BALTIMORE — Very few products out there can bring people more happiness, more decisiveness and more enthusiasm. But a Danish think tank says quitting Facebook can bring that and a lot more.
The Happiness Research Institute, in Copenhagen, gathered 1,095 daily Facebook users and had half of them quit the social media website for a week.
After that week, those who took a break from the site reported they were happier, less sad, less worried, less angry, enjoyed life and felt less depressed.
Those who continued to use the site were 55 percent more likely to feel stressed; those who took a break were 18 percent more likely to feel present in the moment.
Other improvements included better concentration.
The think tank also examined envy.
It found that about half of Facebook users envy other people’s amazing experiences posted there. About a third envied others’ evident happiness; 4 in 10 envied the apparent success of others.
The biggest take-away by researchers? You should focus on what you actually need and not on what other people have.
