Should you share your emotions on social media? This is a question I received during a talk I gave about mental health to a varsity high school football team. Social media, mental health, and emotions; on their own, these areas of our lives are confusing. Put them together and it’s a complicated jumble of wanting to both connect and disconnect. Add it to the life of an athlete who is trying to secure a spot on a college team and it gets even more complex.

The question came up because not only we were talking about social media, but also because we were talking about why it’s important to express your feelings. It’s a legit question with no simple answer. Sometimes, expressing yourself can feel good and lead to positive comments/outreach. On the other hand, sometimes what you publicly say (social media should be considered public even if your account is private) can affect your brand or result in backlash or negative comments that you may not be prepared to deal with.

Should you share your emotions on social media?

Here are a few points to consider.

Never post when you’re emotional.

This is one of the top rules of social media. Emotions fluctuate. You might post something and then decide you no longer feel that way once you cool off. Even if you have posting remorse and delete the post, someone probably saw it, they may have taken a screenshot of it, and furthermore, it will probably live on in archiving websites. Even if there is no hard evidence, people might form an opinion of you based on what you posted.

It can feel like a lot of pressure so your best bet is to never post when you’re emotional. Hold off and see if you’d still want to post the same thing a day later.

What if it’s easier to type than talk?

I get it. Sometimes it’s easier for people to express their emotions through typing than it is through speaking. It is so very tempting to vent on social media because it’s a digital extension of your life. Plus, you don’t have to look anyone in the eyes or worry about speaking the words.

There are advantages to typing out your feelings because it is better to release those emotions by talking to someone than to not talk about them at all. Consider, however, if social media is the right place.

You may want to go old school with a paper journal and writing it there first. The act of writing can be therapeutic and help you organize your thoughts. Then, if you decide it’s better not to share your emotions on social media, but you’re not quite ready to speak, choose someone you trust who you can email, text, or DM.

Is sharing emotions on social media good or bad for mental health?

It can go either way. For starters, consider that when you post something, it’s out there for all to see. That may be just fine but you might encounter people who troll you in the comments, which maybe you’ll try to play off publicly, but can you handle that internally? What if someone says that something that pushes one of your buttons? What would you do then?

You will always find people to support you, whether they are supporting healthy habits or bad ones. It’s so easy to let things get into our heads by overvaluing someone’s opinion. It’s a slippery slope as they say. Either way, I would always advise being conscious of your circle both offline and online. Protect your brand.

I think the other important consideration is by posting on social media, are you distracting yourself from addressing the real problem or are you reaching out to people because you want them to fix you or offer words that help you temporarily feel better. There are healthier ways to cope with personal problems with better long-term results.

It can be difficult enough in personal relationships to be who we are, go through triumphs and trials, and grow as individuals. It’s really up to you how much of that you want to share on social media.

Need more help figuring out the world of social media, branding, and mental wellness? Contact me to learn more about coaching. For over a decade, I’ve owned a social media marketing firm and I’m also a certified Professional Life Coach.