Online Depression (2)

 

(1) Introduction
This session consists of seven distinct sections, all interconnected. Initially, I'll briefly touch upon what was highlighted in the first session. Then, I'll discuss online loneliness and its relation to depression. In the third step, I'll talk about the content of social networks that either exacerbate or induce depression. In the fourth step, I'll discuss depression related to online addiction and highlight ways in which social networks, with their specific structures, can influence our minds through reward systems, leading to severe depression. Next, I'll discuss the relationship between social networks and presentism, demonstrating how social networks with their distinct structures can pull us towards both the past and the future, hence being depressive and anxiety-inducing. Finally, I'll discuss the capabilities of social networks for comparing ourselves with others and highlight their negative emotional patterns linked with depression. In the last step, a summary of what is mentioned in this session will be provided.

 

(2) What Passed
If I were to summarize what I said in the previous session, I could say:

First, I considered depression as akin to a sensation or emotion and regarded all the rules of emotions as applicable to it. In other words, when we talk about depression, we are talking about the feeling or emotion of depression, which has both desired and undesired consequences on other aspects of our personality, such as thoughts, actions, speech, and needs. However, I didn't delve into other levels of analysis of depression, such as neurological, perceptual, and even social and cultural levels, as they are not the focus of our discussion.

Secondly, I highlighted the five main models of emotions and feelings in the history of philosophy and psychology, which are sensory and physiological theories that attribute emotions to sensory and physiological perceptions, behavioral theories that designate behavior as a way to understand emotions and feelings, evaluative models of emotions that acknowledge that emotions inform us of what we evaluate as pleasant or unpleasant, and cognitive theories of emotions that reveal the cognitive and epistemic aspects of emotions and feelings.

Thirdly, I discussed James's theory of emotions, which was based on the notion that contrary to the prevalent notion of his time, he emphasized that emotions and feelings are nothing but interpretations that we, as humans, make of these sensory perceptions. This point is particularly important when discussing many therapeutic models of depression, as many of them always assign a particular weight to the physiological symptoms of depression.

Fourthly, I mentioned that although depression is a broad concept, when I use it in these discussions, I mostly refer to disorders whose effects are recognized by the principles of psychiatry and psychotherapy.

Fifthly, I spoke about the history and nature of social networks. Social networks enable us to connect with many users worldwide, blur the boundaries of time and space, and introduce a new perspective on simultaneity and coexistence. Social networks have introduced a new form of human interaction where embodiment is absent and also have the potential to create various forms of harassment and harm for users. They have a significant impact on what we call depression in the field of psychology, which we will delve into in the next two sessions.

Lastly, I addressed online depression, defining it as how the indicators and characteristics of social networks can exacerbate our depression as users. For example, how social networks facilitating connections with users worldwide or altering our perception of time and space might affect the quantity and quality of our depressions. In other words, in this regard, social networks are considered one of the major causes of exacerbating depression.

 

(3) Loneliness as an Indicator of Depression and Social Networks
Based on what we discussed in the previous session, depression is accompanied by a sense of loneliness. There is no doubt that we encounter various types of loneliness, from negative forms to positive ones. From the kind where the essence of humanity clashes with the need for solitude to the type accompanied by the physical separation of humans from the world and other individuals, and to the type that denotes a feeling of loneliness and the lack of deep connections between humans. From the type where a person feels like a means to an end for others to the kind that is pure isolation and abandonment. From feelings of seclusion to a type where a person feels that others are incapable of understanding and empathizing with them. These are some of the types of loneliness that, as I mentioned, are not merely negative aspects of loneliness; some aspects of its imposition are considered essential parts of human personality and a profound need for human existence. I remember Fyodor Dostoevsky in his book "Notes from the House of the Dead," based on his own experience of life in a Siberian prison, referring to a definition of prison as a place where a person cannot find space for their loneliness. Of course, I am paraphrasing this. In summary, when we talk about the relationship between loneliness, depression, and social networks, we must consider these different meanings of loneliness. This ambiguity exists when the DSM-5 reference book talks about depression and loneliness simultaneously.

What social networks do with each of these types of loneliness requires extensive independent discussions. However, if we confine our discussion to the feeling of solitude and loneliness, which this reference book seems to rely on and emphasize, we can speak more specifically on this matter. For example, numerous studies have been conducted on the relationship between the use of social networks and users' loneliness, and meaningful relationships between the two have been highlighted. Part of this is, of course, contingent on the fact that social networks, contrary to their name, do not necessarily promote social interaction. Their specific function is to bring epochs closer and distance the closeness between individuals, which is akin to loneliness and isolation in the sense that one can gradually lose their social connections based on living in this new digital world. This is something that many studies emphasize and emphasize.

However, it is worth noting that spending excessive time on social networks alone is not the sole reason for isolation and detachment from social relationships, which individuals define themselves in. Especially considering that the quality of usage of social networks is more important than the quantity. For instance, social networks exacerbate this isolation by highlighting deceptive identities and the vast gap between what one truly is and what one portrays. In other words, one's true self may be present and displayed on social networks, yet be entirely different from the authentic human being, and this is one aspect of isolation. In another interpretation, the true self is absent in any of these interactions. We are always faced with several selves: one being who we are, another being who we perceive ourselves to be, and another being the image that someone else has in their mind. There is always a gap and rift among these selves, but this gap is more pronounced and better displayed to us in social networks. This, as mentioned, is akin to true isolation and the feeling of genuine loneliness.

Another meaning of loneliness that is highlighted by social networks is based on their technological world's unfamiliarity. We are still intertwined with the biological world, despite the apparent separation. We have a certain understanding of ourselves and our world that is based on and a product of this interdependence. Therefore, even the slightest change in this technological world, such as going to a party, can evoke feelings of alienation, isolation, and loneliness within us. Living in the online space means being present in a world that is entirely new to us, and we do not fully understand many of its signs, symbols, and rules, from the meaning of liking a post to the various types of its signs. This is precisely loneliness: not recognizing and not being familiar with a world in which we spend hours and, in other words, waste our time.

Friendships formed on social networks have fundamental differences compared to offline friendships. First, quantity still outweighs quality here. Secondly, the selves involved in these relationships are, at best, incomplete or idealized versions of offline selves. Thirdly, the body, as the most important part of offline identity, does not play a role in online relationships. All of these factors contribute to the ability to define online friendships differently from offline ones at best, and at worst, not recognizing them as friendships at all.

Many other factors could be added to this list, but I believe this concise list can indicate that depression, mixed with certain types of loneliness, is exacerbated or even created by the application of certain types of social networks. The content of this section is based on numerous studies, although I refrained from citing these studies quantitatively and qualitatively.

(4) The Content of Social Networks and Depression
The content of social networks is one of the most important topics regarding them. One of the most prominent contents on social networks is various types of news, many of which are negative. It has been said that ignorance is bliss, and social networks bombard us regularly with various types of news. It can be said that our human capacity to digest such an amount of news, many of which are negative, is lacking. In other words, we have transitioned from a world of ignorance and partial knowledge to a world where we are constantly bombarded with news and analyses, many of which are negative, leading to feelings of depression. As mentioned in the previous session, depression is a complex emotional state composed of a set of negative feelings such as sadness, fear, distress, shame, guilt, and responsibility. Many of these feelings and their combinations arise from the news highlighted by prominent social networks.

Regarding the news available on social networks, it is noteworthy that when faced with depression, one of the most significant characteristics associated with this feeling is black-and-white thinking or, in other words, binary thinking. The content of social networks, by highlighting negative patterns in the world we live in, exacerbates and intensifies this binary thinking. Additionally, some content on social networks is outright psychological and emotional harassment, and the absence of clear regulations in this regard paves the way for the creation of depression-inducing content.

We discussed various types of negative feelings that can arise when interacting with social networks. It is noteworthy that in addition to the sheer volume of news and content on social networks, which is unfamiliar to us humans, changes in emotions and the exacerbation of depression occur rapidly as we experience these abundant contents without having sufficient existential and psychological capacity to process them. In other words, we experience various negative emotions, and this experience happens in a very short time. This rapid experience of different negative emotions, in my opinion, exacerbates the feeling of depression.

However, it would be unfair to dismiss the content of social networks as solely negative or even fabricated news. I believe there is no doubt that many contents on social networks, especially educational content, not only do not play a role in creating or exacerbating depression but can also help manage this feeling. For example, who can deny the wealth of valuable information on platforms like YouTube - which can be considered the world's largest and most important university - for personal, professional, and social growth, and ultimately the management of various mental health disorders, including depression? However, the discussion revolves around the ways we currently use social networks and the spaces dominated by them, which, based on numerous studies, tend to lean more towards improper uses that impact the mental health of users and contribute to online depression.

(5) Depression and Online Dopamine
While we know a lot about addiction, some aspects and ways in which humans become addicted remain hidden and unknown to us. However, there is no doubt about one thing, which is that addiction operates on the basis of psychological reward. Dopamine is secreted in the brain with every reward. Some of these rewards are natural, while others are induced by using drugs or alcohol. When we enjoy delicious food, engage in meaningful work, or socialize with friends, dopamine is released in our brains. This phenomenon also occurs when using social networks. In the offline or online world, this reward system gradually takes effect. Even a gambler, who has limited access to engage in their addiction, faces various obstacles that hinder continuous engagement. These obstacles are removed in social networks, as they are always accessible, unlike a drug addict who is constantly using substances. Therefore, someone addicted to quick access to various social networks needs to engage in this behavior more quickly and frequently with each instance to receive the necessary dopamine. Similarly, an individual reliant on receiving validation, likes, or followers online becomes increasingly addicted with each interaction. I previously discussed addiction, which often accompanies various types of addictions. This observation can also apply precisely to online addiction. In this condition, gradually, no enjoyable or meaningful activities can take place, and the individual becomes indifferent to common pleasures of life, including engaging in virtual networks. Based on these points, it can be argued that the most significant addiction of our era is neither to drugs, alcohol, sex, gambling, nor even thinking. The most significant addiction of our time is social networks. In the final session, I will discuss how we can manage this type of addiction, but before that, we must fully understand the mechanism of this addiction, which shares many similarities with other types of addiction and operates based on the brain's reward system. This perception of being present on social networks can help us understand with what powerful and influential sphere we are dealing, which dominates our entire existence and shapes our habits and behaviors. In one definition, social networks are places where, due to their free nature, sellers use various reward systems like the dopamine system to sell their products faster and better.

 

(6) Social Networks and the Challenge of Living in the Present
At a general level, anxiety can be considered a mental health disorder related to the future, while depression can be seen as a mental health disorder related to the past. In both of these mood disorders, one evident point is the lack of living in the present moment and the immersion associated with it. The question arises: is the presence on social networks not akin to this immersion and presence in the present moment? As we spend hours on these networks without realizing the passage of time, are we not experiencing presence? In my opinion, in many cases, it's not the case, and social networks, due to their diverse nature that constantly compels users to switch from one topic to another, hinder presence. Presence, as mentioned before, at a superficial level, means paying attention to a specific topic at a specific time. In the midst of this, a vast amount of information, posts, and websites are skimmed through in a short amount of time on many social networks, and we find ourselves engaged in various activities such as boasting, self-presentation, comparison, and envy in a very short time. This is not presence. It's akin to being present in the past and future in a passive manner, accompanied by various negative emotions such as self-criticism, guilt, anger, resentment, shame, and remorse, which, as I emphasized several times in this session, engulf us in a very short span of time. If I were to describe it in the words of Eckhart Tolle, I could say that this presence is unconscious, debilitating, passive, inauthentic, and inherently depressing. It's not presence because it's not a specific activity in the present moment, and because it's a passive reaction to various contents that are heard and seen. Amidst this, if depression is a complex of emotions tied to past events, social networks, with their various features, provide a space for these emotions more than ever before.

(7) Social Networks and the Problem of Comparison
We humans are social animals. Among the various meanings this statement holds, one is that we tend to compare our personal and social status with others. Neighbors, siblings, colleagues, relatives, and friends are among those who can be subjects of comparison, and they can turn comparison into a matter of opinion or competition. This characteristic has changed quantitatively and qualitatively with the presence of social networks, which provide us with a special kind of connection with people all over the world. We are now confronted with a broader spectrum of subjects for comparison and competition, leading to anxiety and depression. Especially concerning depression, I can say that the volume of information and the presentation of personal identity and social status benefits on social networks not only worsen our mood but also make us feel like unsuccessful and inferior beings compared to others. They may suggest to us that we are unattractive and boring individuals who bring nothing else to the table. Perhaps this statement is somewhat exaggerated, but it at least reflects part of the truth. We humans are beings prone to comparison and competition with others. As I mentioned before, this may be part of our social status as humans. However, on social networks, we witness a unique form of comparison and competition that, in my opinion, is unprecedented in human history. I believe that here, humans lack the mental resilience necessary to manage all these negative emotions. All this competition and comparison can lead to hatred of work, family, one's personality, one's body, and what we imagine we possess. Numerous studies show that despite our current access to many amenities, our level of unhappiness and negative emotions throughout history is unparalleled. If authentic life has several key pillars, one of them is having mental health. But for mental health, several factors are necessary, with two prominent components being living in the present moment and managing one's comparison and competition with others. Social networks, despite being based on many serious and in-depth studies, deprive us of living in the present moment and immerse us in endless comparison and competition games with others, thereby increasing our depression. As mentioned before, this is one of the meanings of online depression.

 

(8) Summary
First, several types of loneliness were highlighted in this session. It was discussed that social networks make the distant closer and the close distant. Due to their unique structure and our unfamiliarity with these structures, these networks increase our sense of isolation. We have a presence in these networks with a part of ourselves that is disembodied, and we feel loneliness more than ever within these structures. These are part of the online loneliness that exacerbates our depression. Additionally, friendships existing in these networks are not deep friendships in the true sense.

Second, one of the most prominent contents on social networks is various types of news, many of which are negative. It has been said that ignorance is bliss, and social networks bombard us with various types of news regularly. It can be said that our human capacity cannot digest the amount of news, many of which are negative, and this is akin to depression. Moreover, the large volume of news and content on social networks, to which we are unfamiliar due to our way of life, exacerbates our feelings of depression. We quickly experience different emotions with this abundance of content, yet we do not have sufficient existential and psychological capacity for them.

Third, a person addicted to quick access to various social networks becomes increasingly dependent on performing this action quickly and more frequently with each instance of receiving the necessary dopamine. Or a person who relies on their validation, likes, or followers online becomes addicted to performing this action more than ever. This point precisely applies to online addiction. In this mood disorder, no enjoyable and meaningful activities can gradually exist, and the individual becomes indifferent to the usual pleasures of life, including being present on social networks.

Fourth, the question arises: Are presence on social networks and this immersion in them not akin to being present in the present moment? When we spend hours on these networks without realizing the passage of time, are we not experiencing presence? In my opinion, in many cases, it is not the case, and social networks, due to their diverse nature, which constantly compel users to shift from one topic to another, hinder presence.

Fifth, on social networks, we witness a unique form of comparison and competition, which, in my opinion, is unprecedented in human history. I believe that here, humans lack the necessary mental resilience to manage all these negative emotions. All this competition and comparison can lead to hatred of work, family, one's personality, one's body, and what we imagine we possess. Numerous studies show that despite our current access to many amenities, our level of unhappiness and negative emotions throughout history is unparalleled.