Then the very friends you hoped would be there for you, have decided you’re not worth listening to anymore.

So they unfriend you.

Now you are all alone.

Or so you think.

Oh, but you don’t need them anyway.

Nope, your anger-fueled rage now consumes you.

You start calling out your friends saying how they deserted you in your time of need. You self-diagnose them with ailments such as narcissistic behavior or bipolar disorder or accuse them of drug use. Then you start sharing quotes from scripture as if the Heavenly Father is now standing by your side.

And let’s not forget the paranoia and whack-o conspiracy theories that you believe others are planning against you.

I’ve seen this scenario play out dozens of times just over the last year.

These people need help. They believe that their online friends have the same physical presence in their lives as their neighbors, close friends or co-workers.

They believe they need to share every aspect of their lives.

Every thought.

Every feeling.

Every need.

Every thing.

These people just want to feel validated.

They want a hug.

But they are going about it the wrong way.

Social media is not the answer.

It’s just a tool they are using to voice how they feel.

To some people there is no line between off-line and online – it is the same.

But we do need to help them.

If you see friends acting strangely on social media, reach out, be a friend…help them.

Social media is a form of addiction that some people need help overcoming.