The Insidious Hug of Mental Health Memery
How some mental health meme communities teach hopelessness to people in need of hope.
Tim Perkin
Exploring Mental Health in Online Spaces
Many of the ways the internet has impacted our lives are easy to spot. We find the information we need nearly instantly. We consume free entertainment tailored to each of our specific interests. We keep in touch with old friends and far away relatives. But becoming an online species has changed much more than what lies on the surface. The effects of our newfound interconnectivity have crept into all parts of human life. This fall, I explored the impact of online life on mental health in the class Writing and Digital Media at Virginia Tech. In doing so, I wrote about and discussed anonymous mental health meme forums, the impact of irony culture in spaces such as 4chan, how college students use and feel about conventional social media, and self-care offline.
Medium Blog Posts
How Anonymity and Irony Make Communities that Isolate
Spaces such as 4chan thrive off of irony. Here's how that can harm the people who use these boards.
Digital Woes Podcast
College students have to do a lot. Beyond the stress of academics and work, many feel obligated to maintain a manicured online presence. I sit down with Lauren Hoyns, Kayla Patterson, and Hannah E.N. Treacy to discuss the role that conventional social media plays in our lives and mental health.
Escaping Your Digital Woes Video
We share the methods we use to take care of ourselves offline.
For resources and information about mental illness, visit NAMI.