Does Facebook Negatively Affect You? Especially in Early Sobriety…
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Thread Starter
Join Date: Feb 2012
Location: Northeast
Posts: 441
Does Facebook Negatively Affect You? Especially in Early Sobriety…
I disconnected facebook from my phone last night and felt pretty happy and stable all day. When I got home tonight I checked it on my computer and started feeling sour afterwards. Its like seeing the highlights of everyone else’s day, or their facade of what their life is like. Everyone trying to impress everyone else or something. In addition, I still get event invitations to occasions that involve alcohol.
It made me wonder if other people opted to deactivate their accounts during early sobriety? Or if facebook got under your skin early on like this?
It made me wonder if other people opted to deactivate their accounts during early sobriety? Or if facebook got under your skin early on like this?
everything is already ok
Join Date: May 2005
Location: Melbourne Victoria Australia
Posts: 19,793
Anyting I do obsessively is not good for me. I use facebook but limit my use. In early days I just used SR day and night for a few years and meetings and spent time with my peers.
Member
Join Date: Aug 2012
Posts: 516
I deactivated mine and feel a lot better for it. I've met a good few people in meetings who say the same thing. For me, pictures of people partying didn't really bother me. I just have a huge tendency to compare myself negatively to others and fb really feeds that tendency. Hope to go back on it at some point!
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Thread Starter
Join Date: Feb 2012
Location: Northeast
Posts: 441
Maybe I am also comparing myself negatively to others and feeling like they are having fun and I'm not. Which is terrible, I know. Things aren't always as they seem... Its also like I want to focus on myself and I don't even want to know what everyone else is up to. I need a disconnect. Going on there automatically makes me nosey. I'm going to deactivate it for a little while I think.
everything is already ok
Join Date: May 2005
Location: Melbourne Victoria Australia
Posts: 19,793
Facebook can be useful. For me its not the tools, but the way I use or abuse them.
For instance I dont think drugs are bad, I just cant use them at all but others can and many of them help people get well and stay well.
Recovery is my answer and I first found the tools I needed here then NA and now I find and now I find them along the way and use them all to heal and grow.
So I dont blame people places and things anymore (well I do sometimes briefly!) I look at how I am and use the tools I have been given
Lecture over
For instance I dont think drugs are bad, I just cant use them at all but others can and many of them help people get well and stay well.
Recovery is my answer and I first found the tools I needed here then NA and now I find and now I find them along the way and use them all to heal and grow.
So I dont blame people places and things anymore (well I do sometimes briefly!) I look at how I am and use the tools I have been given
Lecture over
Member
Join Date: Jan 2012
Location: Somewhere in the sands of time
Posts: 1,462
I have a love hate relationship with FB. I like keeping in contact with people, but I feel the same as all of you do. I de activate mine sometimes and agree its a complete waste of time. I have so many pics on there I need to get off, any suggestions on how to do that quickly?
Member
Join Date: Oct 2012
Location: Melbourne VIC
Posts: 94
I deleted mine the day I decided to get sober over 5 months ago, I always felt I compared myself and my life negatively to others when I used FB. I haven't looked back, I believe FB is a waste of time and although you shouldn't judge your "behind the scenes" with everyone elses "highlight reel" I find that I do and am far better off not having to put myself through it!
Fellow Traveler and Seeker
Join Date: Sep 2012
Location: Toronto, Ontario
Posts: 2,408
Originally Posted by janiebluebird 
Maybe I am also comparing myself negatively to others and feeling like they are having fun and I'm not. Which is terrible, I know. Things aren't always as they seem... Its also like I want to focus on myself and I don't even want to know what everyone else is up to..
Grateful to be free
Join Date: May 2009
Location: Arizona
Posts: 3,680
I really like FB, it's a major connection between me and a number of people.
I keep my friend list tight, meaning I don't have people on there who I don't care about what's going on in their life, or who's contributions aren't as asset to me.
If being a FB friend with someone isn't good for me, I unfriend them.
For a few years I lived in a very remote area where my phone got poor reception and there was a very limited community.
FB was vital for me to keep in regular contact with many people in my life.
Funny thing is that when I moved out there , there were no NA meetings, and I found out that I didn't miss the drama that seemed rampant in my groups. On FB it's' very easy for me to control who I am in contact with and limit the drama. I found that near impossible in real time meetings.
SR has been much more beneficial to my recovery, than face to face, and I DO consider it a form of social networking, it's just a very focused form.
I keep my friend list tight, meaning I don't have people on there who I don't care about what's going on in their life, or who's contributions aren't as asset to me.
If being a FB friend with someone isn't good for me, I unfriend them.
For a few years I lived in a very remote area where my phone got poor reception and there was a very limited community.
FB was vital for me to keep in regular contact with many people in my life.
Funny thing is that when I moved out there , there were no NA meetings, and I found out that I didn't miss the drama that seemed rampant in my groups. On FB it's' very easy for me to control who I am in contact with and limit the drama. I found that near impossible in real time meetings.
SR has been much more beneficial to my recovery, than face to face, and I DO consider it a form of social networking, it's just a very focused form.
Re-Member
Join Date: Oct 2010
Location: Colorado Springs, Colorado
Posts: 7,583
I am the same as Scott. I joined and quit facebook several years ago. It was started as a college frat/popularity/status social site at a college. My goodness! I left HS and popularity crap behind decades ago! FB is like those Christmas letters some folks send out with the pictures and all their achievements that year.
I believe my life is going to reflect what I take into it. FB has no place on my pooter or in my life.
I believe my life is going to reflect what I take into it. FB has no place on my pooter or in my life.
Member
Join Date: Sep 2012
Location: Gulf Coast, Florida USA
Posts: 5,731
Filters
I believe in filtering out anything that is negative in my life and facebook was one of them. I set boundaries with people and with what I will allow into my head. I am a lot calmer and at peace because of it today. I have choices today.
I don't have to tolerate anything if it messes with my recovery and peace of mind.
I don't have to tolerate anything if it messes with my recovery and peace of mind.
Member
Join Date: Jan 2012
Location: Somewhere in the sands of time
Posts: 1,462
I think I am going to pretty much strip my page to the bare minimum and leave it, that way if anyone wants to get in touch with me through there it can come to my email, and then I am going to take the app off my phone and be done with it. Sounds like a perfect solution, in my case anyhow!
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