Social Media and Mental Health Stigma -- Is It All Bad?

Does social media help diminish mental health stigma or perpetuate it? I think many people would agree that social media can be a blessing and a curse. Amidst the extreme scrutiny and unhealthy comparisons, there are opportunities to spread awareness and create a voice that may have otherwise remained silent. 

Social Media Can Reduce Mental Health Stigma

With all the downsides social media can present, one thing it does well is spread awareness. Instead of telling a story to a friend who then tells another friend, social media allows people to tell a story to millions, even billions, of people at one time. It's crazy, right? Although possibly unsettling at times, the ability to unify people virtually has had a positive impact in recent years.

I want to shed light on the summer of 2020. Without social media, we would not likely have seen the outcry we did surrounding social injustice. This is not because people were not committed to the cause, but because social media provided a space to amplify a message, to foster a community.

According to an article published by Maryville University on activism in the digital age:¹

"Social media can create a platform for sharing stories, narratives, and photos, providing facts and data in a consumable way, which engages an audience by helping them understand. The work to create awareness helps to build a community around an issue."

The same argument can be made for spreading mental health awareness. Scrolling through my social media feeds, I see a surprising number of people posting about mental health and even more sharing their own experiences. Seeing this inspires me to continue putting myself out there in hopes that I, too, can make someone feel less alone after sharing my story. 

What's Next for Social Media and Mental Health?

As a society, we have become more open to the once extremely taboo topic of mental health. Though hopeful, there still remains the unequivocal presence of scrutiny and stigma. In a survey conducted by the American Psychological Association, 86 percent of American adults surveyed stated that they believe the term "mental health" carries a stigma.² 

All this to say, there is still work to be done to mitigate the stigma surrounding mental health in our society. So, in an age where social media is as ubiquitous as bread, why not use its power to benefit our cause?

Sources

1. Maryville University, "A Guide to Activism in the Digital Age." Accessed February 3, 2022.
2. American Psychological Association, "Survey: Americans Becoming More Open About Mental Health." May 2019.