She's one of the most beautiful, talented, charismatic women that I know... but you wouldn't know it by her Facebook page.
Her Facebook status updates constantly seem to question her very worth. Things like, "I'm the least exciting person I know," and "Why doesn't anybody trust me?" permeate her page. They're said with a smile -- well, at least a :) -- and are always refuted by her legion of Facebook friends.
At first, I was always quick to chime in my two cents as well, reminding her of all the wonderful people, things and personal attributes for which she has to be thankful.
Then I stopped, for a couple of reasons.
First, if she really does believe these things, then a simple reassurance on a social networking site won't be enough to change her mind. And if she's just saying them as a ploy for public adoration, then I don't really want to be a part of the ego-feeding.
I read a news story the other day about how few people actually use their cell phones and smartphones to make calls; we've become a culture that keeps in touch via text messages and tries to connect on the web. But stuff like this remind me that you can't judge a person by her Facebook status; you can't evaluate situations based on a Tweet. It's obvious I need to reconnect with this old friend, find out what's really eating her. We're not close these days -- I haven't seen her since moving to our current home more than five years ago -- for me to know if this is a cry for help or a cry for attention.
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I don't feed into anything like that in real life, so I don't do it on FB either. A desperate cry for help happens once, a desperate cry for attention goes on and on and on....
It is so odd to me how so many people put things like that out there on cyberspace for all to see. And I think it's sad how digital all communications seem to have become. It certainly is convenient though! Hopefully your friend's ok. Sounds like she has a lot of supportive people though so that's great, and hopefully will help her if it is a cry for help, and not for attention. But I would guess it's the latter.
I have a FB friend who frustrates me with her negative updates. It seems that something is always wrong, she's always having a bad day, there's always something to complain about. I was one of those who responded with words of encouragement at first... but it gets old, doesn't it?
I have a friend who was doing similar updates, to the point his Aunt pointed out that she hoped he was not really feeling the way he was writing, and if he was to call her - she would always listen.
A couple weeks later, he was arrested with coke, heroin, and vicodin in his wife's truck. She had no idea he was using. And he left his family with no way to get around that weekend, since her car was the car with the carseat.
His posts were a cry for help.
And no one answered correctly - and the police answered the call.
I will pray you find the right words to reach your friend & possibly bridge the gap, but I do agree that FB isn't the place.
I agree with what Sue said ... it's hard, thought, to know the difference and if it IS a plea for attention, there must be something going on under the surface that's causing it.