My name is Ashleigh and I'm a Facebook addict.
A few months ago I started to notice that Facebook was negatively affecting my life. Even typing that sentence is an embarrassing indication of how attached to Facebook I had become. I started noticing that, more often than not, I was annoyed, saddened, angry, jealous, etc. as I read my "friends" statuses. Perhaps even more frightening, I discovered that I couldn't do consistent hours of work without taking a "Facebook break." So, as an experiment, I decided to "give up" Facebook for the month of October. Here's what I've discovered so far (it's Oct. 4, mind you)
1. The world continues...in fact, the majority of my "friends" on FB haven't even noticed I'm gone.
2. I am, indeed, addicted. On October 1, a Saturday spent at home, I had to consciously stop myself from checking FB. On Sunday I snuck onto FB for a few minutes, just to get a fix. At work on Monday, I accidentally went to FB when opening up a browser.
3. I am more productive. First and foremost, FB serves as a delicious procrastination tool for me. One less thing for me to procrastinate with = one more thing OFF my To Do list.
4. FB is so ingrained in our culture, it's terrifying. Last night I was talking to a dear friend, who actually had noticed I was off FB and we began talking about how something will happen in our lives and immediately we think to ourselves or share with those we're with "that's totally a FB status." WTH?
5. I don't think social media is bad, or evil, or of the devil.
I'll probably go back to FB in November, but with some important perspective. Or maybe I'll give up FB, blogging, the Internet, and civilization for good and live on a farm with goats and teach yoga. Consider all of that TBD...
