The wording of social media posts and messages can have a significant impact on how people feel about mental illness and mental health treatment.
A study published in the Journal of Clinical Psychology found that college students felt more optimistic about the chances of success in treating mental health problems after reading social media posts that displayed a “growth mindset.” Masu.
“People view social media content about depression and anxiety from a growth mindset (i.e., one that values the possibility of change) rather than a fixed mindset (i.e., one that values consistency). “We found that people were more likely to do so if they had symptoms of depression or anxiety. They supported the idea that symptoms of depression and anxiety can be improved with effort, and that there are things you can do to improve your symptoms.” Whitney Whitt, lead author of the study and a doctoral student in psychology at Ohio State University, told Theravive.
“Growth mindset can be influential because people are more likely to act in ways that are consistent with their beliefs. Therefore, people who believe they can do something to help their mental health should seek help from a therapist. You’re more likely to find ways to improve your mental health, such as getting medical attention, improving your daily routine, increasing your social engagement, improving your physical health, activity, or other ways to enhance your self-care. But if people believe there is nothing they can do to improve their mental health, they are less likely to make an effort.From a therapist’s perspective, their efforts will make a difference to their clients. I really need you to believe that.”
The study involved 322 undergraduate students who were asked to view a series of tweets on social media site X (formerly Twitter). Students were randomly assigned to see tweets about mental health that displayed either a growth mindset, a fixed mindset, or a control group that had no tweets about mental health at all.
People in the stereotype group saw tweets suggesting that mental health is a fixed condition and cannot be changed.
People in the growth mindset group saw tweets demonstrating that mental health is fluid and that it is possible to control and recover from mental illness.
After reading the tweets, the students completed a survey assessing their beliefs about how long their anxiety or depression would last and whether it would go away. They were also asked about how effective treatments for depression and anxiety are, and whether they believe people have control over their recovery from mental illness.
Researchers found that people in the growth mindset group were more likely to say that anxiety and depression are not permanent symptoms and that steps can be taken to treat mental illness.
The study authors say this shows that language really does matter when it comes to social media.
“People browse social media every day, often for several hours a day. This frequent exposure has the potential to shape beliefs and culture over time. “If people see a message every day that the disease is a permanent part of your identity, that message may be reinforced little by little over time,” Whitted said.
“This is important because when a particular type of message is reinforced over and over again, the associated beliefs can become stronger and harder to change. Promoting ownership and the belief that mental illness is not the entirety of a person’s identity is critical, but the lasting and cumulative effects of this remain an open question and require further research. I would like to investigate.”
Dr. Shane Owens is a licensed psychologist. He says social media, when used correctly, can be valuable for mental health professionals and for mental health.
“Social media is a tool, and like any tool, a lot depends on the user. When used correctly, it can bring people together, spread health and happiness, and build community. In the wrong hands If you cross, hate and misinformation will spread. We need to make the voices for healthy communities louder. It’s hard to convince mental health professionals to use social media. This is really unfortunate, especially since we are supposed to be experts in human communication when applying growth mindset to issues of mental health and social media. , experts could look at social media as a challenge that we can overcome if we are willing to learn new skills and take appropriate risks,” he told Theravive.
The researchers hope to expand their study to investigate the effects of social media on users’ mental health.
Until then, they say their research highlights the importance of choosing your words carefully when using social media, especially when talking about mental health.
“For social media mental health influencers, it may be important to be intentional with the subtle messaging they use in their posts, and for viewers, it may be important for their messaging to reflect how they think about their own psychological health. It may be important to be aware of what impact this may have,” Whitted said. .
