A brand new examine has discovered that psychological well being memes may very well assist to alleviate some signs of hysteria and despair
When it involves its impact on our psychological well being, it’s honest to say that the web will get a fairly unhealthy rap. Comparison traps, the onslaught of unhealthy information, misinformation, and a basic sense of data overload.
That mentioned, there are nonetheless glimmers of one thing extra constructive, and a brand new examine that aligns with National Meme day 12 November has uncovered some shocking findings.
The examine, from Sheffield Hallam University, has discovered proof to counsel that memes – a picture and quick caption that often depicts a component of tradition or behaviour in a humorous approach – may very well have the ability to alleviate signs of anxiousness and despair.
When it involves memes targeted on psychological well being, the overall perspective was to dismiss them as ‘trivialising’ the real-life struggles, however the analysis by Dr Jennifer Drabble and Dr Umair Akram at Sheffield Hallam’s division of psychology, sociology, and politics has as a substitute discovered that psychological well being memes may help us to specific tough feelings in new and artistic methods, in addition to enhancing our emotional bonds with one another in a socially supportive approach.
“Following the culmination of our work in the area, and the recent increase in studies related to internet memes, we wanted to explore the psychological impact that mental health-related memes may have for individuals experiencing psychiatric symptoms. Often, memes of this nature are disparaged, often without any substantial evidence,” mentioned Dr Umair Akram.
“Research in this area is relatively new. As such, we felt that it was important to set a research agenda, providing tips for other researchers who may be interested in the topic.”
In the UK, it’s estimated that greater than 8 million individuals are experiencing an anxiousness dysfunction at anybody time, and one in six individuals are affected by depression. But regardless of their commonality, anxiousness and despair will be very isolating experiences, partly due to the best way that they make us really feel, but in addition as a result of it isn’t all the time straightforward to place into phrases the issues that we’re going by means of.
So, after we stumble throughout a ‘meme’ that will get an expertise spot on, even when that have isn’t a very nice one, it could actually really feel affirming. The analysis paper from Dr Akram and Dr Drabble spotlight the net discussion board Reddit, which hosts a subreddit named ‘memes and misery’ and one other referred to as ‘depression memes’, however there are numerous sources on the market. The researchers level to earlier findings that 47% of faculty college students reported participating with web memes as a approach of assuaging psychiatric signs, with self-deprecating memes permitting them to snicker at their issues, and join with others who’re going by means of the identical factor – with the preposition that this sort of humour may facilitate emotional regulation.
All that mentioned, whether or not or not participating on this content material can be good for you as a person is solely private. So, take a while to contemplate your individual response to seeing this sort of content material. Does it provide you with a little bit of a chuckle? Affirm your experiences? Make you’re feeling related to others going by means of the identical factor? Or does it upset you, set off you in a roundabout way, or trigger you to ruminate on issues? If so, it won’t be for you.
But for individuals who take pleasure in it, it seems that the easy meme might be a shocking supply of help.
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