Have you seen that study that says using Facebook excessively has been linked to symptoms of depression? If you asked “Which one?” then you have noticed a growing trend over the last few years where a series of academic studies continues to point out the negative emotional effects of using Facebook.

The most recent example comes from a study published in the Journal of of Social and Clinical Psychology by researchers from the University of Houston and Palo Alto University. The study is titled “Seeing Everyone Else’s Highlight Reels: How Facebook Usage is Linked to Depressive Symptoms.”

The title of the work is pretty self-explanatory, and it does not sound very different from similar studies that have surveyed the effects of Facebook on users’ emotions. For example, another study published in March blamed “Facebook envy” for depression-like symptoms in college students.

“The act of socially comparing oneself to others is related to long-term destructive emotions”

Both studies explain that Facebook itself does not cause depression, at least not directly. Many users tend to only share exciting things happening in their lives, such as a new job, a fun vacation, a marriage, and so on. Because users only see the “highlight reels” of their friends’ lives, they can develop feelings of inadequacy that can be exacerbated by existing depressive tendencies.

“This research and previous research indicates the act of socially comparing oneself to others is related to long-term destructive emotions,” said Mai-Ly Steers, one of the researchers on the latest study. “Any benefit gained from making social comparisons is temporary and engaging in frequent social comparison of any kind may be linked to lower well-being.”

According to the researchers, social comparison is not a new concept, but the continuous stream of information from social media makes it a more serious concern than the simpler days of keeping up with the Joneses.

Facebook Inc has taken steps toward providing resources for users who suffer from depression, including adding the ability to flag posts with suicidal content. The site provides links to mental health and suicide prevention hotlines, as well as the opportunity to request help from friends or family.

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