Social media is a source of support, information and mutual help for Gen Z. However, this hide risks and problems, especially when it comes to mental health.

More and more people succumb to the impulse to diagnose themselves instead of consulting a specialist. And usually mental health is not a matter of diagnosis, but of balance.

However, in the last few years, extremely broad discussions about mental health have become increasingly common online.

In such a discussion, a person can find useful information, learn a lot about himself/herself and his/her emotions, find reconciliation and balance in his/her relations with other people. Yet, at the same time social media can be a source of wrong or misinterpreted information. This, combined with the desire of many people to self-diagnose, can pose serious dangers for them.

Even if self-diagnosis is correct, a person may miss important markers of other mental disorders, such as depression or mania

Unfortunately, the stigma surrounding seeking mental health care persists in many communities. So instead of looking for a specialist, people turn to social media.

This approach does not necessarily bring negativity, as long as it is not taken to extremes. If a person keeps their critical thinking and does not trust unverified information, social media is actually not bad. They are a good place to satisfy your curiosity and even find support from other people, which is a powerful weapon against stigmas and feelings such as shame or feeling isolated.

It is important to remember that social media can only be a starting point for information, but not a definitive source for making diagnoses

Source: www.vbox7.com