The Hidden Costs of Venting on Social Media: How Constant Exposure to Negativity Can Affect Your Mental Health
Hi - My name is Andy Selway-Woolley (he/him) and I’m a Clinical Solution Focused Hypnotherapist. I run HeadFirst Hypnotherapy, based in Upper Heyford (near Bicester), Oxfordshire and also work online nationally.
The Hidden Costs of Venting on Social Media: How Constant Exposure to Negativity Can Affect Your Mental Health
We’ve all been there. You scroll through your local Oxfordshire Facebook group, in my case the Upper Heyford and Bicester groups and bam—there it is.
Posts filled with frustration, anger, or complaints about anything from the weather to a parking ticket. Suddenly, you're caught in a whirlwind of negativity that wasn’t even your problem to begin with. Whether it's a speeding car, firework or the perennial dog poo complaints, it can feel like the list of things to moan about is endless.
With the rise of social media and the sheer number of channels available to share opinions, it’s easy to get swept up in this constant stream of frustration.
But have you ever wondered what all this exposure to negativity really does to you?
Emotional Contagion: Why You Feel The Emotions Of What You Read
Your brain is wired to mimic emotions, a phenomenon known as emotional contagion.
Essentially, when you read someone else’s frustration or anger—whether it’s about a noisy neighbour or a parked car blocking a driveway—your brain reacts as though you're experiencing those emotions yourself.
This happens through mirror neurons, which are activated when we observe another person’s emotional state (Frisch, 2017).
This can leave you feeling stressed, frustrated, or even angry, emotions that may linger long after you’ve scrolled past the post.
Social media often becomes a place for venting, this constant exposure to negativity can wear you down and affect your mental wellbeing.
The Stress Response: The Overactive Amygdala and Its Impact
When you’re repeatedly exposed to negative emotions, your brain’s “threat detection” system—the amygdala—becomes overactive.
The amygdala is responsible for processing emotions and triggering the "fight-or-flight" response. When exposed to anger or fear regularly, like in the case of venting on social media, it triggers a release of stress hormones such as cortisol, putting you in a constant state of alertness (Haipt et al., 2022).
Over time, this heightened state of alertness can wear on you, leaving you feeling anxious, drained, or irritable. Your stress response becomes overstimulated, and the effects on your sleep, concentration, and overall mental health can be far-reaching.
This is especially true when these frustrations—like complaints on ‘Bicester Chat’ or ‘Heyford Park / Village/ Residents’ about loud fireworks or dog owners not cleaning up after their pets—seem to be happening without resolution. They get stuck in your mind, perpetuating the cycle of stress.
Can Venting Be Beneficial for Mental Health?
Looking at the Ventie’s perspective.. Venting isn’t always harmful—it can actually help relieve some emotional pressure, especially when done in a safe, private setting.
Research suggests that expressing frustration can release pent-up emotions and provide a sense of relief (Fisch et al., 2017). When done alone, it gives your brain the space to process and let go of negative feelings. In fact, studies show that venting in the right context can help lower stress and improve emotional regulation (Fisch et al., 2017).
However, this is very different from venting on social media, where negativity often fuels more negativity. If your emotional release is shared with others who are also caught up in frustration, it can escalate rather than resolve the situation.
This shared emotional energy only reinforces negative thought patterns, leaving you feeling even more stuck.
The Impact of Venting on Social Media: Helping or Hurting?
So, does posting your frustration online really make you feel better?
While it may feel cathartic in the short term, research suggests that venting on social media doesn’t actually reduce stress in the long run.
In fact, it may increase it by reinforcing negative thought patterns and emotions (Fisch et al., 2017). The more you dwell on these thoughts and post about them, the more entrenched your frustration becomes, making it harder to let go.
If you’re constantly caught in a cycle of venting and frustration on the Bicester and Oxfordshire community Facebook pages, it can be hard to escape. Without healthy emotional regulation, you may find that anger, stress, and frustration keep bubbling up again and again, creating a persistent cycle of negativity.
Taking Control: How Hypnotherapy Can Help
Hypnotherapy can help calm the overactive amygdala, reduce the fight-or-flight response, and guide you back to a place of emotional balance (Lu & Hong, 2022).
By tapping into the subconscious mind, hypnotherapy allows you to break free from negative emotional patterns, giving you the tools to process feelings in a healthier way.
Whether it's learning to pause before reacting or finding a calm space to process emotions, hypnotherapy can help you regain control over how you respond to external stress.
Conclusion: Let’s Break the Cycle
Social media is a part of our modern lives, but it doesn’t have to control our emotions. Constant exposure to negativity can drain your mental energy and leave you feeling stressed and anxious. While venting may feel good in the moment, it’s important to step back and assess whether it truly serves you or others in the long run.
Now, imagine a life where you’re no longer overwhelmed by negativity. What would it be like to scroll through your feed without feeling frustrated? How much more peaceful would your life be if you could stay calm, even when others around you are venting? How would it feel not to vent on social media and have more control over your emotions?
If you find yourself overwhelmed by emotional responses from social media or other sources or find yourself on social media venting frustration and anger on the Bicester, Upper Heyford or any other Oxfordshire local Facebook groups sites (or any social media!), hypnotherapy offers a powerful tool to regain balance and emotional control.
So, next time you’re caught in a moment of frustration, ask yourself—does this post really serve me? If not, it’s okay to step away.
If you’re ready to take control of your emotional responses and stop letting negativity rule your mind, why not take the first step today?
Book a free consultation and find out how hypnotherapy can help you regain balance, calm, and clarity in your life.
References:
Fisch, S., Brinkhaus, B., & Teut, M. (2017). Hypnosis in patients with perceived stress – a systematic review. BMC Complementary and Alternative Medicine, 17, 323.
Haipt, A., Rosenbaum, D., Fuhr, K., Giese, M., Batra, A., & Ehlis, A.-C. (2022). The effects of hypnotherapy compared to cognitive behavioral therapy in depression: a NIRS-study using an emotional gait paradigm. European Archives of Psychiatry and Clinical Neuroscience, 272(6), 729–739.
Lu, D., & Hong, D. (2022). Emotional Contagion: Research on the Influencing Factors of Social Media Users' Negative Emotional Communication During the COVID-19 Pandemic. Frontiers in Psychology, 13, 931835.
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My name is Andy Selway-Woolley (he/him) and I am a fully qualified Clinical Solution Focused Hypnotherapist and Psychotherapist. I run HeadFirst Hypnotherapy®, based in Upper Heyford (near Bicester), Oxfordshire.
I assist people in regaining control of their lives by retraining their brains to overcome limiting thought patterns, master their emotions, and cultivate resilient behaviours for a brighter and more positive future.. I know… It’s awesome!
a nutshell, I ‘get you out of your own way’. Because, let’s face it, a lot of us are.
Solution Focused Hypnotherapy taps into the power of your subconscious mind so you can move forward towards the life you’ve always wanted to live. It’s a quick, practical way to address thought patterns, emotions and behaviours that are holding you back in life.
I’m a registered and accredited member of the Complementary & Natural Healthcare Council (CNHC), Association for Solution Focused Hypnotherapy (AfSFH) and National Council for Hypnotherapy (NCH).
Hypnotherapy sessions can be done either in my garden therapy room in Upper Heyford, Oxfordshire (Near Bicester). Ideally situated, it also serves individuals in Berkshire, Buckinghamshire, Bedfordshire, Northamptonshire, and Warwickshire and I also work online nationwide via Zoom.