Introduction
Social media outlets may be the reasons for mental health issues and social distancing, but they also can potentially be helpful for support groups. There is no shortage of accounts or channels where people daily discuss topics that interest them. Such a connection of different people may also be used to provide online support for users who require it. This essay aims to analyze and compare three relevant social media outlets, find a way to connect a specialist with the client and decide what platform is best suited for online support.
Facebook is an essential outlet because it has introduced the concept of communication so prevalent in contemporary networks. The website connects users and allows them to share images, videos, and information of interest. It has more features than Youtube or Instagram, which may benefit the goal of online support. The ability to create communities is far superior to any of the previously mentioned outlets.
When users subscribe to a page like this, they become a part of the community. This makes it possible to contribute to an ongoing discussion, addressing a specific point directly, and sharing information in a way that allows others to notice. The research’s result displayed many groups that aim at providing support for people experiencing different issues, one of them being social anxiety. One such group aims at providing a safe space for people with anxiety and: “anyone who is suffering from any other mental health issue” (Anxiety Support, n.d.).
Facebook may provide people with both private communication and group discussions. This allows people from different social activity levels to receive support. It differs from Youtube and Instagram in its number of features and audience demographic. Through the lens of a professional helper, Facebook should provide all tools required for quality online support.
YouTube
This social network’s primary goal is entertainment, but it also is home to many channels providing tips for dealing with problems. It has a place for discussion, video comment section, and chat while streaming, creating live communication. Website’s many channels on mental health issues and other problems people may encounter have specialists that provide helpful content. Studies show that people who “share videos on Youtube are … motivated by returning/offering some benefit to those who may need … social support” (Oh & Syn, 2015, p. 3), which means that the demand for online help is present on the website.
Professional helpers’ opportunity to create a descript video on the topic may help solve a person’s issue. A video also allows clients to discuss the topic in the comment section, creating an opportunity for personal involvement. Although it does not possess Facebook’s features, it is a good platform for providing social support. The main disadvantage is the inability of specialists to have a private conversation with a client.
Being one of the most prominent applications in the world, Instagram also creates many social issues. According to Jiang and Ngien (2020), the problem’s source is the constant comparison of people’s lives. To help solve the issue, Instagram should become a home for social support groups, where specialists will personally communicate with people and provide help. Instagram’s primary goal is visual content and displaying everyday life. People share their interests on pages, but it also can be a place of sharing problems. Social workers can use visual content to motivate clients, personally communicate via messages, and initiate community discussions in the comment section.
Unfortunately, Instagram has also been the cause of social insecurities and anxiety. So the crucial tasks for specialists will be to help users adjust their feed in a way that will lead to solving the issue. This is a challenging task, but the number of people using this platform may bring more attention to social problems. The main disadvantage is the lack of user concentration on the topic and the quick feed flow.
The preferable choice for professional helpers
The best option for social support’s network implementation is Facebook. This outlet provides specialists with many features that help communicate with the community personally and on the discussion level. It also allows people to have a place where they can share their experiences and give advice. Also, one of the crucial aspects of this choice was the age demographic of the users. Youtube proved to be the most diverse but it has a small number of features, which are crucial for social support. Thus, between Instagram and Facebook – the latter’s users’ age groups are more spread (Statista, 2020). Providing support to the biggest demographic range possible will increase the help’s effectiveness.
Conclusion
Social media outlets are a part of people’s daily lives, so acknowledging the issues that may arise is necessary. Support is essential for providing people with a chance to cope and talk about their problems. Creating such opportunities within websites and applications where people spend most of their free time will increase the possibility of a person in need receiving timely help. This essay’s point was analyzing social media outlets, their suitability for online support, and finding the best option.
References
Anxiety support. (n.d.). Home [Facebook page]. Facebook.
Jiang, S., & Ngien, A. (2020). The effects of Instagram use, social comparison, and self-esteem on social anxiety: a survey study in Singapore. Social media + society, 6(2), 1-10. Web.
Oh, S., & Syn, Y., S. (2015). Motivations for sharing information and social support in social media: a comparative analysis of Facebook, Twitter, Delicious, Youtube, and Flickr. Journal of the association for information science and technology, 66(10), 2045-2060. Web.
Statista. (2020). Distribution of Facebook users worldwide as of July 2020, by age and gender [Infographic]. Web.