Like Snapping Pics Of Yourself? You May Suffer From Selfie Syndrome
DETROIT (WWJ) - Do you like posting pictures of yourself on Facebook? One psychologist says you may have a problem.
Gregory Jantz, founder of a Place of Hope in Seattle, says some people — especially those who suffer from low self-esteem — are posting perfect snapshots that others can admire, in an attempt to feel better about themselves.
"It's a way of looking for affirmation; it's a way of seeking approval," he told WWJ Newsradio 950's Sandra McNeil. "They're looking to have multiple people, in the mass, affirm that they're OK; affirm that they're good, and it will turn almost into obsession; and the next level is addiction."
A selfie is a type of self-portrait photograph, typically taken with a camera phone and posted to a social media site. The practice has become some commonplace, the word was added to the Oxford English Dictionary in 2013.
Oh Facebook, Jantz said, users can use photos to make their lives look perfect; and, when the compliments come rolling in ..."I get a little bit of approval; I don't already feel good about myself, I've got low self-esteem," said Jantz. "So this ends up being an obsessive way that I'm looking to have self-esteem met."
Jantz said some people eventually begin using Facebook as a substitute for interactions with "real" friends.
He calls it "Selfie Syndrome."
"The person that gets fixated on the selfie and become self-absorbed and highly impulsive," said Jantz, adding that that can lead to sending out pictures that you later regret.
