Question: I’m not sure if I’m the only with this problem, but I’m finding Facebook to be a place for unnecessary drama. It’s my belief that social media can actually tear people apart instead of bring them together, especially family. I posted a status update and there was much ‘venom’ spilled over it. The people that ‘went off’ on me don’t even associate with me. I believe that if something ‘strikes a nerve within someone’ there’s something inside that person that could use healing; introspection is a good thing. The only reason I joined Facebook was to create fan pages for my websites and to converse with like-minded people. It wasn’t to connect with family members. I never felt connected to my family, even when I was a child. I always had a ‘feeling’ I belonged somewhere else and within another family. Help!
Answer: As far as I know, there isn’t a BIG BOOK that says, “Thou shall associate with family members, even though you have nothing in common or they’re toxic to you.” Sometimes, it’s in your best interest to cut ties with people. This includes family members. It’s your call. Always do what is best for you.
How to Avoid Family Catastrophe on Facebook
1. “Surround yourself with only people who are going to lift you higher.” ~Oprah Unfortunately, some of these people may not be related to you. Accept this and move on. Don’t explain yourself — don’t drag others into the drama. Your mental health and overall well being are more important.
2. Don’t accept friend requests from family members who are more than likely to be frenemies. It’s not worth it. Stay away from energy vampires.
3. Set your privacy to the highest level possible. Sign into your account and do the following:
- Create a ‘chat’ list and choose friends you want to chat with.
- Block people from seeing your status updates and other information, by going into Privacy Settings and selecting Customize. This is where you can remove people from seeing your status updates and other information.
- Go into Account Settings and adjust your email options.
4. Limit the amount of time you spend on Facebook.
It’s sad that it comes to this, but I’m speaking from personal experience. I recently posted a status update and WWIII broke out on my Personal Facebook Page. This is why I favor Twitter. You don’t have to have a personal account like you do with Facebook. You create a Twitter account with a whatever name you want — it could be a business name. There’s no going back and forth like there is on Facebook. Sure, you can follow ‘tweets’ or join a Twitter chat, but chances are your family members won’t be following you on Twitter. It’s something to think about. Sad, but true.
