A new study confirms what many already know to be true: spending time on Facebook really does make you sad. The research, conducted at the University of Michigan, found that looking at Facebook decreased users’ well-being and satisfaction with life, an effect that was exacerbated with longer durations spent on the site.
Participants would receive five text messages at random times during the day, containing surveys about their mood and asking when they’d last checked Facebook. Those who had checked Facebook recently consistently scored lower.
Next time you’re at home on a Saturday afternoon, struggling to get out of bed, mindlessly scrolling through photos of old friends you’ve fallen out of touch with having so much fun together at brunch, all looking rich and beautiful and well-dressed, and the little voice inside your head says, ‘maybe we should get off the computer, get dressed, and make some breakfast,’ you probably should.
