The science behind why you should stop stalking your ex on Facebook this Christmas

December 22, 2016

Scientists reveal Facebook ‘lurking’ can ‘affect your emotional well-being
Issue worse at Christmas when feeds are filled with ‘perfect’ family photos
Researchers recommend giving up social networks for a week around Christmas

Luke Johnson For Mailonline

Published:
05:56 EST, 22 December 2016

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Updated:
06:31 EST, 22 December 2016

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It’s OK, you can admit it, we’ve all done it, but now new research has shown that stalking your ex on Facebook is actually bad for you.

It’s not just your ex you should stop snooping on either, but pretty much everyone you know.

That’s because a new study has found that ‘lurking’ on Facebook without engaging with social ‘friends’ can make people miserable, especially around Christmas.

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A new study has found that ‘lurking’ on Facebook without engaging with social ‘friends’ can make people miserable, especially around Christmas

HOW YOU CAN STOP THE SOCIAL BLUES

Researchers have recommended avoiding social networks for a week around Christmas.

If you have to use it, avoiding the pages and people most likely to bring you down can help.

Engaging people in conversation can help you feel more connected to what’s happening.

Reacting to posts with likes and comments has a similar effect.

This is due to the festive period exposing people to more photos and posts of the ‘perfect’ family set-up.

As most people only share their most positive, happy experiences on the social site, the endless stream of joy and laughter can give users ‘unrealistic social comparisons.’

The study, conducted by the University of Copenhagen, tracked the online activity of more than 1,300 participants.

It found that ‘regular use of social networking such as Facebook can negatively affect your emotional well-being and satisfaction with life.’

To counteract the problem, the researchers suggest avoiding social media throughout the Christmas and New Year period.

If people are unable to give up their social media addiction and go cold turkey, simply interacting with more with posts could help them enhance their mood.

The study was published in the journal, Cyberpsychology, Behaviour and Social Networking.

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‘Millions of hours are spent on Facebook each day,’ the study stated.

‘We are surely better connected now than ever before, but is this new connectedness doing any good to our well-being? According to the present study, the answer is no.’

The researchers added: ‘To make things clear, if one is a heavy Facebook user, one should use Facebook less to increase one’s well-being.

‘And if one tends to feel envy when on Facebook, one should avoid browsing the section (or specific friends) on Facebook causing this envy.’

This isn’t the first time Facebook use has been linked to health concerns.

To counteract the problem, the researchers suggest avoiding social media sites like Facebook throughout the Christmas and New Year period

Earlier this year, a separate study suggested growing use of services like Facebook and Twitter was causing a rise in depression.

Not only do the unrealistic expectations laid out by social networks cause people to doubt their own lives, those already suffering with low moods are reportedly turning to these sites to fill a void.

‘Because social media has become such an integrated component of human interaction, it is important for clinicians interacting with young adults to recognize the balance to be struck in encouraging potential positive use, while redirecting from problematic use,’ Brian Primack, director of Pitt’s Center for Research on Media, Technology and Health, said at the time.