[bpktvikesfan]

I have not been on facebook for five years due to my bp episodes...i found myself sending cryptic messages to not close friends and truly made an *** out of myself, so i decided to stay off it even though i am stable. Has anyone else had trouble with social media or given it up?

[SorryShaped]

I went through periods of no social media and sometimes still do, but after getting to the point of being the same person everywhere, regardless of the consequences, I learned to change who I am to whom I want to present.
I'm very terrible at it, but at least everyone sees everything now

[Miss Laura]

I do not post anything about myself on fb. I will share bipolar info as family and friends know I have it and we share info like that. I have never even through my sever depression/mania shared my life on fb. I feel fb can be negative towards mental illness. Been on fb 10 years and have see people share things that I certainly wouldn't as I'm not brave enough. I can see why you would put your life on it but it's not my style. If it's a negative thing for you then don't go on it and use another way to talk to people like WhatsApp or snap chat

I hop on and off Facebook on a whim.

I am totally open on Facebook. I talk about my mental health, post pole dancing pictures, talk about my dead parents and childhood trauma and so on. Nothing is off limits. I even posted the embarrassing video of when I shattered my big toe coming out of a handstand. Lol.

In my memories section I see depressed posts and I see manic posts. I am unfiltered. No doubt everyone sees me as bat sh it crazy. I dont care.

That all said, I will deactivate when I feel it is in the best interest of my mental health. For example when I'm depressed. Seems like some tragedy always happens and it triggers me. So I walk away.

[bpktvikesfan]

my biggest problems are the delusions i have as i go into psychosis often, i start sending messages about the military and the cia and you name it cuz at the time i think I am part of a plan to take over the world.

[Blueberrybook]

I never post anything about BP or my other issues on social media, which does sometimes feel that what I post of my life on social media is a lie, especially if I'm struggling with BP or another psych issue when I post something. On the other hand, it's really nobody's business but my own and to some extent, my husband's and my daughter's (though I shelter her from as much of it as possible). I go through periods of posting more or less, but thankfully not about psych stuff best kept to myself.

My youngest sister who doesn't have any psych issues went off all social media several years ago. She said the things people posted made her feel inadequate as a wife & mother. And I get that. People post all the glossy, good parts of their like on social media. If you based happiness on social media, youd think over 95% of this country lead perfect lives, happy as a clam.

[diamondprincess]

I gave up my social media in the past too, because ultimately it was detrimental for me. I ended up getting back on and off a few times over the years out of loneliness and now I am just on instagram, but thats just to promote my graphic design work.

[UpDownAround]

I post articles on mental heath and have posted a few on BP in particular. Family and some friends know and others may suspect it or think I have someone close to me that does. I am very liberal politically and post a lot on universal healthcare and improving the safety net. I am pretty active and there have been several posts I wish I could take back. There are several people, mostly family, that I rarely interact with any other way.

[SorryShaped]

Originally Posted by UpDownAround

I post articles on mental heath and have posted a few on BP in particular. Family and some friends know and others may suspect it or think I have someone close to me that does. I am very liberal politically and post a lot on universal healthcare and improving the safety net. I am pretty active and there have been several posts I wish I could take back. There are several people, mostly family, that I rarely interact with any other way.

That's odd to me because zero of my family are on my Facebook. I don't need the judgments

[*Laurie*]

I am on Facebook regularly. Half the time it's fine. The other half I get wild and snappy with people, especially on news sites. It can get pretty bad. I've been working hard to control myself better. Also, I've been horribly bullied regarding a certain situation that came up on Facebook (I was admin of a page and some members went off on me) - that was truly one of the worst and most hurtful experiences I've ever had.

Originally Posted by bpktvikesfan

I have not been on facebook for five years due to my bp episodes...i found myself sending cryptic messages to not close friends and truly made an *** out of myself, so i decided to stay off it even though i am stable. Has anyone else had trouble with social media or given it up?

I don't use it, simple as that.

I did try facebook at one point, but my thing against it is that.. first I have no friends/ family to add, secondly all the groups are full of drama, and thirdly, it quite honestly freaks me out that people would actually post pictures of themselves (I think that comes from my body issues, and I would absolutely no way do that)

I quit in 2005

never seen any need to even try twitter

how you can summon up your life in 140 characters is absolutely beyond me

(actually I think they increased it now to 180, but that's not the point)

I dislike social media. I have a Facebook account only to keep in touch, occasionally, with people I'd never keep in touch with otherwise. I hate most people's posts, and am too private to ever really post anything there myself. I only really use the messaging feature and appreciate the birthday reminders of my "friends". I hate that my siblings thought Facebook was the way to keep in touch with me, so I refuse that. We either email or call each other. I prevent any connections between Facebook and anything else. Even when I want to write a review of something online, I will only do so if I can use an alias and NOT my real name. So many stupid features online want you to login through your Facebook or similar social media account. Big Brother need not know everything I write. I don't want future employers seeing things I write elsewhere. I don't want the Russians knowing my business.

I hate FB. Not on it (lest you think I rushed to judgement, no, I did try it for awhile. It was ridiculous. And a very sad state of communication.)

Trust Zuckerberg? Yeah, right. Seeing how he's proven himself SUCH a trustworthy individual.

The bait is not worth the hook.

Originally Posted by Innerzone

I hate FB. Not on it (lest you think I rushed to judgement, no, I did try it for awhile. It was ridiculous. And a very sad state of communication.)

Trust Zuckerberg? Yeah, right. Seeing how he's proven himself SUCH a trustworthy individual.

The bait is not worth the hook.

I don't use Facebook either. I hate the way most people use it. For example, lots of people love to stir up drama because they're bored, or they like to start arguments over politics, also because they're bored. And then you have the desperate people who either (1.) want people to feel bad for them, or (2.) want to make their lives look enviable.

But I couldn't care less about trusting Zuckerberg. Any website you sign up for collects and (most likely) sells your information to third parties, even if their ToS document says they won't. OR they'll carefully word their ToS to make it seem like they won't sell anything even though they will (e.g., in the case of Facebook).

But really, Facebook (and any other site) is all about how you use it. The more you information give them, the more they take. Give them nothing and they have nothing to take.

[BipolaRNurse]

I am a literal Facebook addict. I have some 260 friends, most of whom I met through a nursing website and others I worked with in different places. I'm very open about my mental illness and share my blog on my page. I did use an alias for a time but went back to using my own name a couple of years later, when the need to disguise my identity was over with. Maybe I'm a fool for doing that. But I have my privacy settings listed as Friends Only so I don't get a bunch of friend requests from men trolling for widows.

[~Christina]

I love Facebook

If im just a total trainwreck I dont go on there mainly because I have the patience of a gnat.. and I dont even "think" about online anything including here.

I dont get upset when I see people post " happy stuff" life is life some days Im happy some days not so much..

Its a great distraction for me..

But I do understand that its not for everyone

Originally Posted by bluebicycle

But I couldn't care less about trusting Zuckerberg. Any website you sign up for collects and (most likely) sells your information to third parties, even if their ToS document says they won't. OR they'll carefully word their ToS to make it seem like they won't sell anything even though they will (e.g., in the case of Facebook).

But really, Facebook (and any other site) is all about how you use it. The more you information give them, the more they take. Give them nothing and they have nothing to take.

Give them nothing...Exactly. Yeah, I realize a lot of other sites do it too, but I always kind of give it a cost/benefits analysis. Some (very few) sites are worth it to me, in which case I have to look at it as a (un)necessary evil. As for trusting Zuckerberg --I don't of course -- but really, I just.can't.stand.him.

I think there's also an element of not liking feeling like I "have" to like or do anything. Brings out my rebellious streak, lol.

[Christopher1990]

Originally Posted by bpktvikesfan

I have not been on facebook for five years due to my bp episodes...i found myself sending cryptic messages to not close friends and truly made an *** out of myself, so i decided to stay off it even though i am stable. Has anyone else had trouble with social media or given it up?

I can not relate more to this. I've sent so many cringe worthy messages when I look back. I don't know where my mind goes but facebook is terrible for me. I've deactivated it so many times. Now I just have messenger and only use it to get a message.

I have my own meme page called memes for the mentally ill. Its grown to have like over 10k likes. Check it out for a good laugh.

But seriously facebook is a trigger.

[UpDownAround]

Originally Posted by SorryShaped

That's odd to me because zero of my family are on my Facebook. I don't need the judgments

I don't know why it is, but practically all of my family is except my dad but his wife is and show him things from others. All my siblings, my kids, niece, nephews, several cousins and a couple of aunts and uncles (I have very few left). Probably about 20 of my relations that I keep up with.

[SorryShaped]

My family is on Facebook, but not on my Facebook. They're too judgemental for that for me

[Nammu]

No social media anywhere. Far to paranoid for that took me a couple years here to post stuff here. Still pretty silent on the subject of me here.

[Korat]

I’m an independent author and have to use social media to advertise my books. I hate Facebook. I belong to a number of writing and publishing groups and a couple of fan groups. As long as I lurk, I’m fine, but it feels like the moment I say something, I’m in trouble. I get into weird squabbles with people. I get bullied or people are just condescending or dismissive. I’m trying to avoid the groups. They’re often just a time suck anyway.

I’ve been trolled on Twitter, but for the most part, I get along with people there. I’ve never had a problem with Instagram. I write under a pen name and share things about mental health on my blog. I’m pretty open about it. I just think this stuff is really hard to go through by yourself, so I hope maybe I can help people. I figure if I lose readers over it, then I don’t want those people reading my books anyway. So far, no one has been a jerk on my blog.

[ObiRonKenobi]

To add to the many great responses, I think it is either good or bad. I enjoy being connected to family in more distant locations to feel connected. However, there is a bunch of nastiness out there that is worse on FB and social media. It sounds like there are additional reasons you want to avoid FB and I would probably be in your same boat if I exhibited those symptoms. If it worries you, it may be best to avoid.

[tecomsin]

Originally Posted by bpktvikesfan

my biggest problems are the delusions i have as i go into psychosis often, i start sending messages about the military and the cia and you name it cuz at the time i think I am part of a plan to take over the world.

I used to send out 100s of emails a day when having a manic episode. Now i hardly write them.

I don't use facebook except for messenger.

I've had problems with social media use in the past, even after disguising my identity. Now I follow people on twitter and occasionally like but never post.
I do participate in some online forums like this one on mental health and also on other subjects but keep the usernames separate.

I suppose if I started posting delusional things here someone would tell me and I would tell my pdoc.

[Cocosurviving]

I have a love hate relationship with FB. I joined to stay in contact with my college alumni. Then my biological father’s side of the family started sending me friend request. I started seeing most of their post and their religious nuts!! I’m not religious and I’m sick of it. FB took away the option to hide but stay friends. So now I’m just going to have to unfriend each one of them. I have moments I get passionate about something and I’ll make a post. Like women being harassed for breastfeeding in public. I post mental health things from NAMI or DBSA. I have not come out and formally said I have a mental illness. The fact that I post mental health related things is doing enough. I’m not close to everyone I’m FB friends with so it’s not any of their business.