Trauma is trendy thanks to Gen Z — they’re done ‘ignoring’ mental health

health

by Brooke Kato

The latest online trend is trauma. It’s all thanks to a more “self-conscious” generation.

Gen Z’s attempts to downplay mental health issues and their willingness to be open online are fueling a wave of trauma oversharing on social media platforms.

Trauma body expert Meg Schnetzer sees a “growth” of young people talking about past trauma online, even calling it a trend.

“There seems to be a lot more awareness and people feel safer to be open and share their experiences,” Schnetzer, 32, told the Southwest News Service.

“If people are brave enough to share, it ignites a whole movement.”

By contrast, millennials are taught to “nullify” their experiences, which “feels easier” than dealing with emotions, explained the Delaware resident.

“We’re a generation that has been disabled a lot, our emotions have been minimized, and we’ve been told to ‘uplift yourself through your own efforts’ instead of letting them out,” she said. To tell.

However, Gen Z “ignores” it and ends.

“Generation Z is now aware of their trauma reactions and consciously standing up,” said Schnetzer, who boasts more than 23,000 followers. tick tock.

“Overall, I think it’s great that this generation seems to be becoming more self-aware.”

TikTok has “accelerated” Gen Z’s drive for total transparency — two years ago Schnetzer said it felt like he was “talking into the void.”

“But now, especially in the last six months, it’s everywhere,” she said.

A client who encountered a so-called trend online asked a trauma-savvy coach, “Why can’t more people teach this?”

“I mean, you can’t reach the whole world on TikTok, but it makes a huge difference. People don’t know a thing if they don’t hear it,” she said.

Despite the sudden interest in the topic of trauma, Schnetzer said it’s okay that it’s a “trend,” as long as the term isn’t “flying around thoughtlessly.”

But Schnetzer didn’t explicitly define what experiences Zomer considers “traumatic” when shared on TikTok.

Mental health transparency online has also given way to potentially dangerous “therapy remarks,” with critics calling it “gaslighting” and “trauma” to manipulate others. It argues that it could weaponize a commonly misused therapy term.

But mental health discussions, like the content posted by Gen Z, can help reduce stigma around mental health treatment.

“I don’t think it’s a bad thing when it comes to trauma,” Schnetzer said.

She explained that support during a traumatic experience can inform the impact it has later.

“I believe no one is immune from trauma. It just looks different,” she continued. “Some people don’t realize they’re going through it.”

So the benefit of trendy TikTok topics is that people may feel a little less lonely.

But experts have previously warned about the dangers of over-sharing emotions on social media, which could affect job prospects for job seekers.

A study published last month found that potential bosses who saw a job seeker post about mental health issues, such as depression and anxiety, on LinkedIn called the person “mentally unstable and conscientious.” It turned out that there is a possibility of thinking that it is missing.