Beware Who You Choose As A Facebook Friend

[Teresa]

That's why I don't even do a personal Facebook account - I HATE Facebook. The only reason I'm on it is for the business. My marketing guy constantly reminds me of the business value, but I despise having to use it. I am stunned at how some of my friends and relatives pour their whole lives into that nonsense - blind to the fact that it's just there to make money off them.

I've had three people contact me on Facebook to tell me they're committing suicide over the past two years. That's some heavy stuff. I've got a list of suicide counselors in my 'contacts' ready and waiting for me to forward them the next one. How people can have hundreds and thousands of so-called 'friends' and still be miserably alone is a mystery.

To my marketing guy's chagrin, I still do everything I can to avoid using it. I've got everything (blog posts, videos, etc.) set up to flow into that, Twitter, etc. automatically without my having to log in and read all the nonsense or get too involved with desperate strangers.

If I want to interact with crazy people, I'll call my relatives.

Very weird how people get more and more isolated in our culture of advanced technology.

 

[Minnie]

That's why I don't even do a personal Facebook account - I HATE Facebook. The only reason I'm on it is for the business. My marketing guy constantly reminds me of the business value, but I despise having to use it. I am stunned at how some of my friends and relatives pour their whole lives into that nonsense - blind to the fact that it's just there to make money off them.

I've had three people contact me on Facebook to tell me they're committing suicide over the past two years. That's some heavy stuff. I've got a list of suicide counselors in my 'contacts' ready and waiting for me to forward them the next one. How people can have hundreds and thousands of so-called 'friends' and still be miserably alone is a mystery.

To my marketing guy's chagrin, I still do everything I can to avoid using it. I've got everything (blog posts, videos, etc.) set up to flow into that, Twitter, etc. automatically without my having to log in and read all the nonsense or get too involved with desperate strangers.

If I want to interact with crazy people, I'll call my relatives.

Sadly I think Facebook has made the situation worse. A young man my daughter knew in college, recently killed himself in the parking lot of his therapist. He had hundreds of facebook friends but when he posted his last cry for help on his Facebook page, it was during a time and due to the way that Facebook loads your status updates, no one saw it until it was too late.

He left a written message in his car, I reached out, no one replied.

He was 26 years old.

 

[Gidget]

How tragic Minnie.

 

[Landlocked]

Sadly I think Facebook has made the situation worse. A young man my daughter knew in college, recently killed himself in the parking lot of his therapist. He had hundreds of facebook friends but when he posted his last cry for help on his Facebook page, it was during a time and due to the way that Facebook loads your status updates, no one saw it until it was too late.

He left a written message in his car, I reached out, no one replied.

He was 26 years old.

I went through this same kind of thing with a good friend 2 years ago. I live with it every damn day. Very sad story.

 

[heartbren]

Oh my God! I cannot believe 3 people did that! That is amazing as is everything else I'm hearing on here about Facebook. There are people that contact me to be their friend and I have no idea who they are so I do not befriend them. I just wonder where they come from. I am also too trusting and get in trouble for it sometimes. Getting older I realize just how many crazies there are and I am running across too many of them these days. Suicide!!! Wow, that is really amazing. I'm glad I hardly get on Facebook anymore. Take care everyone and be careful out there!!!

 

[heartbren]

Wow! So sad!! It is a shame how much emotional pain people live with today. I think it especially hard for the younger people these days. Emotional pain can be so much worse than physical pain and much harder to get rid of. I really feel for the younger generation. Gee, I sound like an old fart!!

 

[Rita]

.
I'd be careful of some old farts as well. ijs..;-)

 

[ItzKatzTime]

It is hard to understand suicide and even harder to stop it when someone truly wants to die. I've heard just as many cases of families that did not have a clue as those who could look back and realize there were plenty of signs. But, NO ONE should have to die because of bullying or harassment.

 

[heartbren]

It is a shame people cannot just be accepted for who they are and that others bully the one who is more sensitive than others since they make an easy target. The emotional scars that bullying leaves is so hard to live with that some can never get over it or live long enough to do so. Today it is especially difficult for the sensitive or "different" ones because so many kids seem to have no empathy for others or think about the consequence that their actions may cause to the other. It is hard to blame the kids alone though when adults act the same way towards other adults. Bullying is scary no matter what the age and can do so much harm.

 

[ItzKatzTime]

Thanks to everyone for your advice and messages. It's helped me to be more careful and to "get over it" and get on!