Pose a question that you will answer with your social media strategy and posts.

If there’s one thing I know about myself, it’s that I’m passionate about mental health. Whilst mental health has always been something important, how it’s understood nowadays has undeniably been shaped by the internet. The internet and social media is a double edged sword when discussing mental health. That whilst social media can be used to better one’s mental health, it can also be the source or perpetuation of mental health challenges. 

To understand a bit more about the role social media plays in mental health, I looked to the Sensis data. Upon looking at the Sensis (2020) data, I discovered that 37.6% of 18-29 year olds have witnessed someone being bullied or harassed on social media. It’s clear that the online world is not always a positive place. Furthermore, the ability we have to share and view photos and videos also affects our perceptions of ourselves and our self esteem. Sensis (2020) data supports this by revealing that 48.5% of 18-29 year olds feel excited when their post receives more likes than usual. In saying this some measures have been put in place to combat this such as Instagram removing likes. But is it enough? Was that the problem? There are many questions to be asked.

Ultimately, I do believe that social media often presents a false sense of reality. That despite being online within a community, people still feel isolated. That even if they’re updating and appear okay, they really need someone to check in on them. In saying this I ask the following question:

How can social media become a more honest, open and encouraging place?

Reference: 

Sensis 2020, Have Your Say Australia, company report, Sensis, viewed 19 March 2020.