Vulnerability functions as a healthy coping mechanism and a harmful oversharing method.
Transparency allows someone to acknowledge and process their traumas before finding a solution. Sharing struggles with a trusted confidant reminds us that one’s obstacles are not theirs to bear alone.
For many, online communities have filled that role, providing a safe space to share problems, a space unavailable in other areas of their life. There’s comfort in discovering those with similar battles and the potential for bringing awareness and understanding to the outside.
With the positives of worldwide connectivity comes the repercussions of losing control of where our information lands. When we share intimate details with the public, we can no longer dictate how and where those stories are used.
Social media’s connection to wealth and fame brought an influx of theatrical, personal posts. Creators recounted medical concerns, romantic endeavors and family turmoil in exchange for views.
But unlike those looking for a community to confide in, these users found hostile responses and direct violations of their and their loved one’s privacy.
Posts detailing marital problems brought merciless comments shaming the creator and their “irreparable” partnership.
Discussions of gruesome medical concerns prompted ridicule from strangers.
Secondary individuals mentioned in the posts were verbally persecuted, threatened and doxed. Their safety was compromised at the expense of attracting clicks and internet fame.
As humans inundated with data leaks and identity highjacking, we’re responsible for protecting our privacy and the privacy of others within our control. We inherit the power to safeguard or share our thoughts, opinions and internal conflicts.
However, one’s decision to publicize their struggles doesn’t excuse malicious responses. Expressing our truths to overcome our trials should not be avoided for fear of harassment or loss of confidentiality.
While cynical, not everyone considers our best interests. Who we confide in plays as much of a role in our healing as whether we confide at all.
When searching for solace, we instinctually turn to what’s familiar, often sacrificing our well-being for comfort. This pattern is reflected in other coping strategies, such as nutrition, exercise and sleep.
When we recognize the weight we bear needs another shoulder, we reach for those closest to us, not for what will fulfill us.
Determining who will serve as an outlet for one’s stresses may not be a question of intention but of the confidant’s mental health stability and whether they can accept the mental and emotional hardships of another.
Commonly referred to as trauma dumping, when we aimlessly unload our worries on those ill-equipped to handle it, we leave them feeling drained and ourselves feeling unaccomplished and burdensome.
Here, the importance of therapy and counseling is introduced, regardless of a formal diagnosis. As a resource prepared with techniques and personnel trained to help others process difficult emotions, therapy embodies the safe environment many look for digitally.
Quality over quantity encompasses how one should navigate vulnerability. As a necessary fork in the road to restoration, it should be traveled cautiously and strategically
