Last Updated on March 7, 2024
It was National Meme Day on November 12th, when researchers released some interesting findings.
The Sheffield Hallam University study found evidence that suggests memes have a positive effect in alleviating symptoms of anxiety and depression, contrary to people believing that internet memes trivialize mental health difficulties.
Memes are a language that everybody understands and can communicate in – with the biggest benefit being that it makes you laugh. Funny therapy memes are trending on Instagram and TikTok and the best thing about them is that they don’t require a therapist appointment or a copay.
‘Psychology of Popular Media’ is a scholarly journal that reveals the human experience of living in a culture where media has a major influence on us. Researchers found that people who viewed and shared memes during the pandemic reported more positive emotions and higher levels of humor having an indirect effect on their stress levels.
Dr.Betsy Chung, a clinical psychologist with 10 years of experience says:
“There are two common types of memes: ones that are humorous, and ones that share wisdom. Both can benefit mental health because laughter boosts our mood, and wisdom can teach us important lessons in life or articulate experiences that we previously did not have words to express.”
This idea prompted some companies to start businesses around memes. For example, Yepp is a new user-generated platform, which enables users to generate memes inside the app. Its technology allows users to edit any text and font, and creators get paid by the platform every week. Funny content goes viral and collects hundreds of thousands of views in the feed.
So, what’s the reason behind it?
Memes promote mental health awareness
People shy away from opening up as they don’t want to feel vulnerable. Memes sharing affirmations and jokes spread on social media and help people share their mental health issues, but not in a demeaning way.
In fact, it’s doing the opposite by allowing users to feel comfortable enough to laugh at themselves and situations they are facing. Memes can help normalize people’s personal experiences and feelings, nudge them to learn about mental health, and create a safe space, where they are less lonely and more comforted.
“Funny therapy memes can have a positive impact on mental health because not only do they help to make light of common human struggles, they also normalize human experiences and show us that we’re not alone in how we think and feel,” — Dr.Betsy Chung says.
Memes provide a much-needed laugh during difficult times
Regardless of how difficult your situation is at the time, when something makes you laugh – it’s hard to resist! Not only does humor help us cope with stressful situations, but we also know it softens the blow and makes us feel better. It enhances our mood and helps us put things into perspective. Memes are a fun and easy way to find a little laughter in the midst of a tough situation. Instagram pages like Anxiety Within share anxiety-related memes that range from ‘ouch that’s true!’ to absurdly funny.
It’s the runners’ high we need! They divert our attention away from everything that feels like it’s crashing down and let us have a laugh – and release some endorphins. When you’re feeling down and you come across a funny meme, you can’t help but burst out in laughter and wipe those tears. That short-lasting, deeply euphoric feeling is exactly what your body needs!
Memes make people feel heard
Memes are equalizers of pain. You can send a meme about mental health to a friend and they will relate as they know how it feels. This small interaction may help someone to open up and then trigger other, more important conversations.
Memes help connect with the tribe
What’s better than being around people who share the same humor and understand you.
Memes may define a group you want to connect with right away, literally without any words. Just by looking at someone’s reaction when they just saw a meme you sent, you can tell whether you are going to be friends or not.
Memes are fulfilling in their own way and help share the deepest feelings.
They also work out really well for someone and their mental health, but for another person it may not be what they need. Your reaction and the emotion that it releases may be different from somebody else’s. It is quite hard sometimes to understand yourself!
“While mental health memes can lighten our moods and validate some of our experiences, it’s important not to assume that memes are universal truths. Read memes with caution, and be careful not to assume that all memes will apply to every situation. Memes are usually not backed by scientific research, and are meant for entertainment purposes rather than to be used as facts of life,” – says Dr. Chung.
If you are the type of person that enjoys memes and loves sending them to your friends, family, and other loved ones – then continue! It has proven to uplift people and bring them closer to others.
Funny how a small image with some text can flip your world the other way around…