Anxiety , mood disorders, ADHD, narcissism , burnout . Technical terms that once existed only in clinical studies and diagnostic manuals now populate TikTok and Instagram feeds. Through short videos, motivational posts, memes, and viral confessions, psychology has become part of everyday language: is it possible, then, to speak of the advent of a pop psychology?
Mental health professionals, content creators, and ordinary users discuss emotions and trauma with ease and immediacy. The result? A collective narrative of inner life that blends information, personal experience, and entertainment.
Self-diagnosis as an identity rite
In this context, a central phenomenon is growing: self-diagnosis. Not only as an attempt to understand oneself, but as a tool for establishing identity. " I'm anxious ," " I have borderline traits ," " I'm burnout ": psychological diagnoses become ways to share one's experiences, to feel understood, to belong to a community of shared fragility.
This medicalization of everyday life—which Foucault would likely have called a new form of biopower—reflects the need for order and meaning in a chaotic world. But at what cost?
Benefits of pop psychology: destigmatization and awareness
It would be shortsighted to ignore the positives. Social media has contributed enormously to the destigmatization of mental health . Discussing depression or panic attacks openly is more acceptable today than ever. Many find the courage to begin a real therapeutic journey in online communities.
Furthermore, pop psychology plays an educational role. Simple but clear videos help recognize signs of distress and promote self-care.
Risks of pop psychology
But there are risks. Social psychology often tends to simplify complex dynamics. A diagnosis requires time, context, and deep listening. Reducing it to an Instagram checklist risks trivializing suffering and leading to misdiagnoses.
Furthermore, a sort of "anxiety market" is being created, where discomfort becomes content to be monetized. Trauma becomes a trend. And the line between authentic testimony and strategic storytelling becomes increasingly blurred.
Does care become performative?
Therapy, once a private and protected space, is now open to the digital public. This can be liberating, but it risks fueling a performative cure : one heals not just to feel better, but to talk about it, show it, and gain validation.
The danger isn't the use of social media, but its abuse as a substitute for therapeutic complexity. Treatment and algorithms don't always go hand in hand.
Pop psychology… or dangerous confusion?
The spread of pop psychology reflects a genuine need: to understand oneself in an uncertain society. But precisely for this, awareness is needed. Social media can pave the way, but it cannot replace the journey.
In an age where fragility is increasingly visible, the challenge is not only to talk about it, but also to do so with responsibility, competence, and insight.
References
- Foucault, M. (1976). The Will to Know. Turin: Einaudi.
- Illouz, E. (2007). Cold Intimacies: Emotions in CapitalismRome-Bari: Laterza.
- Recalcati, M. (2010). What remains of the father. Curtain.
- Gori, A., Topino, E. (2023). Psychology and social media: the effects and limitations of online communication. FrancoAngeli.
- Turkle, S. (2011). Together but alone. Editions Code.
- Haenfler, R. (2013). Subcultures: The Basics.Routledge.
Born in Catanzaro on July 5, 1989, he has been a member of the Order of Journalists (Freelance Journalists) since 2017. He earned a bachelor's degree in Social Work in 2013, a bachelor's degree in Sociology in 2016, and a master's degree in Organizations and Social Change in 2018. In 2020, he earned his fourth degree in Economics. He has also published three volumes of a science fiction trilogy.
