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Pristine Chan

Ms. Jorgensen

English 10 Honors, P.5

20 April 2019

Social Media and Mental Wellness

Social media has the ability to alter our morals and perception of various aspects of

mainstream society. As social media develops, we find ourselves unconsciously following along

with the trends, and we forget to acknowledge the detrimental effects it may have on others. The

idea of mental wellness, for instance, has become distorted. Now, mental illnesses (depression,

anxiety. OCD, etc.) are treated as quirks rather than disorders, which attributes to the fact that

their serious implications have become glorified by society. Moreover, self-deprecation has

become standard amongst youths.

Most of us were made aware of the stigma surrounding mental illness from a generally

young age. This ideology regarding mental illness has been embedded in the back of our minds

ever since, telling us to censor ourselves in order to be respectful. However, this “filter” that we

created for ourselves has since been reformed following the emergence of social media. Current

Western culture has developed a tendency to romanticize and normalize the previous stigma

surrounding mental illness. Rather than being regarded as an “illness” or disorder, it has since

been conveyed as a personality trait, as people begin to emphasize with those who feel

“depressed” and anxious, even going as far as identifying with various mental illnesses in order

to be more relatable or interesting; and, in some cases, to gain attention. This behavior is

partially attributed to the constant portrayal of mental illness in television and movies,
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“Television shows and movies often portray mental illness unrealistically...A recent hotly

debated example is the Netflix show ‘13 Reasons Why.’ The main character of the story commits

suicide ​primarily as revenge​ on the people who wronged her. This is a terrible

misrepresentation…” (Yu 1). This constant exposure to our favorite actors being portrayed as

“beautifully tragic” causes us to view mental illness from rose-colored glasses, romanticizing the

true implications of mental health.

On the other side of the spectrum, there are others who don’t label themselves or identify

with depression, anxiety, OCD, bipolar disorder, etc. However, we still allow these terms and

other harmful implications into our conventional conversation. With the rise of “meme” culture,

it’s become apparent how the concerning implications of mental illness has lost its meaning

completely. These days, it’s customary to hear phrases, once deemed inappropriate or offensive,

used casually through text or in casual speech. The idea of being depressed has since become

used in order to express passing sadness or disappointment. Hearing classmates refer to

themselves as “depressed” is classified to be as normal as someone being sad. This insinuation,

classifying depression as an emotion/mood rather than a health condition, has dangerous

implications; we begin to disregard those actually suffering from such illnesses. “When we clasp

to such images, we deny ourselves and others to see the illness and people’s suffering” (Singh 1).

This behavior is typically seen on Instagram and Twitter. Popular instagram pages are infamous

for being “relatable” and “angsty”, their posts personify specific disorders, giving them comedic

qualities. These posts praise mental illness, treating it as a “quirky” characteristic or trend.

“Anxiety, depression, bipolar disorder and obsessive-compulsive disorder tend to be reduced to

select, socially acceptable characteristics” (Yu 1). Statements which use mental disorders in
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commonplace for being unhappy or shy, although it can be argued to “not be taken seriously”,

can distort the idea of what being mentally unstable is, invalidating those who truly experience

mental illness.

Social media has not only impacted our perception on how we view the mental wellness

of others, but it has drastic effects on our own mental wellbeing. In addition to the confusion that

accompanies the glorification of mental illness, often leading teens and young adults questioning

their mental state, it also affects how we perceive ourselves physically. Advertisements and

social media influencers are commonly criticized for portraying unrealistic expectations to their

followers, a majority being young and impressionable. However, these standards begin to

become more personal, as we find ourselves making comparisons to friends and classmates.

These days, we’ve been made aware of the false facade that are shown on social media, as the

“magic” of photoshop, Facetune, and other apps have come to light, but the constant

comparisons of our lives to the lives of others has not diminished. “Feeds read like highlight

reels, showing only the best and most enviable moments while concealing efforts, struggles, and

the merely ordinary aspects of day-to-day life” (Jacobsen 1). This longing for validation and

perfection creates a “perfect storm for self-doubt”. We begin to pinpoint everything that we find

wrong about ourselves, and this pressure to feel better about ourselves or appear perfect through

editing or other means, leads to us losing our self-esteem. Researchers at Stanford University use

the phrase “duck syndrome” in order to describe the fake front conveyed by a majority of people

on social media, referring to the way a duck appears to glide effortlessly across a pond, while

below the surface, its feet work frantically, invisibly struggling to stay afloat.
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Social media’s grips on our lives have become both enlightening and damaging. While it

acts as a bridge, connecting us to the rest of the world, it simultaneously blinds us. It alters our

perception on what is considered customary, having harmful implications toward mental

wellness. Having unlimited access to other people’s lives, as well as the constant exposure to the

romanization of mental disorders online, creates a distortion between what is considered

appropriate or traditional, and negatively impacts our self-perception.

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Works Cited

Hou, Yubo, et al. “Social Media Addiction: Its Impact, Mediation, and Intervention.”

Cyberpsychology​, 21 Feb. 2019, cyberpsychology.eu/article/view/11562.

Jacobsen, Rae. “Social Media and Self-Doubt.” ​Child Mind Institute,​ 2018.

https://childmind.org/article/social-media-and-self-doubt/

Singh, Prerna. “Why Are We Romanticising Mental Illness On Social Media?” ​Feminism In

India​, 26 June 2018,

feminisminindia.com/2018/06/27/romanticising-mental-illness-social-media/.

Walton, Alice G. “New Studies Show Just How Bad Social Media Is For Mental Health.”

Forbes​, Forbes Magazine, 18 Nov. 2018,

www.forbes.com/sites/alicegwalton/2018/11/16/new-research-shows-just-how-bad-social

-media-can-be-for-mental-health/#1f8fbaf87af4.

Yu, Jessie. “Glorification of Mental Illness Worsens Cultural Stigma.” ​Collegiate Times,​ 16 Oct.

2018,

www.collegiatetimes.com/opinion/glorification-of-mental-illness-worsens-cultural-stigm

a/article_ee290ca8-d154-11e8-8f43-6f787c05d16a.html.