“I SAW IT ON INSTAGRAM!”: ROMANTICISATION AND CONSEQUENTIAL SELF-DIAGNOSING TENDENCIES
Keywords:
Social Media, Instagram, Mental Health, Anxiety, Depression, Suicide, Adolescents, Young Adults, Idealization, Sensationalization, Glorification, Focus GroupAbstract
The growing influence of social media on human perceptions and behavior is a topic of utmost significance across most fields. This paper aims to examine those very perceptions that tend to stem from online interactions on the social media platform Instagram with so-called “relatable” content. The premise lies in creating a striking contrast between the actual sufferers and the romanticists, so as to not undermine the gravity of the individuals actually diagnosed with mental health disorders. The candor with which matters of mental illness are addressed today may result in counterproductive effects. This study attempts to understand and conceptualize the idealization and sensationalization of mental health and disorders like anxiety, depression, and suicide among adolescents and young adults who are active Instagram users via conduction of a focus group discussion with the individuals belonging to the aforementioned criteria. The methodology also includes gathering opinions and attitudes of participants on Instagram content displayed to them during the focus group discussion. This paper successfully draws a link between the use of social media and the glorification of mental illnesses due to the creation of positive perceptions.
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