Sadfishing: Posts Loaded With Emotional Distress

Sadfishing defines a complex behavior that we have all observed on more than one occasion. Some people post phrases, texts or expressions on their social networks with distressing or even disturbing emotional content. For example: “life has no meaning” or even worse “if I were to disappear for good, no one would care”.

In some cases, reading these types of messages, you think what the person is really looking for is attention. And sometimes that can be true. However, experts are worried about these kinds of realities which are more and more prevalent in the online world.

How do you know if someone is really asking for help? How to distinguish the one who seeks attention from the one who reaches the limit of his forces? We are facing a phenomenon to which, perhaps, we should pay more attention. Let’s analyze all of this together.

Sadfishing: sad messages online

We are aware that our reality is often full of anglicisms and labels that are difficult to remember and even to manage. However, this resource is useful for describing behaviors and situations that are new, especially when they originate from the digital universe.

Thus, sadfishing refers to the person who makes their negative emotions and thoughts public to their virtual community. As we pointed out at the beginning, this is something that many of us have seen time and time again. This is why, if we are interested in this phenomenon, it is because of two very precise facts.

• The first is how readers judge and handle this type of message.
• The second is the need to detect whether the person behind the message is really asking for help.

I’m here I want you to pay attention to me

In some cases, it is just that: a call for attention. The person is like that child who berates adults, that voice that demands to be heard and does so by appealing to emotions. In this case, there is no desire for manipulation or deception, it is an exercise in catharsis for someone to respond to it and validate it.

In recent months, and due to the pandemic, lockdowns and the social crisis, the phenomenon of sadfishing has increased. One thing we all know is that when we are emotional empathy arises.

So messages such as “I’m on the brink”, “This is all going to get the better of me”, “I am more and more sad”, are not only attempts to attract attention, but also to find support. It also makes it possible to perceive that other people feel the same way as us and that we are not alone.

Young people between the ages of 14 and 22 are the ones who practice sadfishing the most (and we have to prove them right)

When in doubt as to whether someone is just trying to grab attention with their post or are really asking for help, it’s always best to consider the second option and respond. It doesn’t hurt to ask this person in private if they need anything.

Studies, such as the one conducted by the pediatric ward of Providence St. Joseph Health in Washington, show that many young people between the ages of 14 and 22 with depression or anxiety see social media as the only way to go. ” be in contact with others. The messages they post are therefore real calls for help.

The best advice is to always respond to those who post such messages.

The Internet is our window to the world. We’ve reached a point where social media is the best speaker for a lot of things and some people are even using it as a mechanism to express their thoughts and needs. Young people today are making this medium their language, their channel and their refuge and we cannot neglect that.

When faced with practices such as sadfishing, it is very difficult to tell what is true and what is not. It is therefore important to think about the following:

• The best response to these situations is to communicate privately with the person and offer support.
• When it comes to responding to these emotionally distressing messages, let’s avoid resorting to simple sympathy, let’s use empathy. Don’t just say “it’s the same for me”. Phrases like “I am feeling what you are going through, how can I help you” are most appropriate in these situations.

The danger of posting your feelings on social media

It’s not good. It is not recommended. Better not to do it. When we are going through an unfavorable and negative time, it is not appropriate to make our feelings public on social media. It is not for several reasons. First, because this digital imprint will not be erased and everything that is expressed will be public.

Second, because trolls exist, because some will use this against us to ridicule and humiliate us. It can make our suffering even worse. So the third reason it’s not good to post these kinds of posts is that not everyone is qualified to give us advice.

Someone, with all of their good intentions, can tell or suggest something to us that, in fact, makes our feelings worse. After all, what we need most in these circumstances is understanding and support. It is preferable that real help is offered by experts.

In conclusion, we can only emphasize once again what has been said. Let’s not neglect these kinds of messages, don’t ignore them, and let’s not leave them unanswered. Sometimes the one who needs help the most is the one who yells the least and writes the most where they shouldn’t: on their Twitter or Facebook wall.

Our thoughts

Research reveals very interesting data on the impact of emotions shared on social networks … They do not leave you indifferent …