A psychologist explains the issue of mental health ‘oversensitivity’

In the 21st century, mental health awareness has undergone a profound transformation. Once limited to only hushed tones and whispers, conversations about mental health are now central to our everyday conversation. What was once taboo is now celebrated as a sign of strength and self-awareness. We’ve seen remarkable moves to de-stigmatize mental health struggles and create a culture where help-seeking is encouraged rather than avoided. This unprecedented openness has given individuals the courage to face their inner demons and seek the support they need—which is a positive change that has undoubtedly saved lives and improved countless others.

However, despite this laudable shift towards openness, a strange trend has emerged. As our collective consciousness around mental health issues has expanded, so has their prevalence. For decades, psychological disorders were either labeled as “madness” or simply ignored. Now, however, it’s rare to find someone untouched by mental health challenges. Friends, family members, co-workers—almost everyone knows someone dealing with anxiety, depression, or other psychological ailments. It begs the question: in our efforts to shine a spotlight on mental health, have we inadvertently contributed to its proliferation?

Mental Health Awareness vs. Mental Health Hyperawareness

Mental health awareness is not inherently negative. Removing barriers and encouraging open dialogue are vital steps in building a healthier society. However, as mental health becomes increasingly prominent in the public discourse, we must address the unintended consequences of this awareness. Are we unwittingly normalizing mental health struggles to the extent that they become an expected aspect of life? And, in doing so, are we exacerbating the very issues we want to address? According to 2023 study from New Ideas in Psychologythe answer is yes and no.

On the one hand, the authors echo the universal sentiment that mental health awareness has played an invaluable role in helping individuals recognize and seek help for previously unrecognized struggles. By shedding light on the diverse range of symptoms associated with various psychological disorders, awareness efforts have empowered individuals to identify their own mental health challenges and access appropriate support.

This has led to more accurate reporting of otherwise under-recognized and stigmatized psychological symptoms — which has positively facilitated early intervention and treatment. As many can attest, mental health awareness has undoubtedly helped de-stigmatize psychological disorders and encouraged a proactive approach to mental wellness.

On the other hand, increased knowledge about mental health disorders and symptoms has led to a phenomenon of “oversensitivity”. According to the authors, healthy and natural negative human emotions—such as stress, sadness, and anxiety—are now often misinterpreted as pathological symptoms. This hyperawareness can inadvertently exacerbate symptoms, as individuals may label normal, mild forms of distress as mental health problems.

Worryingly, this labeling can affect self-fulfilling perception and behavior, potentially worsening symptoms over time. For example, interpreting normal levels of anxiety as indicative of an anxiety disorder can lead to avoidant behavior, which can further reinforce anxiety. This cyclical process of interpreting and aggravating symptoms then fuels further awareness efforts, ultimately creating a feedback loop of intense focus on mental health issues.

In essence, mental health awareness has ironically become a double-edged sword. While it has undoubtedly led to positive outcomes such as increased recognition and support, it has also led some to become skeptical of the natural range of their emotions. This prompts individuals to become hyper-vigilant, cynical and wary of anything that rings a psychological bell – creating a self-fulfilling prophecy now referred to as the “inflationary prevalence hypothesis”.

Causes and Effects of Hypersensitivity Mental Health

According to 2024 study, Social media platforms—once revered for pioneering the conversation about mental health awareness—have paradoxically become fertile ground for hyperawareness.

Many individuals are turning to these platforms as avenues for psychoeducation through mental health awareness content. However, the credibility of these content creators is often unknown and their knowledge may not be based on professional experience. Worse, the credibility of these creators is often not considered relevant to mental health discussions, leading to the proliferation of misinformation and misconceptions.

By over-consuming psychoeducational content on social media, individuals are algorithmically fed and fed mental health messages, leading to a state of hyper-awareness. This over-awareness often leads to the problem of self-diagnosis – as people relate to, engage with and consume content that encourages them to interpret their experiences through the lens of mental health disorders. Consequently, they construct identities based on their own self-assessments, potentially overlooking difficult details that almost always require professional assessment.

Problematically, when self-diagnosed individuals seek therapy and treatment, they may encounter mental health professionals who do not validate their self-assessments. This discrepancy between their self-constructed identity and their professional evaluation can make individuals feel judged, disenfranchised, and mistrusted. In response, some people may turn to the same social media platforms to vent their frustration. This restarts the cycle of hyper-awareness while dangerously promoting content that is antithetical to authentic mental health care.

To counteract hyperawareness, we must remember that it is vital to seek help when needed, but that it is equally vital to maintain a critical perspective on the information we encounter on social media. While they are certainly valuable tools for training, they should not serve as a substitute for professional diagnosis and treatment.

We must resist the temptation to cling to echo chambers that smooth over complicated and sometimes disastrous diagnoses—or worse, present them as desirable. Instead, we should resume the original open dialogue about mental health, which importantly recognized the validity of human emotions – those about which we should not be cynical. Otherwise, we may forget that feelings like sadness and anxiety are normal and sometimes justified, as life can be sad and stressful at times. These feelings do not mean that we are not well. they mean we are human.

Do you often fall for clickbait mental health content on social media? take it Psychological Misconceptions Questionnaire to know if it is cause for concern.