Can Social Media be Supportive for those grieving, or is it a cheaper alternative that helps nobody?
By Paula J Roscoe
Grief Guru, Best Selling Author, Spiritual Coach & Therapist, Spiritual Medium
Grief is a profoundly isolating experience. Traditionally, it was shared with close family and friends, who would rally around to offer support during such a painful time. However, with the advent of social media, the grieving process has transformed. Instead of leaning solely on their immediate circle, many turn to online communities for solace. But is this shift beneficial, or does it inadvertently keep people stuck in their grief?
The Shift to Social Media for Grieving
Before the digital age, mourning was a personal affair. People naturally sought the comfort of the living and, over time, gradually resumed their daily lives. While this process was far from perfect, it did encourage healing and moving forward. Nowadays, social media offers an endless platform for expressing grief. Grief groups have multiplied, becoming spaces where people share stories, post tributes, and receive support in the form of likes, hearts, and care emojis. Yet many of these groups explicitly discourage offering help or advice. Instead, they emphasize sharing stories and photos, reinforcing a cycle of expression without a path toward healing.
Are Grief Groups Helping or Hurting?
The rise of these online spaces has given grieving individuals a place to vent and find community. However, I’ve observed a concerning trend: stories of grief that span years, even decades, with people seemingly stuck in their sorrow. It’s as though these platforms have become a haven for those who have given up on life, seeking validation and attention that may have dwindled in their offline worlds. Is this truly helping them heal, or merely encouraging them to wallow?
For instance, I often see posts like, “My daughter died last night, how can I go on?” or “It’s been ten years since my son’s passing, and I’ll never get over it.” While the outpouring of support from the online community is well-intentioned, I find it unsettling. In their deepest moments of grief, people turn to type messages for a virtual audience instead of seeking immediate comfort from those physically close to them. What drives this compulsion? Is it a genuine cry for help, or has it become a coping mechanism that prolongs their suffering?
The Allure of Online Attention
Grief is intensely personal, yet social media has turned it into a public performance. The validation people receive online can become addictive. The attention and sympathy they find in these groups often outlast the support they get in real life, where friends and family eventually return to their daily routines. This creates a paradox: while the living must move forward, those entrenched in their grief find an unending source of validation online, reinforcing their pain and keeping them from healing.
The danger here is that without guidance, these online communities can foster a culture of perpetual mourning, rather than a path toward recovery. Grief requires time, patience, and compassion, but indulging it indefinitely can turn it into a lifestyle, a crutch that prevents true healing.
A Call for Meaningful Support
Instead of perpetuating this cycle, why not provide grieving individuals with real, actionable support? Encouragement to step back into the world of the living, coupled with meaningful therapy and tools for coping, can make a significant difference. It’s about giving people the strength and resources they need to rebuild their lives, not just a space to share their sorrow.
I understand the need for support in grief—I’ve been there myself. After the loss of my son and mother, I faced the choice between sinking into the comfort of online validation or finding a way back to life. I chose the latter, and that’s what I offer now in my private group for women. Here, we focus on practical, therapeutic sessions designed to help members regain control of their lives and slowly climb out of the pit of despair. It’s not about platitudes or temporary comfort; it’s about real healing and a return to living.
The Choice is Yours
So, which would you prefer? To stay locked in the darkness of sorrow or to find a path back to life? I know which one I chose. Life is full of choices, and while grief may be an inevitable part of our journey, staying trapped in it is not. Let’s choose life together, even as we navigate the depths of our sorrow.
With love,
Paula J Roscoe
Is Social Media Supportive or a Hinderance to those Grieving?
Can Social Media be Supportive for those grieving, or is it a cheaper alternative that helps nobody?
By Paula J Roscoe
Grief Guru, Best Selling Author, Spiritual Coach & Therapist, Spiritual Medium
Grief is a profoundly isolating experience. Traditionally, it was shared with close family and friends, who would rally around to offer support during such a painful time. However, with the advent of social media, the grieving process has transformed. Instead of leaning solely on their immediate circle, many turn to online communities for solace. But is this shift beneficial, or does it inadvertently keep people stuck in their grief?
The Shift to Social Media for Grieving
Before the digital age, mourning was a personal affair. People naturally sought the comfort of the living and, over time, gradually resumed their daily lives. While this process was far from perfect, it did encourage healing and moving forward. Nowadays, social media offers an endless platform for expressing grief. Grief groups have multiplied, becoming spaces where people share stories, post tributes, and receive support in the form of likes, hearts, and care emojis. Yet many of these groups explicitly discourage offering help or advice. Instead, they emphasize sharing stories and photos, reinforcing a cycle of expression without a path toward healing.
Are Grief Groups Helping or Hurting?
The rise of these online spaces has given grieving individuals a place to vent and find community. However, I’ve observed a concerning trend: stories of grief that span years, even decades, with people seemingly stuck in their sorrow. It’s as though these platforms have become a haven for those who have given up on life, seeking validation and attention that may have dwindled in their offline worlds. Is this truly helping them heal, or merely encouraging them to wallow?
For instance, I often see posts like, “My daughter died last night, how can I go on?” or “It’s been ten years since my son’s passing, and I’ll never get over it.” While the outpouring of support from the online community is well-intentioned, I find it unsettling. In their deepest moments of grief, people turn to type messages for a virtual audience instead of seeking immediate comfort from those physically close to them. What drives this compulsion? Is it a genuine cry for help, or has it become a coping mechanism that prolongs their suffering?
The Allure of Online Attention
Grief is intensely personal, yet social media has turned it into a public performance. The validation people receive online can become addictive. The attention and sympathy they find in these groups often outlast the support they get in real life, where friends and family eventually return to their daily routines. This creates a paradox: while the living must move forward, those entrenched in their grief find an unending source of validation online, reinforcing their pain and keeping them from healing.
The danger here is that without guidance, these online communities can foster a culture of perpetual mourning, rather than a path toward recovery. Grief requires time, patience, and compassion, but indulging it indefinitely can turn it into a lifestyle, a crutch that prevents true healing.
A Call for Meaningful Support
Instead of perpetuating this cycle, why not provide grieving individuals with real, actionable support? Encouragement to step back into the world of the living, coupled with meaningful therapy and tools for coping, can make a significant difference. It’s about giving people the strength and resources they need to rebuild their lives, not just a space to share their sorrow.
I understand the need for support in grief—I’ve been there myself. After the loss of my son and mother, I faced the choice between sinking into the comfort of online validation or finding a way back to life. I chose the latter, and that’s what I offer now in my private group for women. Here, we focus on practical, therapeutic sessions designed to help members regain control of their lives and slowly climb out of the pit of despair. It’s not about platitudes or temporary comfort; it’s about real healing and a return to living.
The Choice is Yours
So, which would you prefer? To stay locked in the darkness of sorrow or to find a path back to life? I know which one I chose. Life is full of choices, and while grief may be an inevitable part of our journey, staying trapped in it is not. Let’s choose life together, even as we navigate the depths of our sorrow.
With love,
Paula J Roscoe