FAD

Due to recent class discussions, I am focusing this blog on facebook addiction. I wasn’t in either of the first three groups, so I figured some more research would be beneficial. I stumbled upon a blog titled the ‘Marketing & Strategy Innovation Blog.’ I believe this is a professional blog, but I am not completely certain.

The blog title, "“Are you suffering from Facebook Addiction Disorder (FAD)?”" A main section of the blog is based around steps that lead to facebook addiction, and according to the authors, a person must have 2 or 3 of the criteria below for diagnosis.

1/. The first thing is tolerance. This refers to the need for increasing amounts of time on Facebook to achieve satisfaction and/or significantly diminished effect with continued use of the same amount of time. They often have multiple Facebook windows opened at any one time. 3 is usually a sign and over 5 you're helpless. 2/. After reduction of Facebook use or cessation, it causes distress or impairs social, personal or occupational functioning such as wondering why your Vista is so fast and improved etc. These include anxiety; obsessive thinking about what is written on your wall on Facebook etc. 3/. Important social or recreational activities are greatly reduced and or migrated to Facebook. Instead of sending an email you post a message on your friend’s page about canceling a lunch appointment. You now stop answering your phone call from your Mom and insist she should contact you through Facebook chat. 4/ This is getting serious if you start kissing your girlfriend's home page or a VRML virtual walk through a park is your idea of a date.5/ Your bookmark takes 20 minutes just to scroll from top to bottom or 8 of 10 people in your friend's list you have no idea of who they are. 6/ When you meet people you start introducing yourself by following "see you in Facebook" or your dog has its own Facebook profile. You invite anyone you've met and any notifications, messages and invites reward you with an unpredictable high, much like gambling.

I know that we have discussed a lot about facebook addictions and such, but it never ceases to amaze me when a new topic is discussed about addiction. I also find it humorous that it is called social networking, but when the addiction is serious, a person becomes completely anti-social.

But, the author of this blog makes a positive statement about facebook addiction. “Call it Facebook addiction or fetish, I see this as progress of enlightenment for the modern life…The people's need to connect, along with the growth of social connectivity, would raise the quality of the social whole to a new and higher level.The organic composition of our social networks is growing. That determines networks as means of finding self-identities and not only as resources. Addiction may not be such a bad thing after all.”