I was on Facebook for 1 week and the information sharing and hearing from people I have not seen in such a long time panicked me.

I have been living a solitary life taking care of husband since 2002.  When he died last year the gates to my farm began to keep me in rather than the world out.

I found while on facebook, although I am very generous to anyone who needs my help, I lacked any interest in anything or anyone.  I realized painfully I have no life purpose and no joy.

I live because it is not my right to end life but I have no desire to begin anything.  I'm just waiting and performing life.

Facebook, has made my identity more impossible to stay private. Too many intruders, and scam artist frequent this site! Family and Acquaintances, are apart of privacy; but others from work, play, Distant recipients of my personality are invited but selectively asked to be brief, and don't radically involve me in scams, theories of friendly speech, values, habits. and vices continue to subject me to their points of view freely.

Facebook has helped me to keep track of my grandson who is fighting in Afghanistan. Of course it becomes stressful when he doesn't post anything for a few days. But, as long as he is posting something I know he is physically okay. Thats the only way I can find out about his status. So I would have to say my answer would be a big NO it doesn't cause stress for me.

Ok, I have an account with Facebook. When I was deployed to Iraq this last year I was able to see what my daughters were upto daily because of her mother kept everyone up to date on what she was doing with them. Unfortunately for me She found someone new while I was away on facebook. Now I work in the Surveillance field. im not going to say what, but key catches work great. I deployed in Feb2009, he contacted her VIA FARMTOWN March 2009. and they hit it off. i was busy didnt care. no biggie, MY LIFE WAS MORE IMPORTANT!!!! BUT facebook has opened up a channel. in spite of what it allowed. to find friends, that were long since lost. to rekindle hope when there was no one there for a shoulder to cry on. or a person to talk to due to distances. there was only this little website. now the whole put it out there and everyone will know. FIRST OF ALL, I DONT KEEP SECRETS. I AM WHAT I AM. if you arent comfortable with who you are, you might want to reconsider facebook or myspace. they WILL make you uncomfortable. if you are a extrovert, gotta do, gotta do, and dont like slowing down? go for it on the mobile devices! thats how i work it now more than ever! And now me and my 2 wonderful daughters go all over the world. I know its got its trips and pitfalls, but seriously its a good thing if you want it to be good. Its like going into combat and not thinking ill be shot at. HELLO! those are people on the other side that want to know you! Get out there!!! I did, and I now have the girl of my dreams AND my two daughters..So I can Say Thanks for bringing me more than what i had before in my life.

Ok here I go..
At first facebook was hard for me to figure out and I was already on Myspace for some time. My main goal of these networks was to help spread the word on Animal Welfare. yes I am an animal activist (not radical). Well Face book was great for this, there is a whole community of activists. This was a huge platform for getting strays out of shelters and into rescue homes, foster homes, adopted..all around the world. It was a great way to bring about change too, petitions were circulated, politicians contacted on animal welfare reform, media conatcted to bring out the horrible animal abuse cases that normally would be swept under the rug. Transports were set-up through FB and many many animals were saved.

Oh and yes contacting some people from the past was great, but some were left in the past for a reason and them finding you is awkward.

The bad of Facebook: The scams, yes I fell prey to them and am out of pocket nearly a thousand dollars.
The phony people who groom you for friendship only to betray and con you. For people like me who are home all the time (due to an illness), people who are trusting and wanting new friends like me get scammed.

One person I met and thought I had developed a friendship with that felt as if we had been sisters turned out to use me for money. When I no longer sent money and I commented on her lifestyle choices ( she was having an affair with a married man and even went to his wife's home) she cut our friendship. That was fine with me because I felt like a fool when I realized  I am being used- plus I struggled with knowing about her affair- that poor wife!

Sorry so long but I wanted my experience known. While facebook may be a good tool for finding people it can also turn into a nightmare, cause daily stress and anxiety, and become a financial problem.