“Doom, despair and agony on me. Deep dark depression excessive misery.”

This song was used to introduce a segment of the “Hee Haw” television show which highlighted jokes about people having problems with their lives.

It was funny then. Or at least as funny as “Hee Haw” could be.

But it isn’t funny anymore. Stress is a natural part of life. We all experience it at one time or another. Increases in feelings of depression have been part of the aftershock of the COVID pandemic where we were told to shut down, stay inside and isolate ourselves.

But based on studies the biggest culprit may be social media. One study, discussed on the “verywellmind” website has proven that those who spend less time on social media are less likely to have symptoms of depression or loneliness.

According to a recent Pew Research Center study, 69 percent of adults and 81 percent of teenagers use social media. I would say the number of teens, and even younger children, using social media might be closer to 100 percent.

I have a Facebook account. Actually, for some unknown reason I have two. I look at my Facebook pages maybe three or four times a year. If you are trying to send me a message that is not the way to do it.

I don’t have personal accounts with Twitter, Instagram, Snapchat or any one of a myriad of social media outlets.

It has been stated in a study that people are drawn to social media in an attempt for acceptance. They post photos or accomplishments and count the “likes”. But then they worry why they didn’t get more “likes”.

As I have written before, social media has become the Christmas letter that never ends. The trend for those letters s has lessened through the years. I always wanted to read one that said, “We didn’t have a wonderful year. We couldn’t afford a vacation. We’re thinking about putting one of the children in rehab. I hope we can avoid bankruptcy.”

Get my point. Like those Christmas letters social media offers users the opportunities to gloat over how great their vacation was or how they got a new promotion, etc.

Someone’s life seems better than yours and that is where anxiety and depression rear their ugly heads.

You post a photo of your weight loss. Haters respond you have lost too much weight. Maybe you have gained a pound or two that is visible in a photo. Again, the haters attack.

Those are just two examples. The bottom line is why do you care what they think and why do you care so much about what other people are doing?

Cut off social media and get busy living your own life to the fullest. I bet you will feel better.