.
When teens with poor self-esteem view the status updates and photos of happy-looking people, the inability to measure up can push them into depression. O’Keefe further states that the skewed view provided by Facebook exacerbates the issue.
Several teens also agree that Facebook could lead to depression. They point out that Facebook can serve as a popularity contest in which teens compete for the most friends or tagged pictures. Also, some teens post derogatory comments on the Facebook walls of their peers. Such acts will profoundly affect the emotions of more sensitive teenagers.
In order to alleviate the situation, pediatricians are urging parents to talk with their kids about online risks and to be aware of Facebook depression, cyber-bullying and other issues.
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