SOCIAL NETWORKING - MENTAL HEALTH 'PORTAL' or 'PITFALL'

[julie gosling]

Does the Internet and social networking sites such as Facebook offer opportunities for WELLBEING and inclusion or alternatively do they fuel addictions and cause loneliness and distress?

Michael Poh on the Hongkiat site offers brief discussions in blogs such as:

http://www.hongkiat.com/blog/facebook-addiction-signs/
7 Telltale Signs Of Facebook Addiction.
and
http://www.hongkiat.com/blog/psychology-of-facebook/
The Psychology of Facebook

More in depth attention is provided in Dr Michael Fenichel's article:

http://www.fenichel.com/facebook/.
FAD - Facebook Addiction Disorder

Fenichel summarises a number of useful reads over the past three years in the area of addiction and mental health difficulties related to social networking. Of particular value is the University of London study by Beth Anderson and colleagues, published by the American Psychological Association in 2012

Facebook Psychology: Popular Questions Answered by Research
http://www.apa.org/pubs/journals/features/ppm-1-1-23.pdf

The Internet and social networking have had a big impact over the last decade - and not only for the young and the sociable. What are the portals and the pitfalls of Facebook and similar sites and how do they influence wellbeing? And how, furthermore, can their capacity to influence and to radicalise be employed in the best interests of the oppressed?

The two headed dog in ancient mythology had the name 'Orthros' - which in Greek also stood for morning /twilight - 'darkness and light.' Perhaps the internet is our two-headed monster which shadows or illuminates wellbeing - by fuelling fears and fantasies and by isolating - or - by redefining, reclaiming and reconnecting in positive and healing ways.

As Michael Fenichel observes:

'... the discussion continues. Good or bad? Additive or subtractive? Cause or reflection of narcissism? Facilitator or cure for loneliness? ...'

I for one am interested in exploring the openings in cyber space that lead us to wellbeing and freedom