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Facebook addiction increases depression severity among already depressed people

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Re: Facebook addiction increases depression severity among already depressed people

#11
Matches my experience although I don’t have any clinical diagnosis. When im already feeling bad social media normally instagram for me starts to make me feel worse as i have a hard time putting it down.

When i feel fine it’s easy for me to walk away from

Re: Facebook addiction increases depression severity among already depressed people

#13

I was surprised that the study doesn't mention that these apps are _intentionally_ designed to get you addicted to the point where something like this happen. This psychology-oriented design atrocity is leaking into other industries[0], and I can't see a future where this is not strongly regulated against like how gambling is today. It took me months of using screen time apps to revert the bad habits these apps try t…

This was a scientific study with quantitative measures that have clear operating definitions as spelled out in their methodology section. I have trouble imagining the quantitative measurement for “Facebook designed their app to maximize addictiveness” would even look like. Have mercy on the poor scientists who chose to answer a narrow question empirically and well, and left the fuzzier question out of their scientific paper.

Re: Facebook addiction increases depression severity among already depressed people

#14
post #5

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It might even be "sitting inside, looking through the window at other people sitting inside but surely having a better time than you" . Social media is for presenting the highlights of your life. For a lot of depressed or even just gullible people it is easy to generalize from that. I have acquaintances who blew up their personal lives in a search for that elusive "perfect life".

> I have acquaintances who blew up their personal lives in a search for that elusive "perfect life". Is this in the typical sense of spending beyond their means, or do you have other anecdotes? I am a highly compensated tech worker at a FAANG who overcame US immigration and other challenges to get here, and many people would trade their spot with mine. Yet, I am so unhappy and burned out by work that I don’t think ab…

From someone else who was well compensated in tech and burned out, wishing you the best.

Re: Facebook addiction increases depression severity among already depressed people

#15

I was surprised that the study doesn't mention that these apps are _intentionally_ designed to get you addicted to the point where something like this happen. This psychology-oriented design atrocity is leaking into other industries[0], and I can't see a future where this is not strongly regulated against like how gambling is today. It took me months of using screen time apps to revert the bad habits these apps try t…

Yeah but they aren't designed for chaotic purposes like the Joker from Batman. They are designed to make these companies more money.

I'm surprised you only took months. It's taken me years and I'm still battling it. I even wrote a book on this struggle last year given it was such a prominent addiction in my teens and early 20s. I'm 30 now.

Re: Facebook addiction increases depression severity among already depressed people

#16
post #3

Makes sense. A depressed person, sitting inside, looking through the window at their friends playing outside, I guess would feel more depressed.

Parasocial friends at that. Which means the depressed person cant even send a message to the user to see if they want to hang out as they probably don't even know the depressed person exists.

Re: Facebook addiction increases depression severity among already depressed people

#17

I was surprised that the study doesn't mention that these apps are _intentionally_ designed to get you addicted to the point where something like this happen. This psychology-oriented design atrocity is leaking into other industries[0], and I can't see a future where this is not strongly regulated against like how gambling is today. It took me months of using screen time apps to revert the bad habits these apps try t…

[deleted]

Re: Facebook addiction increases depression severity among already depressed people

#18

I was surprised that the study doesn't mention that these apps are _intentionally_ designed to get you addicted to the point where something like this happen. This psychology-oriented design atrocity is leaking into other industries[0], and I can't see a future where this is not strongly regulated against like how gambling is today. It took me months of using screen time apps to revert the bad habits these apps try t…

This was a scientific study with quantitative measures that have clear operating definitions as spelled out in their methodology section. I have trouble imagining the quantitative measurement for “Facebook designed their app to maximize addictiveness” would even look like. Have mercy on the poor scientists who chose to answer a narrow question empirically and well, and left the fuzzier question out of their scientifi…

See the book "Hooked". This is not some batshit conspiracy, it's well documented

Re: Facebook addiction increases depression severity among already depressed people

#19

I was surprised that the study doesn't mention that these apps are _intentionally_ designed to get you addicted to the point where something like this happen. This psychology-oriented design atrocity is leaking into other industries[0], and I can't see a future where this is not strongly regulated against like how gambling is today. It took me months of using screen time apps to revert the bad habits these apps try t…

Except the kids born in the 2010's got their whole reward system fried by this, imagine a 4 year old being stimulated as much as a gambler because his parents gave him a tablet.

The issue is that those companies know how much their products affect people in a negative way yet still make them, we would be shocked if it was some chemical company making medication but psychological health is as important as physical health adn they should be treated the same in my opinion.

Re: Facebook addiction increases depression severity among already depressed people

#20

I was surprised that the study doesn't mention that these apps are _intentionally_ designed to get you addicted to the point where something like this happen. This psychology-oriented design atrocity is leaking into other industries[0], and I can't see a future where this is not strongly regulated against like how gambling is today. It took me months of using screen time apps to revert the bad habits these apps try t…

This was a scientific study with quantitative measures that have clear operating definitions as spelled out in their methodology section. I have trouble imagining the quantitative measurement for “Facebook designed their app to maximize addictiveness” would even look like. Have mercy on the poor scientists who chose to answer a narrow question empirically and well, and left the fuzzier question out of their scientifi…

Not speaking about this particular study, just wanted to nitpick that the psychology tricks behind "Facebook designed their app to maximize addictiveness" have indeed been measured from the point of view of monetisation/engagement, hence why so many apps and games nowadays try to implement them. I agree the concept is not relevant for this particular study.
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