I'm on fb and I understand what you're saying. Essentially what you're doing is comparing yourself to them, which is not uncommon. However, doing this isn't good for us. My avatar now is "Comparison is the thief of joy." I went back to this one recently because I found myself doing it a lot again, so it's something that I can see daily to remind myself to try my best to stop doing it. It annoys the shit out of me when I do it, but I'm human. I appreciate you putting normal in quotes as to me it's just a setting on the dryer.

Keep in mind that the majority of fb consists of people posting all positive things going on in their lives. It's not a site where someone will say," I struggled to get a shower today.", ya know? That is something you can say here on DS and people won't think you're an attention seeker or anything like that. I separate fb and DS. Fb is for fun and DS is serious(though of course can be fun as well, to me anyway). I really pay attention to my way of thinking when going on fb. When I'm really depressed, I see that I compare myself way more which in turn can have me feeling worse after going on it. So I will then take a break from fb for awhile. I have a 5 minute rule with myself. If at anytime within 5 minutes of being on fb I start to have negative thoughts about myself, I log off and take a break. So it's a balance and it works for me.

Yes I agree there are things I can say here that I can't on fb. Also remember you do not know how much of what people post is true.

People put on false facades on FB. I have met people who seemingly have it all but are utterly miserable behind their false fronts. For the most part, FB is fantasy land where everyone is happy and great. It is just the underlying lie of the FB culture. The place is like a snooty country club with people making spectacles of themselves. "Look at how great I am! Look what I have! I am better than you!"

I deactivated my account years ago. I still receive phishing emails from senders posing as my friends.

I suffer from the same fb comparisons you do, but like everyone has said, I do try to remember that people put things up there that make it seem like they have it all and they're doing great. I can't really blame them for that...and when I think about it, I do the same. I don't post anything about my depression or anxiety; I don't want people to know that I'm suffering, or not doing as well as them in life.

"Don't compare yourself to others. That's a battle you can never win." - Michelle Parsons

As for your "happy" friends, I've noticed that most people on Facebook exaggerate their happiness. I take what I see on that site with a large grain of salt. They only show you things that they want you to see, and nothing more.

The closest facade I can come up with to put on face book was photography and art I did over ten years ago. My life is completely ruined too and even my one best friend has been getting annoyed with me lately. Sigh... yeah I know what you mean.

You have an illness. It is called depression. Accept that and then you can move forward. Your high school friends have not had to deal with the same things you have, We have to learn to love who we are and not compare ourselves to others. Be the best you that you can be at this time.

I agree with what everyone else has said in your thread. I too use Facebook for a different reason than I use DS. DS is for saving my life. FB is a way to play around and keep up with my family. And, the one's that I know, they usually read a lot better than they actually are. Of course we are not going to put negatives things about ourselves on FB and neither are your friends. We want others to see is in our best light. So, just remember, no one's life is perfect and yours is your own. Don't let anyone make you feel bad about it if you are doing the best that you can.

I left Facebook it's more of a place to bitch about each other. Most of what people put is fake. It's easy to write how amazing your life is on a website, no one can see behind the screen. Never compare your life to others, just because they life seems perfect it's far from it. Eg my cousin is in a bad relationship with a man that hits her, but she took him back and use to write how she loves her husband and kids. She has forgotten reality, You're just as good as anyone else.