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Message: <blockquote data-quote="samila224" data-source="post: 9729197" data-attributes="member: 165800">Doctors issue warning on Facebook use, which they say can lead to teenage depression <img src="http://resources0.news.com.au/images/2011/03/28/1226029/567932-facebook.jpg" alt="" class="fr-fic fr-dii fr-draggable " style="" />*Facebook can be more painful than real life*Disagreement over connection with the site*"A lot of what's happening is actually healthy"DOCTORS have warned of a condition they call "Facebook depression" that may affect troubled teenagers who obsess over the social networking site.Researchers disagree on whether it's simply an extension of depression some kids feel in other circumstances, or a distinct condition linked with using the online site.But there are unique aspects of Facebook that can make it a particularly tough social landscape to navigate for kids already dealing with poor self-esteem, said Dr Gwenn O'Keeffe, the lead author of new American Academy of Pediatrics social media guidelines, published today.With in-your-face friends' tallies, status updates and photos of happy-looking people having great times, Facebook pages can make some teenagers feel even worse if they think they don't measure up.It can be more painful than sitting alone in a crowded school cafeteria or other real-life encounters that can make kids feel down, Dr O'Keeffe said, because Facebook provides a skewed view of what's really going on.Online, there's no way to see facial expressions or read body language that provide context.The guidelines urge pediatricians to encourage parents to talk with their kids about online use and to be aware of Facebook depression, cyberbullying, sexting and other online risks.They note that online harassment “can cause profound psychosocial outcomes,” including suicide.The widely publicised suicide of a 15-year-old Massachusetts girl last year occurred after she'd been bullied and harassed, in person and on Facebook.“Facebook is where all the teens are hanging out now. It's their corner store,” Dr O'Keeffe said.She said the benefits of kids using social media sites like Facebook shouldn't be overlooked, however, such as connecting with friends and family, sharing pictures and exchanging ideas.“A lot of what's happening is actually very healthy, but it can go too far,” she said.Dr Megan Moreno, a University of Wisconsin adolescent medicine specialist who has studied online social networking among college students, said using Facebook can enhance feelings of social connectedness among well-adjusted kids, and have the opposite effect on those prone to depression.Parents shouldn't get the idea that using Facebook “is going to somehow infect their kids with depression,” she said.<a href="http://www.news.com.au/technology" target="_blank">News.com.au</a></blockquote>

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