Facebook can be accessed anytime from smart phones, tablets, computers and laptops, but all of this exposure to the social media website can cause depression for some people.

The term “Facebook Depression” was first published in the Official Journal of the American Academy of Pediatrics in April 2011. The original research reported that teens spent an increasing amount of time on social media websites and began to exhibit symptoms of depression. Since then, more research has been done on the effects of social media on adults.

Many students at Nicholls said they check their Facebook several times a day and look to it as a social newspaper when they receive notifications about picture posts or view their friends’ status updates.

A study conducted by sociologists Hui-Tzu Grace Chou and Nicholas Edge at Utah Valley University suggested that students who spend more time on Facebook are more likely to believe their friends lead lives happier than their own. The study reported that students felt the perceived lack of activity in their lives was unfair.

According to the study, students who compare their lives to others in this way and feel they do not measure up to what they see on Facebook may have trouble with self-esteem and self-worth. An individual with low self-esteem and feelings of inadequacy can exhibit strong symptoms of depression.

UVU’s study suggested that a problem with Facebook is the controlled view of our friends’ lives in which we tend to see more of the positive aspects than the negative details. Chou concluded that this observation tends to be unrealistic.

Scottie Bailey, psychology junior from Morgan City, said she deleted her Facebook account this semester for multiple reasons.

“I got rid of it mainly to focus on school, and people were posting annoying things that I didn’t want to read,” she said. “I wouldn’t say all the negative posts got me down. I just didn’t want to see it anymore.”

Colby Robichaux, business senior from Thibodaux, said he does not think Facebook causes depression, but he sees how the site can add to existing depressive feelings. Robichaux said he checks his Facebook every time he receives a notification on his phone and otherwise visits the site at least six times a day.

“It’s so accessible to view other people’s lives,” he said. “I think it’s a problem since more of our generation is becoming obsessed.”

Larry Rosen, professor of psychology at California State University—Dominguez Hill, presented information to the American Psychological Association in 2011 that stated Facebook use among adults may enhance symptoms of narcissism, antisocial personality disorder, bipolar disorder and borderline personality disorder.

“While nobody can deny that Facebook has altered the landscape of social interaction, particularly among young people, we are just now starting to see solid psychological research demonstrating both the positives and the negatives.”

Kimberly Reynolds, instructor of family and consumer sciences at Nicholls, said she can understand how people can feel a positive and negative impact from the popular site.

“It can have the same impact as any social environment,” she said. “It just seems to be the most popular right now.”

According to the Total Life Counseling Center, social media was designed so that people could connect and reconnect. To help bring back the positive aspects of social media and ease the symptoms of “Facebook Depression,” they suggest the following tips for Facebook users.

Users should stop comparing their lives to the status updates of friends and realize that people commonly use Facebook to present only the best about themselves. It is more convenient to leave out the negative.

Users should also try to spend more face-to-face time with their friends and become part of the interesting activities they read about on their news feed. If they cannot have a personal interaction with people on their friends’ list, a reduction in the number of friends would be a good option to avoid thinking that others are leading better lives.