Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsWhy Comment Sections Are ToxicMental Health ImpactHealthy Ways to Cope
Table of ContentsView All
View All
Table of Contents
Why Comment Sections Are Toxic
Mental Health Impact
Healthy Ways to Cope
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Comment sections can devolve into insults, threats, arguments, and harassment if left unchecked. In fact, a 2014 Pew Research Center study found that 22% (one in five) Internet users had been victims of online harassment in the comment section of a website.
The Psychology of Cyberbullying
Anonymity
The anonymity of the comment section means that nobody feels accountable for what they say. People may become militant simply because there are no checks and balances as there are in real life.
Online Disinhibition Effect
Similar to the anonymity effect is the online disinhibition effect. What would never be acceptable to do in person is somehow acceptable on the Internet where social norms cease to exist and anyone with a keyboard can say whatever they want (without repercussions).
Dehumanization
Another reason comment sections can become fighting grounds is that we tend to dehumanize others online. Instead of perceiving each other as a person at the other end of the computer, we imagine we are commenting into the void.
We can’t see the effect of our words on the person at the other end, we may not choose our language as carefully as we do in person, and any tendency toward aggression has no reason to be placed in check.
Lack of Real-Time Feedback
For example, imagine going to return an item at a store and venting your anger at the person working the customer service desk while everyone is watching. You would only go so far before someone would step in.
Mob Mentality
Platform Matters
Personality Factors
Commenters are also sometimes trolls who enjoy making people uncomfortable and are only there for this purpose.
Mental Health Impact of Negative Comments
Dopamine Addiction
If you have seen the movie theSocial Dilemma, then you’ll know that the Facebook algorithm is predicated on the notion that they can manipulate users through an addiction to little “hits” of satisfaction (actually dopamine) when a user receives a “like,” comment, notification, or just finds something interesting in the feed.
Depression and Negativity
How to Change Your Negative Thinking
Anxiety
What to Do If You Feel Anxious Right Now
Attention Span
The good thing is that spending time doing hobbies that don’t involve a short attention span can reverse some of this damage to your attention span.
Self Esteem and Confidence
Body Image
Distorted thoughtsabout your body image may lead to disordered eating patterns and other related problems. This can be the first step toward aneating disorderfor those who are already vulnerable.
Healthy Ways to Cope With Negative Comments
Choose Your Platforms Wisely
Avoid Reading Negative Comments
Have Strong Attitudes and Values
Educate Yourself
Read trusted sources of information and form your own opinion rather than relying on what you learn from the comment sections of news sites or social media pages.
Focus on Positive Comments
Leave Positive Comments for Others
Limit Screen Time
Set a rule for yourself that you’ll turn off your phone at least 45 minutes before your bedtime. Schedule media-free time slots in your day when you will not go on your devices. Then go and do something like go for a walk in nature, do somemeditation, write in a journal, or call a friend.
Press Play for Advice On Self-Discipline
Find Other Hobbies
Finally, hobbies that involve physical labor like working in the garden or doing home renovations get your body moving, which increasesendorphinsand makes you feel good (especially if you are missing that dopamine hit from opening your Facebook app). Use adaily mood trackerto see how you feel each day, and notice whether doing more hobbies and less screen time makes you feel better overall.
How to Make Yourself Feel Better Mentally
Focus on Connection
Has everyone forgotten that the whole point of social media was to connect? Possibly so, although many people are still trying to use it for this purpose. While the Internet can leave youfeeling lonely, it can also be a tool to help you feel less lonely if used in an intentional way.
Instead, focus your time on connecting. This can be especially helpful if you live withsocial anxietyor feel awkward in person. Curate a friends list of people that make you feel happy and positive, and then try to connect with them as much as you can. While eliminating being online might not be possible in the world we live in, being intentional about what you do when you are there is totally possible.
Work on Your Activism
Are there any causes that you believe in or special interests that you have? If that’s the case, spend your time online fighting for what you believe in and connecting with other people who believe in the same thing as you (or who have the same special interest).
Don’t go online in the hopes of changing other people’s opinions if they don’t agree with you; rather, share positive posts about your special interest or activism efforts. For example, a vegan could share delicious recipes that they have cooked, or a coin collecting enthusiast could share about a convention that they attended.
Avoid the Negative
Be More Critical
For example, if a friend always posts negative things on your Facebook posts, try to understand their motivation, ask them to send you a private message, and generally stand your ground when you don’t agree with what someone has posted (about you or in general).
Examine Your Predisposition
What are your predispositions before you go online? Are you feeling depressed, anxious, or worried about how you look? Remember that the algorithms in most social media apps are designed to show you more of what you interact with.
For that reason, avoid going online when you are experiencing negative emotions because you will go down a rabbit hole of more negative emotions. Instead, pull out a journal and write about how you are feeling or ask a friend over for a cup of tea to do some much-needed venting.
Why You Should Keep a Stress Relief Journal
Be Aware of the Algorithm
It’s worth mentioning that as much as the algorithm is set up to show you more of what you are interested in, you can also upset the algorithm in your favor.
For example, if you are feeling down or negative when you go online, try to purposely interact with positive posts or videos. The algorithm isn’t smart enough to know how you are actually feeling; it only knows what you are telling it through your actions.
Make sure that you are careful about how you approach social media, and you can have it mirror back positivity to you instead of negativity.
A Word From Verywell
In addition, if you are the victim of abuse, bullying, harassment, threats, etc. on the Internet, then it’s important to take the appropriate actions such as blocking and reporting to authorities as necessary. Keep records of all interactions, such as text messages, chat windows, comment sections, direct messages etc. Having a record of everything that has happened will make it much easier to prove your case (and save your mental health).
If so, It may be best for you to avoid social media and comment sections entirely until you improve your mental health. The addictive nature and content of these sections are not helpful if you are struggling.
Regardless of whether all your friends are on social media apps, you can generally still communicate with them without being in the feeds. While the risk of being online at all is real, the real risk is becomingaddicted to the algorithmfeeding you more of what you watch.
If you are intentional about what you do online, your mental health won’t suffer. If you’re worried about feeling left out or missing out on the discoverability of some apps, choose a time limit for the feeds and stick to it rather than scrolling endlessly and losing hours of your life that you will never get back.
Setting a limit for your time in the comment section and feeds is the single most important thing you can do for your mental health. And if that seems too hard, get an accountability partner who will ask you how much time you are spending online. Instead, spend time in the chat with that person who knows what you are struggling with.
2 Sources
Verywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
Pew Research Center.About 1 in 5 Victims of Online Harassment Say it Happened in the Comments Section.
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