Isn’t it great that everyone is talking about mental health?
Does social media help or hinder our mental health? As the world turns to social media to talk about #MentalHealthAwarenessWeek, Phoebe explores the role social media plays in this day and age.
I recently read a comment in Vanity Fair by Nic Sheff, writer of Netflix original TV series, 13 Reasons Why; the series is set in the aftermath of a high school girl’s suicide. Hannah, whose reason for taking her own life unfolds over 13 episodes, tells her story through tapes that she has left behind for certain students of her school.
The show received backlash for both glamorising suicide and depicting the suicide scene so graphically. Nic’s rebuttal was honest and hard-hitting, with one particular point staying with me: “silence equals death”. If we don’t talk about these issues, or create an environment in which it is safe to talk about them, silence will drive more people in the wrong direction.
Over the past decade, things have moved fast. Mobile technology has evolved from communication, and now everything we need lives in our pocket. Among these are fantastic technologies designed to improve our wellbeing and enable us to lead healthier lives. Yet, more often than not, there is an overriding social aspect. And despite the good intention of these platforms, the dark, quiet and disturbing underbelly of social media continues to roadblock the minds of (and not limited to) our younger generations.
As a social media agency, we celebrate the technology. The opportunities that each platform brings for brands and products evolves with times and trends, in a way that is fascinating, and continues to be, as you uncover how people are consuming content. So it might seem strange that I am questioning the benefit of this technology, but working in this industry makes you value your health and the power of personal relationships more than ever.
With all the noise, distractions and rising numbers of apps to check and mindlessly scroll through, you have to ask, when do we switch off?
Sarah Hulyer, an activist from Young Minds, told the Guardian that “Social media is negative in several ways in that your public life never ends. You’re always being watched”. Given this social pressure to constantly open windows into your life, people cater their content for their personal platforms and hence, the likes of Facebook or Instagram never tell the whole story. Personal social media channels often share an unbalanced truth, which can seem unattainable for others. This inflated expectation of constant happiness can be grinding on someone struggling with any form of mental health problem.*
The ironic thing about social media is that we are drawn to it, being the social creatures that we are and yet, we’ve never been more alone:
There is also an argument that social media is helping people with mental health issues. When Twitter was asked whether social media helps or hinders our mental health, the most popular response was ‘A bit of both’ (with no one thinking it solely helped).
Hyper-connectivity, making the world a smaller place, enables people to share experiences and process their individual stories with complete strangers. A form of therapy. It also provides a platform for mental health charities, influencers and medical organisations to raise awareness of symptoms and issues, and most importantly, provide details of how to access help.
So if it is both the problem and the solution, what can we do?
The majority of people in the UK can drive a car**. Driving above the speed limit is deemed reckless and puts you at a higher risk of an accident and more severe injuries. So, on the whole, we drive sensibly and only when necessary. But the problem with speeding is not the car, it’s the driver.
The same is the case for social media. The problem is not the technology, it’s how we are using it. We need education and balance; we need people (especially our younger generations) to be aware of the consequences and risks they take when using social media — as is the case when they’re learning to drive.
Social media is all about conversations, so why aren’t we having this one? Yes, it could prove an easier way to reach out to people, if talking face-to-face is something you find difficult. Yes, it can be used to check in on a friend you are worried about or to let someone know if you’re finding life a struggle. But, unfortunately it can also be a tool for bullying and a cause of low self-esteem and isolation.
Having these conversations around social media and mental health (on and offline) disrupts the silence of which Nic Sheff warned. This is why I am glad everyone is talking about mental health and why I am grateful that we have the opportunity to reach millions of people on the topic thanks to social media & #MentalHealthAwarenessWeek.
Social media is by no means all bad but I still think we should try and switch off every now and then.
We could all benefit from some head space away from screens.
*It is estimated that 1 in 6 people in the past week experienced a common mental health problem.
**45.5 million active driving records in GB, DVLA as of 2015
