Mental Health from Social Media
The Hidden Danger of Social Pressure Social media has changed our understanding of what is normal. Behaviors that once might have caused friends, family members, or coworkers to express concern can now be filmed, uploaded, shared, debated, and turned into entertainment within hours. When a public figure displays behavior online that viewers perceive as erratic, highly emotional, impulsive, or concerning, the reaction can quickly become part of the spectacle. We cannot diagnose someone’s mental health from social media. There could be so many explanations for behavior we see online, and viewers rarely have enough information to know what’s really happening behind the scenes. What psychologists can examine, however, is what repeated exposure to this type of content may do to the audience. Social media can shift our idea of “normal” Human beings are heavily influenced by social norms. We look to other people for information about how we should behave, what we should tolerate, and wh...