Chemical Effect

In this article we will answer a few questions about the effects that Facebook has on us. The questions will include the physical mental and chemical negative aspects.

Is it possible to get addicted to Facebook?

Yes. In fact you can almost get addicted to anything. The reason behind getting addicted to face book is that when you post a photo or a status and people like it there is a chemical reaction in your brain. The chemical is called dopamine. It is an organic chemical in the brain and functions as a neurotransmitter. Most types of reward increase the level of dopamine in the brain. So when people are frequently liking your statuses and photos there is a lot of dopamine going around in your brain. The brain then gets addicted to the chemical causing us to continue to post more and more.

How does face book affect our mental health?

There are numerous studies that conclude many frequent users of Facebook suffer from depression, envy, anxiety and show more infidelity than less frequent users. By constantly seeing what everyone else is doing we are make ourselves compare ourselves to others. This includes body image, e.g. we are constantly hearing and seeing the Kardashians. This affects the way we see ourselves because we force ourselves to believe that we have to have an hour glass figure, we have to have flawless skin and perfect makeup. Another way we compare ourselves is our social lives. We are always seeing what everyone else is doing. They could be out on a date with their significant other or hanging out with their friends. So if you’re sitting at home single and alone it can make you feel horrible and that their life is better than yours.

How does Facebook affect us physically?

The most popular way of using Facebook among our generation is to use our phones. The average person spends around two to four hours a day looking at their phones. Looking down at their devices is the equivalent to having an eight year old sitting on your head while you check your messages.  

Over time the frequent exposure to the blue light coming out of our phones can damage the retina. It can also have an impact on your sleeping habits. Looking at your phone before you go to sleep can disrupt the hormone melatonin and disrupts the circadian rhythm which decreases the amount of time spent in a deep sleep, which is linked to the development of diabetes, obesity and cancer.

In conclusion there are a lot of negative effects from using Facebook frequently, they include addiction, effects on your mental and physical health. We have covered the affects that Facebook has on our brain, our mental health and our physical health.

By Hannah Lawrence-McNeill and Riley Gunn