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Engaging Mindfully with Mental Health Content on Social Media
Social media has created new channels for people to discover more information about mental health, which often leads to curiosity about whether a particular diagnosis might apply to them. In this post we’ll talk about the benefits and risks of learning about mental health conditions through social media, as well as ways to seek clarity to ensure you’re getting accurate information and the right care.
In this article:
The benefits of learning about mental health on social media
The risks of learning about mental health on social media
How to engage mindfully with mental health content on social media
Finding mental health care near you
Social media has created new channels for people to discover more information about mental health, which often leads to curiosity about whether a particular diagnosis might apply to them.
This can be a positive thing: knowledge is power, and more people knowing about mental health conditions means that more people are equipped to seek help. Yet there are also risks to learning about mental health from social media, especially if you don’t seek support from a trusted professional. In this post we’ll talk about the benefits and risks of learning about mental health conditions through social media, as well as ways to seek clarity to ensure you’re getting accurate information and the right care.
The Benefits of Learning About Mental Health on Social Media
Social media has democratized information about mental health and made it accessible in unprecedented ways. You no longer have to pay vast amounts of money for college tuition or mental health care in order to learn the basics about anxiety, depression, trauma, attention deficit disorders, autism, eating disorders, personality disorders and other forms of neurodivergence. There are some really important benefits to having access to this information:
Reducing stigma – Mental health issues have historically been a taboo topic and put vulnerable people at greater risk for abuse and neglect. Social media has brought these taboo topics out into the open and allowed people to connect with and learn from others living with different mental health diagnoses. It has led to increased awareness and understanding, greater acceptance of neurodiversity, and better treatment for those who need it.
Finding community – As with many other topics, social media has helped people form connections around mental health experiences and feel less alone. We’re able to find people who have had similar experiences and talk openly about it, learn from one another and support each other.
Knowledge and validation – From learning about symptoms of a mental health diagnosis, to the neuroscience behind different conditions, to how to find the right provider or navigate the insurance system, social media has allowed people to share valuable information that others find useful and empowering.
The Risks of Learning About Mental Health on Social Media
Although there are some incredible benefits to accessing mental health information on social media, there are some risks to be mindful of:
It isn’t the whole story. Social media content, by nature, is very truncated and therefore reductive. You won’t be able to learn everything about a mental health issue from an Instagram image or TikTok video (or even a whole TikTok playlist.) Even the most credentialed experts on social media are explaining things in ways that are designed for the algorithm: attracting viewers, getting likes and comments, etc. There is always more nuance to an issue than what a handful of social media posts can provide.
Some of it might be misinformation. For example, a 2022 study by the Canadian Journal of Psychiatry found that 52% of the TikTok videos about ADHD were misleading or contained direct misinformation about the condition. Social media makes it possible for anyone to post about these topics. It could be someone speaking from personal experience with a condition, but there’s no way to confirm whether they’re self-diagnosed or formally diagnosed, or whether the advice they’re sharing from their care provider is accurate. It could be a credentialed mental health professional, but they may have ulterior motives (like selling a product or service) or they may be hiding a questionable professional history. It’s important to treat the information you discover on social media with a measure of skepticism, and research information about mental health issues before sharing it further.
It might prevent some people from seeking proper care. Accessing a wealth of new resources about mental health available through social media can feel validating and empowering. Perhaps learning about a condition has given you new language for articulating past experiences that you had trouble understanding. This is valuable, but it’s important to seek additional care from a trusted mental health provider if you suspect that you have a diagnosable condition like ADHD, OCD, depression or anxiety, etcetera. Self-diagnosis based on information you’ve learned from social media is not the same as receiving a formal diagnosis and treatment from licensed professionals. Stay open to the possibility that although something may have resonated with you on social media, your care provider may have a different opinion based on their professional experience.
Mindful Engagement with Mental Health Content on Social Media
As mental health professionals ourselves, we support the free flow of information about mental health topics on social media. We want people to be curious, informed, and supported through online communities and offline. Yet it’s important to be mindful about how we interact with the information we see on social media. Here are a couple of tips for mindful engagement:
Stay curious and seek multiple sources of information. Remember, what you’re seeing in a TikTok video or Instagram story isn’t the full picture, and it may contain misleading information. Pause, reflect on the information you’ve learned, and take a few minutes to research so that you can find out how accurate it is and whether it is as relevant to your situation as you first believed.
Use it as a starting point for seeking support from a trusted care professional. Especially if you suspect that you may have a diagnosable condition like anxiety, ADHD, OCD, or something similar, it’s important to use what you learn from social media as a starting point for seeking support. The mental health care system in the United States can be difficult to navigate, but a trusted therapist or psychologist can help you take steps to confirm eligibility with your insurance, work with you on a sliding scale payment plan, take steps to seek a formal diagnosis, and other steps in the process. You don’t have to navigate this alone.
Mental Health Care Near You
It’s one thing to learn about mental health care on social media, but actually taking steps to seek care with a therapist or counselor can feel overwhelming. At ECC, we’re here to help you find the right therapy method and practitioner to address your unique needs. Our diverse team of licensed therapists and counselors specialize in a number of different research-backed therapeutic approaches, including Emotionally-Focused Therapy, Attachment-Based Therapy, Diagnostic Behavior Therapy, Internal Family Systems, Narrative Therapy, EMDR, and more. We provide referrals to psychologists and psychiatrists, as needed. We can help you get in touch with your needs, values, and goals and work towards them with a neurodivergent-affirming, multidisciplinary approach. If you’re ready to take that first step to seek support, we’ll help you find the right fit.
ABOUT ECC:
Empowered Connections Counseling is a practice of licensed therapists providing quality, multidisciplinary counseling for relationships, families, children & teens, and individuals in Chicago and across Illinois. Whether by in-person session or via telehealth, we work with clients to find the therapist and treatment methods that best suit their needs. Connect meaningfully with your life by booking an appointment today.
Understanding Domestic Violence
Seeking out individual therapy is not only healing, but also informative. As a client, I was describing what was going on in my personal relationship with my partner as we were cohabitating. I continuously felt like I was walking on eggshells and communication with friends and family became limited. As I was describing my day to day living, my therapist stopped me and said, “Do you understand you are in a domestic violence situation?” I was confused, I made sure she understood I wasn’t being hit. The statistics are astonishing, 1 in 4 women and 1 in 9 men face severe domestic violence from an intimate partner.
Please note, this post includes descriptions of domestic violence
which may be emotionally challenging.
Seeking out individual therapy is not only healing, but also informative. As a client, I was describing what was going on in my personal relationship with my partner as we were cohabiting. I continuously felt like I was walking on eggshells and communication with friends and family became limited. As I was describing my day to day living, my therapist stopped me and said, “do you understand you are in a domestic violence situation?” I was confused, I made sure she understood I wasn’t being physically hurt. The statistics are astonishing, 1 in 4 women and 1 in 9 men face severe domestic violence from an intimate partner.
Growing up with bickering parents and occasional visits from the police department, I thought my situation was normal. I was stunned as my therapist described the signs of domestic violence and that the behavior I was experiencing was not normal.
Signs of DV Behavior:
Hurtful words and threats
Monitoring cell phones, email, etc.
Physical aggression
Destroying or throwing property
Excessive jealousy
An eagerness to move the relationship forward quickly
Constant flattery early on
Attempts to control your choices, relationships, and even finances
This treatment ate at me. I couldn’t sleep through the night as I never knew what I would wake up to. Not only did this affect my mental health, but my physical health also started to diminish. If I hadn’t decided to seek therapy, I would have most likely stayed where I was. Once I understood what was happening, I was able to gather the strength to take the necessary steps to remove myself from my situation.
My therapist listened to me and did not judge me. She showed me how to look for the red flags of a potential bad relationship. I learned how to cope with the trauma. It takes time to heal from a domestic violence situation, but if you have the knowledge and tools you need to recover. You can move forward and begin to heal. There is hope. Seeking counseling with the right therapist empowers you to change your life, understand your feelings, and can build back your sense of self-worth.
RESOURCES:
For support contact the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-SAFE (7233). Advocates are available who can provide domestic abuse help and assist with crisis intervention, safety planning and can provide you with a local domestic abuse hotline number.
NNEDV’s WomensLaw email hotline, https://strongheartshelpline.org can also be utilized to obtain basic legal information, referrals, and emotional support.
Red Flags of Abuse - NNEDV to understand the “red flags” of abuse and to also obtain additional links for help with domestic violence.
If you are seeking a therapist, reach out to our team at info@empoweredconnectionscounseling.com or fill out our intake request form.
*The author of this blog post has been kept anonymous*
Checking in With Your Children's Mental Health
Summer is here! A time to slow down, take in the warm air, and spend time with our children while summer vacation is still in gear. In the constant state of trying to create a balance in our new and ever changing environments, I think to myself, “how are our children handling this as well?” I am reminded of this within my own family, and the big changes we are facing with an out of state move. We have had our ups and our downs of the common stressors of a move and selling our home, and the transition of getting to our new home.
Summer is here! A time to slow down, take in the warm air, and spend time with our children while summer vacation is still in gear. In the constant state of trying to create a balance in our new and ever changing environments, I think to myself, “how are our children handling this as well?” I am reminded of this within my own family, and the big changes we are facing with an out of state move. We have had our ups and our downs of the common stressors of a move and selling our home, and the transition of getting to our new home.
Reflecting on past years of our own family changes and the unexpected changes we've had as a society, it's a reminder that our children have gone through a lot of their own stressors. I personally do mental health check ins with myself, review if I am feeling off balanced and what is needed to get back into that balanced feeling. Why not do the same checking in with our children's own mental health? Here are some quick tips to help start the conversation:
Gently lead in with an open ended question for example,
“there have been so many changes going on, like us moving to a new state, and selling our house. What feelings do you have about that? What has that been like for you?”
Ask specific questions based on observations you’ve made, something like,
“I’ve noticed you're easily upset or frustrated lately since we moved out of our old house, is there something I can do to help you not be so frustrated or upset?”
Stay present, it is important to be in the moment with your children and the conversations you are having. When we are in the moment with our children, we are able to have honest conversations and genuine connections.
Remove distractions like technology while having the conversation. Also anyone that could cause your child not to open up, like a sibling.
Provide active listening, through eye contact and physical movements. This shows them you're listening. Something like a head nod, as well as relaying what your child said back to them.
There are many ways to start a conversation with your child, tailoring how you start a conversation is beneficial based on their age and development. Conversations are a great way to build connections, practice listening skills, model healthy relationships, and gain trust. The more conversations we have with our children the easier they become when we face harder topics.
Additional resources for children’s mental health support
Big Life Journal: Free, low cost mindful strategies, journals, and lessons for all ages and for parents as well.
Child Mind: Free resources for parents that are geared toward specific needs and support like anxiety, depression, and much more!
5 Quick Ways to Manage Anxiety
Anxiety gets the best of us from time-to-time. In this blog post you will find five quick practical ways to manage anxiety, some takeaways to plan ahead, and other tips you can implement when you feel like the anxiety is building up.
Anxiety gets the best of us from time-to-time. In this blog post you will find five quick practical ways to manage anxiety, some takeaways to plan ahead, and other tips you can implement when you feel like the anxiety is building up.
Engage Your Senses
Often anxiety will build into sweeping thoughts and an intense emotional experience. Using the sense of touch, taste, sight, smell, and hearing allows you to escape your internal experience by using your external experience to get lost in the moment.
Breathe with Mantra
If we can remember back to the nightmare that was gym class, telling ourselves as we were running laps, “just one more. I can do this!” while controlling your asthmatic breathing, we can use the same concept with anxiety. When we focus on a concept, we can force it into existence. Calm words, breed calm thoughts. Calm thoughts, breed calm experiences.
Schedule and Follow
A lot of anxiety could be eliminated if we scheduled our day in a predictable way, to understand what emotions we can prepare for. Not just our work obligations and the exciting new restaurant we are going to on the weekend, but the boring things like laundry, and necessities like cooking, grocery shopping, seeing friends, and cleaning your home. This allows us to anticipate the future and be able to plan accordingly.
What You Eat Matters
The old saying is true, when you eat well, you feel well. When we eat healthier foods, we feel better and we can better control our anxiety, instead of our anxiety controlling us. Eating more fruits and vegetables, while lowering our sugar and carbohydrates will help you with anxiety.
Exercise
When we move during exercise serotonin is increased, which is a natural anti-anxiety neuro-chemical. Taking a morning walk and talking to a friend can help make exercise more enjoyable than a dreaded activity.
Further Resources:
Podcast – Huberman Lab: How Food and Nutrient Control Our Moods. Dr. Andrew Huberman is an associate professor at Stanford University School of Medicine, Department of Neurobiology.
Blog – Men’s Health: Eat These Food to Beat Anxiety
Drew Ramsey, MD gives several food that can help reduce anxiety.
Book – Chatter: The Voice in Our head, Why It Matters, and Hot to Harness It
National Bestseller and Conscious mind expert Dr. Ethan Kross’ book on helping calm the inner voice.
How to Support a Loved One with an Eating Disorder
Eating disorders are serious life threatening illnesses, and they do not discriminate regardless of age, race, gender identity, sexual orientation, or background. Most often you cannot infer from the outside an individual is struggling with an eating disorder. The thought that weight is the only indicator someone is struggling, can perpetuate the secrecy and shame surrounding the struggle. Once you pull back the shade around this stigma, you can then keep an eye out for the warning signs.
Eating disorders are serious life threatening illnesses, and they do not discriminate regardless of age, race, gender identity, sexual orientation, or background. Most often you cannot infer from the outside an individual is struggling with an eating disorder. The thought that weight is the only indicator someone is struggling, can perpetuate the secrecy and shame surrounding the struggle. Once you pull back the shade around this stigma, you can then keep an eye out for the warning signs.
Supporting a loved one who is struggling with an eating disorder can be frightening and overwhelming; however, connection and communal support are key to recovery. Here are some quick tips to consider if you want to provide care for someone struggling with an eating disorder:
Tip #1 Educate yourself and make a plan: It can be difficult to approach your loved one about their eating disorder. There can be a lot of fear and emotions involved, so it is important to feel prepared. Prepare what you want to say and how. Invest in further reading about eating disorders to gain a deeper understanding and compassion for the struggle your loved one is experiencing. Avoid suggestions, and general statements like, “you need to stop.” Map out your key main points, then find a private location and time to talk (How to help a loved one. (2017, February 26).
Tip # 2 Approach with care: The pain your loved one is experiencing can be rooted in deep shame. It is vital to approach from a neutral and loving standpoint. Be sure to use I-statements, like, “I notice you are going to the gym a lot, and I am worried about you. I want to find a way to help you” (Eating disorders: Common warning signs. (2021, June 7).
Tip #3 Don’t give up: Know that they might not initially accept your support, but do not give up. It is important to find the balance between compassion and assertiveness, as getting them the help they need is vital. Allow space for them to express their potential worries, and offer to make the first treatment phone call with them (Eating disorders: Common warning signs. (2021, June 7).
Tip #4 Separate them from their eating disorder: Your loved one is not their eating disorder, and separating the two shows it can be tackled. Find windows where they acknowledge their symptoms, and how it might impact what they want for themselves. For example, if they love the outdoors, but are feeling tired and lethargic. Use that as a chance to express how you want them to gain back their energy in order to go camping and hiking like they’ve wanted to.
Tip # 5 Find support for YOU: Being a supporter to your loved one and their eating disorder can be an emotional journey. Not only does your loved one need to know they are not alone, so do you. Find a family member support group, or seek individual therapy so you have a space to process your experiences.
Sources:
Eating disorders: Common warning signs. (2021, June 7). National Association of Anorexia Nervosa and Associated Disorders. https://anad.org/get-informed/eating-disorders-warning-signs/
How to help a loved one. (2017, February 26). National Eating Disorders Association. https://www.nationaleatingdisorders.org/learn/help/caregivers
Additional Resources: