It has just been discovered that Facebook and other social networking sites may affect
your mental health by causing psychotic episodes and delusions, researchers
warn.
As
Internet access becomes increasingly widespread, so do related
psychopathologies such as Internet addiction and delusions related to the
technology and to virtual relationships, according to the study.
Computer
communications such as Facebook and chat groups are an important part of this
story, said Dr Uri Nitzan of Tel Aviv University's Sackler Faculty of Medicine
and the Shalvata Mental Health Care Center.
According
to Nitzan, patients shared some crucial characteristics, including loneliness
or vulnerability due to the loss of or separation from a loved one, relative
inexperience with technology, and no prior history of psychosis or substance
abuse.
In
each case, a connection was found between the gradual development and
exacerbation of psychotic symptoms, including delusions, anxiety, confusion,
and intensified use of computer communications.
The
good news is that all of the patients, who willingly sought out treatment on
their own, were able to make a full recovery with proper treatment and care,
Nitzan said.
While
technologies such as Facebook have numerous advantages, some patients are
harmed by these social networking sites, which can attract those who are lonely
or vulnerable in their day-to-day lives or act as a platform for cyber-bullying
and other predatory behaviour, he said.
All
three of Nitzan's patients sought refuge from a lonely situation and found
solace in intense virtual relationships. Although these relationships were
positive at first, they eventually led to feelings of hurt, betrayal, and
invasion of privacy, said Nitzan.
"All
of the patients developed psychotic symptoms related to the situation,
including delusions regarding the person behind the screen and their connection
through the computer," he said.
Two
patients began to feel vulnerable as a result of sharing private information,
and one even experienced tactile hallucinations, believing that the person
beyond the screen was physically touching her.
Source: indianexpress
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