Introduction

Like anything that rockets into mainstream popularity, researchers have been eager to see how social networking, such as Facebook, affects the health of users. Researchers have found positive and negative health affects between users and Facebook. Researchers have found that not only can Facebook provide support to users suffering from disease; it can also help fund research, raise awareness and help prevent outbreaks. Doctors, however, have also had to respond to negative health conditions that are related directly to Facebook.

Facebook Can Positively Impact Your Health 

Researchers have found that Facebook has the ability to positively impact your health. Doctors and researchers will unanimously agree that they key to staying healthy is disease prevention. Facebook allows users to be connected with exercise plans and diets that their friends are using as well as main stream diet products. As a healthy weight and balanced diet is key to good health, getting connected with health networks can help users prevent falling ill in the future. Additionally, researchers in a Harvard study found that infection can be predicted based on friend circles. When a Harvard student contracted the flu earlier this year, researchers were able to track and predict which one of his Facebook friends would become sick. This was done by discovering who he interacted with most on Facebook, and then which one of his friends posted about being sick. Researchers hope that this method of tracking could be used if a more dangerous outbreak should occur in the future. Potentially, researchers would be able to predict who would come in contact with the infected person, notify them, and prevent the disease from spreading.

Support

Facebook has also become a haven for people dealing with rare diseases and disorders. Since genetic diseases are often rare, many people suffering from these diseases and their families and caretakers often felt alone. With over 1 billion users, people from all walks of life are logging on. Support groups and pages have been created for specific diseases allowing people who previously felt alone to connect. Disease victims and their families are able to offer each other support, as well as talk about treatment plans and doctors that worked best for them.

Facebook Addiction and Depression 

Psychiatrists and family doctors are facing problems with their patients that they have never had to face before thanks to Facebook; most noteably Facebook addiction and depression. Users who are on Facebook more than three hours a day risk becoming addicted, doctors say. These users become so accustomed to constantly knowing what is happening with their friends and keeping themselves connect that they neglect everyday responsibilities. They may log on at work and face expulsion from their job or while driving and risk getting into a serious car accident. When these addicted users are forced to be off Facebook, for whatever reason, they often become angry or depressed. Depression related to Facebook can range from mild to severe and can come with a wide range of negative effects.