Facebook is one of the well-known social networks around the world. Cambridge researchers believe that with the right ethical safeguards, social networks may even be used in the future to provide support and interventions, particularly among young people.
A number of arguments have been made to suggest that Facebook can be beneficial to mental health. According to Mental Help,social connections reduce depression and anxiety and gives greater satisfaction with life. Facebook and other social media can be helpful for people suffering from social anxiety because it provides the opportunity to develop social relationships online.
Over a billion people worldwide use Facebook daily, one in seven of the global population, and social media use is increasing at three times the rate of other internet use. Evidence suggests that 92 percent of adolescents use the site daily and disclose considerably more about themselves online than offline.
In a new paper, published in Lancet Psychiatry, University of Cambridge researchers discuss how social networking sites, especially Facebook might be harnessed to provide data to help further our understanding of the onset and early years of mental illness.
"Facebook is hugely popular and could provide us with a wealth of data to improve our knowledge of mental health disorders such as depression and schizophrenia," says Dr Becky Inkster, the study's lead author, from the Department of Psychiatry.
"Its reach is particularly broad, too, stretching across the digital divide to traditionally hard-to-reach groups including homeless youth, immigrants, people with mental health problems, and seniors."
Depression is is a common but serious mood disorder. It causes severe symptoms that affect how you feel, think, and handle daily activities, such as sleeping, eating, or working. Schizophrenia is a chronic and severe mental disorder that affects how a person thinks, feels, and behaves.People with schizophrenia may seem like they have lost touch with reality.
Studies have shown that social networks can have both positive and negative effects on user’s emotions. Being “unfriended” can elicit negative emotions, but even an individuals’ News Feed, which reports what their friends are up to, can affect their mood.
The researchers suggest that the use of therapies based on users’ Facebook pictures and timelines could be used as a test of possible ways to use online social networks to support individuals.
"Facebook relationships may help those with reduced self-esteem and provide companionship for individuals who are socially isolated," says Dr Becky Inkster. And so, as a conclusion, Facebook posts, likes, photos, and other features may really help manage individual's mental disorders.
