Feeling down? Delete your Facebook account

If you're feeling down about life, delete your Facebook account.

Research has found the more people use the social networking site, the more they believe others are much happier.

Carefully chosen pictures of cheerful faces convey a debilitating message to others, according to a study by Utah Valley University.

Ninety-five per cent of participants in the study said they used Facebook and spent nearly five hours a week on it.

The more hours people spent on Facebook, the stronger was their agreement that others were happier, the Daily Mail reported.

This was true in particular for those who stockpiled friends they didn't know.

Interestingly those who spent more time socialising with friends in the flesh were less likely to feel they had been handed life's short straw, the Daily Mail said.

- NZ HERALD ONLINE / NEWSTALK ZB