![Why The Sadfishing Trend Could Be Dangerous For Your Mental Health – Health Digest](https://lpharmacythc.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/Why-The-Sadfishing-Trend-Could-Be-Dangerous-For-Your-Mental.jpg)
Why The Sadfishing Trend Could Be Dangerous For Your Mental Health – Health Digest
Most of us have a vague idea as to why we post things online. But if we’re actually dealing with emotional or mental health challenges, self-awareness can be a tricky thing.
However, it is important to know that consistently sharing emotionally vulnerable posts on TikTok, Instagram, or Facebook is not without its dangers. While you might get a flood of encouraging or sympathetic comments, the reverse could also be true. Ridicule, mockery, and insensitivity can be further damaging to your mental health, according to Liz Nissim-Matheis (via Parents). Plus, there’s the added threat of online predators using your vulnerable social media posts as an excuse to befriend you with ulterior motives.
This is where well-meaning parents, caregivers, friends, and family can step in. If you notice that a loved one is consistently posting things online that look like a cry for help, let them know you’re there for them in their real lives. Feeling seen and heard can go a long way. Directing them toward their school counselor or a therapist may also help. Working with a mental health practitioner might help you discover things about yourself, like your attachment style, why you engage in sadfishing, and how you can form healthy real-life connections.
If you or someone you know needs help with mental health, please contact the Crisis Text Line by texting HOME to 741741, call the National Alliance on Mental Illness helpline at 1-800-950-NAMI (6264), or visit the National Institute of Mental Health website.