Are Internet Friendships Healthy?

[ConPO]

Personally, I am completely against making friends online.

I honestly think that it's wrong. I'ts good to be friendly to people, and call yourself a "Psuedo-friend" but the end of it is that you've never met the person and that they may be completely different in rela life to how they are on the internet. I myself am unable to allow myself to take that risk.

It's good to talk to people online though, and be friendly to them, and have them be friendly back, but I always think" Is this person really your friend?".... no, they're not. You've never, ever met them.

 

[Triple I]

I see nothing wrong with online friendships, I have many internet frieends and many irl friends. The internet has done nothing bad to my social life.

I personally see no point in joining forums if your not going to make friends. its like joining a group at school or some kind of socail group and meeting people there. the point of forums are to meet people interested in the same subject of you.

 

[Bologna]

Of course, anything taken to an extreme can be unhealthy. Friends, whether over the internet or not can distract people from other things, but it's not unhealthy to make friends over the internet.

It's only distracting from forming friendships among people you see face to face if you let it be, but having friendships on and offline is like having different groups of friends at school or work. You can maintain balanced relationships with both.

 

[Nick]

There's nothing wrong with internet friendships. But I am someone who recognizes that, for most part, internet friendships are more fragile than offline friendships, so it's easier to lose online friends than it is offline friends as well as it being difficult to maintain, since they're usually very limited.

I also recognize that losing an online friend is very hard once you become attached to them. I've had that happen to me, and I went through a realization phase not to long ago that made me realize that we aren't going to be friends forever and most of the people I talk to online I won't have any contact with for the years to come. Internet friends give you a reason to go on the internet and make it less lonely when you're sitting alone in your room on the computer. I will state that I did manage to find someone through the internet that has impacted my life far more than I thought anyone I'd meet online would.

I do, however, think it's unhealthy to focus your entire being on your internet friends, which is something I speak of experience from.

But I do have to disagree with Triple I when it comes to forums. Forums are discussion boards first and social networks second, in my opinion. The primary focus of forums is to have a place to discuss interests with those who share those, and similar, interests and become more diverse and understanding of other opinions. Thus, forums teach a lesson in diversity and understanding. But I can think of quite a few people who use forums purely as an outlet to discuss their interests and understandings of the world with others, debate and challenge opposing views, learn new things, and change their outlook on the world altogether.

Forums are not a place to join if you're looking to make new friends. That's just something that happens along the way for a majority of people. You also have to take into account that to many people people they meet online are nothing more than acquaintances rather than friends.

 

[Amai]

A recent study found that internet friendships are just as important to people as real-life friendships and just as influential.

Trying to find a link.

 

[Miss Doronjo]

I'd say Internet relationships are healthy.

Like say, if someone who is not sure of herself or himself on meeting new people, could find a little more confidence online; and develop their social skills; since the person can socialize, and this can be something they can take with them in the real world. Even like say, someone were to date online, they would able to make their own dating advice and boost their confidence in that too.

But of course, there are obvious risks, like in real life identities, and saftey, etc.

 

[HeyMikey]

I'm pretty social both irl and on the internet, but I try to avoid letting those two social lives come into contact with each other, i.e. not telling people irl about internet friendships.

Never had any problems really, one social life has definitely never been a problem for the other. I can't see any reason not to enjoy making internet friendships.

 

[Fever]

Not to mention becoming consumed in IRL socialization commonly leads to alcohol and drug abuse. I also commonly hear that underage internet users are at a high risk of being victimized by sexual predators. If you pay attention to actual sex crime statistics instead of what Oprah says, you'd be more worried about those around your child IRL than online.

I really don't like this. There is no actual evidence supporting the fact that real life socialization leads to those things. It's exactly the same as me saying that being consumed in online socialization leads to obesity and general unhealthiness.
It's true to an extent, but there are other underlying factors for both sides that have a much bigger contribution.
Not to mention, at the end of the day, everyone has a choice to do what they do.

As far as sex crimes go. There have always been sickos out there. From the humble beginnings of humanity until right this very minute. What the internet did, was make it easier for them to act on their impulses.

I have very few online friends. Essentially, I don't go looking for friendships on the internet. Along the way there will be people that I will talk to and have a connection with and they will remain a constant within my circle of friends.
I have always found that any online friends are conveniently never around when they are needed. "oh Im sorry, my comp crashed" <-- likely story.
Real life friends, you can go and see. Its much harder for them to dodge you.

Peoples ignorance and lack of caring never ceases to amaze me, both in real life and on the internet.

I don't see either of them as healthy or unhealthy. People will always choose what suits them and their lifestyle the best. For me, I'd rather go play some sport, hit the arcade or go to my local pub and have a drink and a few games of pool with my friends than sit at home on my own staring at a screen, but hey, thats just me.

 

[Mr. Epic]

Online relationships are based on deeper personalities and qualities rather than the prejudice and stereotypical behavior we have when we socialize in real life. All physical and racial barriers are removed online. Its better to have both kinds of friendships, especially with the opposite gender if your older and go to college.To conclude RL relationships are unhealthy because everyone in RL just wants to sex you!

 

[Chatot Lover]

I think spending too much time talking to your Internet friends will make you completely isolated and no, it will not help you socialize in real life.
It is alright to have some online friends you like chatting with, but you shouldn't prefer them over your real friends.

Because, when it comes down to it, your Internet friends will not/cannot stand by your side and help you with problems like real friends would. And when you get too lost in the Internet, there will be no one you can count on!

 

[kidpunk]

I see no problem with it.
I can be real with people online because odds are I will never meet them. Also, they are extremely easy to get rid of if something happens.
As long as the friendship doesn't get serious (one of my friends had his online friend from the UK visit him last summer), then it's no big deal.

 

[Becky]

I think they are. But it's hard to know what someone really feels or thinks. You can take things out of context. Like if they don't reply straight away, they hate you. Plus, it's kinda hard forming a 'bond' when you haven't met.

 

[Astinus]

I'm kind of side-eyeing those who say that online friendships can end faster and easier than real life ones. People can easily abandon one another no matter where they are or how they've know them. I've had friends in real life that I knew for thirteen years suddenly end the friendship. I've had friends online that ended the friendship. People grow apart no matter where or how they know each other.

Same with those who say that online friends can't be there when you have a problem. Sometimes, you just need someone to talk to. If the friend you talk to is close by or is far away, it shouldn't matter. You have someone there for you when you need them to be. Though, there are problems that can only be worked through with real life friends. Just like there are problems that can only be worked through with online friends.

That's why I hate the distinction between online and real life. Having friends online helped me (a person with a few issues that didn't allow me to easily make friends) change my way of thinking and acting to where I now have real life friends. Am I going to suddenly abandon my online friends just because I now have real life friends? Not at all. Each group provides something different to my life.

You just have to be careful with whom you trust online, same with offline. People can lie, change, betray you either way. But there are also honest people who are there for you either way. It seems silly to say that one is more healthy than the other.

There's also the matter of moderation. Don't get so consumed with either one or the other if you have both. Your real life friends will miss you if you spend all the time online; your online friends will miss you if you spend all your time offline.

 

[Livewire]

I think there is a pretty fine line between what constitutes it being healthy or not. When you begin to favor the internet over real life is when situations tend to get sticky. You need real, live, human contact for a real relationship- I'm not saying internet relationships are baseless, but real world contact is needed at some point.

 

[OmegaRuby and AlphaSapphire]

I think there is a pretty fine line between what constitutes it being healthy or not. When you begin to favor the internet over real life is when situations tend to get sticky. You need real, live, human contact for a real relationship- I'm not saying internet relationships are baseless, but real world contact is needed at some point.

I agree it's good that people have internet friends who they get along with and all but it's also good to know real friends in real life, who you can actually hang out with and stuff.

 

[chaos11011]

Internet is a practice for IRL. With some exeptions of course. I for one is one of those people that doesn't get along with the crowd. Being the only American here in Brazil. Liking Pokemon and Hating Soccer doesn't help much to. I have what 8 freinds IRL? My American freind only talk through Facebook since Im 1,000 miles away. In PC I dont have much either but at least there are people who enjoy what I say (I hope :/) and we share the same intest. So if Online Freindships are bad then I hit rock botton

 

[Master Bait]

I've heard claims that internet long-distance friendships distract people from forming IRL friendships.

True. The more friends you have on the internet the less you have in real life. Just check out Justin Beaver.

I've also heard claims that the internet is beneficial to those who are introverted or with subpar social skills.

Asperger's Syndrome. Yep, nasty truth and they must accept it.

What is your opinion on this?

There's still hope for the introverted people. Go visit a psychiatrist. That's more like a solution than an opinion though.

 

[Sydian]

As long as you're not too consumed with your online life and online friends and you have tangible people in your lives, then there's nothing wrong with it. My two best friends are from PC, but that doesn't mean I don't have friends irl. I have friends on and offline. I've found a balance that works for me, and I'm completely happy with it. :)