Established in February 2004, Facebook is a private company that, since it’s conception, has generated more than 2.38 billion users. That’s a third of the world’s population.

Facebook is a social media and networking company that allows anyone 13 years of age or older, to create an account. Facebook provides a way for friends, family, and strangers alike, to connect and share from almost anywhere in the world. 45% of adults even get some of their news from Facebook.

Facebook is an important part of many lives, which is why the average daily user spends about 41 minutes a day on Facebook. It’s also why having a Facebook disabled account can be such an awful feeling.

But how does it happen? What causes a Facebook account to become disabled? Keep reading to find out how it happens and what to do next if it happens to you.

Did You Violate the Terms and Conditions?

We’re not saying this is the only way, but if you violated Facebook’s terms and conditions, it’s one way to get your account disabled.

Here are some of the common reasons or ways in which a Facebook user may violate those Facebook rules:

• Caught using a fake profile name
• Impersonating someone else
• Posts have been marked as spam and sent to Facebook
• Harsh or unsuitable behavior
• Posting inappropriate or harsh comments on Facebook groups and pages
• Hacking into other people’s accounts
• Contacting others for the purpose of advertising or promoting in a way that’s not allowed
• Contacting others for the purpose of harassment

In addition to potentially breaking these terms and conditions that Facebook users must follow, there are other ways that your account may become disabled.

How Else Could It Become Disabled?

If people report to Facebook about your account on multiple occasions, Facebook may decide to disable your account.

It can also happen by accident. Maybe you left your browser open somewhere, or maybe you disabled your account by accident. If this is the case, you should be able to open it back up again.

What Does It Mean If Your Account Is Disabled?

If your account has been disabled temporarily, you’ll receive a message when you attempt to log in that says, “Your Account has been disabled. If you have any questions or concerns, you can visit our FAQ page here.”

For a Facebook disabled account, you’ll receive a message when you attempt to log in that says, “Your account has been permanently disabled.” Below that message, it might list a reason such as for not following the Facebook Community Standards.

If your Facebook account was disabled by yourself, either on purpose or by accident, you’ll be able to open it back up just by logging in the way you used to. If your account was temporarily or permanently disabled by the Facebook team, you’ll have to fill out the “disabled appeal form,” which is available on the website.

If you include a photo of yourself on a government-issued ID, it could increase your chances of being able to reopen that account.

Furthermore, the more you explain the situation, the better. Provide as much information as you can about what happened in the “Additional Info” section. Be as honest and as detailed as you can.

What Happens If You Can’t Get Your Account Back?

Losing access to a long list of friends and contacts, years worth of irreplaceable videos and photos, and all of your shared messages is an awful feeling.

For many Facebook users, there are a lot of Facebook friends who are only accessible through Facebook. Many users don’t have phone numbers or addresses for people that they continue to keep in touch with over the years, and Facebook provides as the only contact they have with those people. Losing all of that can leave someone with a feeling of panic and emptiness.

Losing your photos and videos alone can be an emotional loss. Shared messages are like hand-written letters of the past and, many Facebook users keep their messages around as if it were a box of letters.

Should the worst happen, you might want to reach out to a professional Facebook expert where you can participate in a live chat or talk on the phone in order to get help.

How Long Will It Take After You File an Appeal?

It can take 5-20 days in order to hear back about an appeal that you submitted. If you still haven’t received a response after 30 days, you may then submit another one. But remember, if you temporarily disable your own account, you don’t need to submit an appeal to Facebook. You simply need to log in as you normally would in order to reopen your account.

If your account has been permanently disabled, it’s unlikely that you’ll be able to open it back. That being said, it’s very rare that Facebook will disable an account permanently, and if they do so, it’s usually for a good reason.

Should that be the case, start reaching out to friends and family in order to recover as much as you can from your lost account. You can also ask a specialist for help.

A Facebook Disabled Account Is Not the Be-All and End-All

A Facebook disabled account can be a stressful thing to deal with, especially if you don’t know why it happened in the first place. The important thing is not to panic, and to go through the steps to try and figure out what happened and then get your account back up and running.

Get help from the very beginning so that you understand the ins and outs of Facebook. This will give you a head start to make sure that nothing like this happens again.

Do you need to contact Facebook or file an appeal but need help to do so? You can take the first step here.