[seeker1950]

I've posted here before about how I have problems with Facebook. I honestly feel, when, and if, I go on there and make a post, that I'm in some sort of popularity contest. Then, this morning, upon waking up, I flashed back to early childhood. I was invited to a birthday party at the house next door. I kept having to return home, in tears. Nothing bad had happened at the party, I was just so anxious! There seems, to me, to be a correlation here. I do have social anxiety, and I do prefer to isolate myself. The people who are "friends" on Facebook rarely acknowledge my posts, which I do very seldom.
A counselor once asked me, what do you think is the result/outcome of the abuse you experienced as a child (from my mother), and I said,
"I don't know." He replied, "It makes you anxious." I was hit every day, often not knowing why, as a small child, for mostly things she perceived as embarrassing to her.
People I know post all kinds of things on FB. I never do, but I often go back and delete the posts I make there.

Happily, I can say I don't feel that anxiety here on PC. Hey, I just made two posts in the Social threads about things I've done lately, which might be perceived as funny or stupid. I've been on PC for a long time, and I find it a safe place!

[whenwillitend]

I can really relate. I could have written that post.

Same here, I'm always deleting and re-thinking posts I've made on facebook, and they are rarely acknowledged.

I recently moved 2,600 miles from home and I promised my two grown children I left behind that I'd get active on Facebook so they could keep in touch easier. I sent up an account several years ago but have never done anything with in at all. It's a blank page, and the only "friend" I have is my daughter.

When I went on recently to thinking about what to do, it brought up a slew of people that the site thought would be good "friends", most of which were other "friends" of my daughter. I am a school teacher and through that, I knew the vast majority of the people it brought up.....and it really shook me. I was inundated with memories, both good an bad, about those people. I have a problem with vivid flashbacks and don't need Facebook to bring up things I don't want to think about. I logged out not knowing what to do regarding Facebook. That's not even regarding social aspect of it, which I'm somewhat ignorant on since I've never set it up completely.

I decided to not join Facebook, at least for personal reasons, for the forseeable future. I may, however, have to set up a professional account fairly soon. I am attempting to make it as a writer and many publishers are beginning to rely on Facebook as a way to keep in touch with possible authors they wish to take under their wings as well as to publicize their work. I just need to make sure it's strictly for business.

[TerryL]

Originally Posted by seeker1950

A counselor once asked me, what do you think is the result/outcome of the abuse you experienced as a child (from my mother), and I said,
"I don't know." He replied, "It makes you anxious." I was hit every day, often not knowing why, as a small child, for mostly things she perceived as embarrassing to her.

That is awful. I'm so sorry that happened to you. Are you in therapy still?

[unaluna]

facebook is making me nervous. I can barely access it from my phone. what is this timeline business they came up with now???

[seeker1950]

Originally Posted by TerryL

That is awful. I'm so sorry that happened to you. Are you in therapy still?

Thanks, TerryL. No, I'm no longer in therapy. I realize why I have been so anxious, why so many failures, but I've also managed to accomplish a lot. Another counselor once asked me, learning of my hisory, ("How did you ever manage to do anything?!") I do realize why I have anxiety, and I am mostly able to control it. A lot of what I've done in the past, in terms of career and The Arts, has been for approval. I'm uncomfortable now when I find myself doing things for approval.
The thing is, about Facebook, I'm on there with a bunch of coworkers mostly....a pretty uptight bunch who don't acknowledge anything much that I do or say. Only a few actual family. It's best because of the gathering there, not to post much of anything.

Originally Posted by seeker1950

Thanks, TerryL. No, I'm no longer in therapy. I realize why I have been so anxious, why so many failures, but I've also managed to accomplish a lot. Another counselor once asked me, learning of my hisory, ("How did you ever manage to do anything?!")

My psychiatrist says the same thing. He told me that if he were in my shoes he wouldn't do anything either. Which I don't.

[LucyG]

I'm sorry you went through so much abuse.

Facebook is a popularity contest IMHO which is why I've never bothered joining. Life is hard enough without having to prove yourself there as well as in real life.