Social Media and the Mental Health Conversation

There exists a clear and strong stigma surrounding the phrase, “mental illness”. However, it is no longer considered a ‘taboo’ or marginalized topic to discuss depression, anxiety, or body dysmorphia. Instead, conversations about mental health are unhealthily normalized.

Around 5 to 6 years ago, individuals began sharing struggles or information about prevalent mental illness via social media platforms. Celebrities began opening up to the public about struggles they experienced. Educational channels started creating informational videos to explain the biological justifications for these issues. On certain platforms, new accounts appeared that are entirely dedicated to promoting mental health awareness.

This wave picked up strength as time progressed and these vital conversations continued. Able to feel heard or understood, individuals’ willingness to open up about their struggles increased. This feeling of acceptance sparked a movement in which people began explaining their mental health journey and sharing it via social media platforms.

However, this idea quickly became a toxic trend. There was a graduated shift as social media began to perpetuate unhealthy eating habits and disordered eating. Unhealthy “instagram models” provide young girls thinspo as they compare themselves to the rhetoric that 0.01% of bodies actually look like.

Further, influencers and brands have capitalized upon the polarizing toxicity of social media to promote products or marketing campaigns. On May 16, 2018, Kim Kardashian West promoted Flat Tummy Co.’s “literally unreal” appetite suppressant lollipops. Through her platform, West literally encouraged her followers to create an unhealthy relationship with food in hopes of looking more like her.

The idea of everyone sharing this ‘relatability’ has caused certain individuals to go too far with this idea. While these conversations are extremely important they have become far too normalized. There is also a clear lack of recognition of the spectrum mental health occurs on and that severity differs by person and experience.

Individuals can use key, triggering words and be entirely incognisant because the normalization of this discussion can create the illusion that every person’s experience is the same. Internet culture that perpetuates skipping meals before pictures and encourages largely disordered eating.

Internet comedy culture is peppered with phrases like, “I’m going to kill myself” as a joke in response to a minor inconveince which further promotes toxic thinking and toxic coping.

The lack of recognition for some mental illness severity has desensitized individuals to saying key, triggering phrases. Further, this toxic ‘normalization’ can invalidate other individuals’ experiences who do not align with the present mental illness trend of the month.

These conversations are vital and must continue happening. However, individuals must not forget the importance of being gentle with their phraseology and recognizing that another person’s experience may be vastly different but is still equally important and valid.