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News Mental Health Vs. Social Media

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I was scrolling on Facebook happily when I saw the Guardian had posted the following:

http://www.theguardian.com/technolo...ing-people-talk-about-mental-health?CMP=fb_gu

It's a very interesting read about the question whether talking on social media is okay or not okay. I've spent a lot of time thinking about this question, as I am sure the most of you have. In the end, my conclusion is that it is good to talk, because it's important that people around us be informed. The less prejudice, stereotypes and assumptions in the minds of society, the better, right?

On the other hand, there is privacy, there is Facebook -the infamous mountain of sugar that alludes to everyone and yet nobody knows exactly what the price is. Where does the info go? Do you get to wear a label from the moment you speak out? How do other people react when they're sitting behind their screen, reading your post? Very interesting to think about.
 
Thank you for bringing up this topic @Radise. I have considered many times whether I should share my struggles with anyone and or on social media. Currently, I share it only with my therapists and my journal.

For now, I have decided not to share it with anyone else because I am still early in the healing process and I am afraid what will people think if I do so. Also, I have a desire one day to share more about my experience because I think it is important to speak up and bring awareness. In particular, I want to share the effect that my childhood has had on me, how much those childhood traumas have affected me, and the available treatments. However, I want to do that when I feel it from the heart. At the present my motivation is more for attention - so that people see my suffering and I get bunch of likes, and supportive comments, etc; and maybe even anger - a desire to punish my parents by shaming them publicly.

So my opinion, it is OK to share it publicly when the desire comes honestly from the heart and from a state of internal strength.
 
This quote.....

"...47% of people aged 21 and under said they find it easiest to talk about their mental health problems online (compared with 49% who said face to face and 4% who said over the phone)."

.....doesn't tell me much given that 99% of people under the age of 21 would rather text/chat online about anything....Ok, so sorry, a bit skewed, but my point is that given that the survey was asked of only those who aren't of legal drinking age yet, who were born with iPhones in their hands...(ha...)

But that's beside the point of the article!

I think that its good that people are coming out about mental illness, however I think its important to see what kinds of illnesses are "out" so to speak. Depression? Not a bad one. Anxiety? Not a bad one. OCD? Not a bad one. ADHD? Everyone's got that! Bipolar? Oh, now we're getting into some of the more scary ones! Schizophrenia? Even more scary! PTSD? Don't those people go crazy and end up shooting everyone?

So yes, it IS good that mental illness is getting out there on social media, but don't fool yourself for a second to think that being out about one of the more stigmatized disorders is like being out about having depression, because its not. I'm not saying we should be ashamed. I'm not saying that we should hide. What I am saying is that stigmatization still exists and it can be very cruel. I wish I could be one of those crusaders who fights against it, but at the end of the day, my fight is against the disorder itself and getting to the point of being functional like I should be, a place that most people take for granted.

Tangent....I'm not ashamed, but I also shouldn't feel shamed for not being out about it all, either. I'll let the higher functioning people fight against stigmatization in a more public way.
 
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