I was one of the latter day folks who joined Facebook. I had avoided Hi5 and Myspace but the lure of the activity of all my friends on Facebook was too hard to resist so i joined. As is typical for Facebook newbies, you spend hours looking into people's lives. You look at the physical changes they have undergone since you last saw them. You examine the guest lists of their events and create your own 'best dressed list.'  Facebook feeds our voyeuristic tendencies. You become a 'research analyst' , a peeping Tom, a FREAK who starts scavenging through people' s private moments. I always get a little nervous when I see one of those tracking apps designed to help you spy on those who are spying on you. For many reasons I am no longer a recreational user of Facebook, I am an addict. Better an addict than a freak. However, if you are in denial about which category you fall into, review that list below and place a check mark where it applies.

You know you are a Facebook freak when …

You treat Facebook like a diary and your albums tell the story of your life. 

You retire an outfit after a picture of you in it has been posted on Facebook

 You live in the same city as someone yet, Facebook is your  main form of communication. 

You post random  unsollicited stuff on other people's walls

You use your status to pass snide comments about other people 

You list your birthday on your page and then on the day you claim you are overwhelmed by all the love you received.

You keep asking  people to join your fan page or group 

You request the friendship of people you do not know simply to boost your friend's list

You send a friend request and you count the number of days it took the person to accept. (The delay is usually implemented to let you know that they are accepting your friendship under protest, so don't go on their wall and check if they were actively online whilst you were waiting for a response)

You send a message asking why you can no longer see someone's profile. (They have not fallen off the face of the earth, you have been blocked) 

You send a message asking why you can only see someone's profile pic ( it is not an accident, they have customized their privacy settings  so that YOU will not see everything)

You go to somebody's wedding, baby shower or party armed with a camera and they say "please do not post this on Facebook". If you go ahead and post it, you are not only a freak but a Facebook felon. 

If any 2 of these apply, check yourself into the newly opened Facebook rehab centre. I will be there to welcome you. Username and password will be required