Definition of memes - Memes are images often accompanied by text created with the aim of receiving a humored response and shared via social media.
Today, you’d struggle to use social media without scrolling across a meme.
Memes have managed to make light of everything, from politics to the struggle of being a millennial.
Even the taboo subject of mental health has been turned into memes.
More specifically, creating and sharing mental health memes via social media has become more popular in recent years.
Some users find these memes comforting and use the posts as a comping mechanism,
Lauren Joe suffers from anxiety, heightened by obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD).
She is a user of mental health memes.
"Earlier this year I was diagnosed with obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD)," she said.
"I’d had it for 7 years, and it was largely responsible for my anxiety, but I hadn’t received a diagnosis until this year."
She uses the memes to find humor in the struggle of living with mental illness.
“Anxiety memes are common, and definitely relatable. sometimes I’ll share them with close friends when I know it will make them laugh.”
She has found comfort in a Facebook OCD support group where users regularly share mental health memes.
"The Facebook groups are an awesome way to connect with likeminded people and openly talk about mental illness," she said.
Australia's leading online mental health organisation ‘Reachout’ has started to use memes to engage with youth, create a safe cyberspace where people can relate without the stigma.
Reachout spokesperson, Alice Tims, said, "The memes we share always follow best practice and help people understand their experiences and how many others are in similar situations."
"We commonly see people rallying together around these memes in a positive way, feeling safe and happy to bond over shared experiences.
“This is particularly important for people who otherwise exist in places where mental health is still stigmatized, like in their family, community.
It is important to note that the memes don’t always receive positive responses.
“As with anything on the internet, there is always a chance people will respond negatively; downplaying peoples’ experiences by trolling them, or just generally being mean or discriminatory.”
Cyber-psychologist Jocelyn Brewer is also an advocate for mental health memes, if used in a beneficial way.
"The most important thing is about ensuring that the messaging that goes with it is evidence based and not nonsense ‘heal yourself’ waffle,” she said.
While the memes play a significant role in tackling stigma, Ms. Brewere believes ““That people are given the correct information about treatment options and services that are trusted sources."
While people who view mental health memes can benefit from the breaking down of stigma, they are not the only person involved.
The creators of the memes are also people who are suffering from mental health issues.
They create the memes as a way of expressing their own experiences.
Creator and owner ‘@mental_health_memes_’ Taylor Davey, creates memes to break down the stigma surrounding mental health.
“I think that some mental illnesses are quite taboo, but I think more common illnesses (depression and anxiety) are becoming less taboo, but people still seem very uneducated about mental illness as a whole,” she said.
Ms Davey says she has received mixed responses on the account, but that an overwhelming amount have been positive.
“I talk to a lot of struggling people over DMs [direct message] and a lot of people say that I help them … I’d like to think I’ve made a safe space.”
By Tommy Boutros
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