Everyone loves Facebook, but according to a new study done by  Utah Valley University, America’s favorite social networking site is making us sad.

How is that you ask? Well, the University found that the more time you spend on Facebook looking at smiling pictures and new relationship notifications,  you subconsciously start to believe that other people have much better lives than you.

The effect is heightened when you are friends with people on the website you don’t know personally, as your only interaction with them is through their smiling pictures.

Of course when people take pictures, your first reaction is to smile and look like you’re having the time of your life, however, everyone knows that isn’t always the case. But over a social networking site when there is no “real life” interaction, perceptions of others are skewed.

Melissa Karner, a Junior at FHS who deleted her Facebook in September shares her thoughts:

“At first it sucked not having a Facebook because I had nothing to do when I was bored, but it actually turned out for the better”, she says. “Now I don’t procrastinate as much when I should be doing my homework, and I actually do more stuff outside of school now.”

The survey doesn’t necessarily say that the only solution to the Facebook sadness is to delete your account, but spending less time on the addicting site will have its benefits.  As fun as the site certainly is, spending countless hours looking at the things other people have been doing isn’t healthy at all. Make sure to balance time on the computer with time actually living life.

Go out there are get some pictures of your own to post!