Why do vloggers vlog? Vlogging about living with a mental health difficulty

YouTube vlogs are increasingly being used as a source for mental health advice and information. Vlogs are user-generated content in which people (the vloggers) talk to the camera, usually about their thoughts or life experiences (Stein et al., 2020). People with mental health difficulties (such as schizophrenia, major depressive disorder or bipolar disorder) are more likely than the general population to engage in vlogging (Sangeorzan et al., 2018). 

Vlogging about their experience of mental health difficulties can be a way for individuals to educate others, support others and reduce stigma (Balcombe & De Leo, 2023; King & McCashin, 2022; Woloshyn & Savage, 2020). Both vloggers and viewers can benefit from encouragement, the sharing of advice and mutual support (Bakøy, 2023; King & McCashin, 2022). Vloggers with a variety of mental health disorders have been found to give hope to viewers and lessen their feelings of isolation (King & McCashin, 2022; Naslund et al., 2014). When a comments section is available, viewers can share coping strategies and find support through peer exchange (Balcombe & De Leo, 2023; Naslund et al., 2014).

Parasocial relationships

YouTube viewers can feel a personal closeness to vloggers. This closeness can lead to parasocial relationships which are traditionally conceptualised as 'one-sided, non-reciprocal relationships with media figures'  (Kowert & Daniel, 2021, n/p). The parasocial relationships with vloggers can be of high importance to viewers and as such, can give vloggers the power to influence viewers in a positive way (Kurtin et al., 2018). However too much dependency on one-sided parasocial relationships - without any offline encounters - has been linked to loneliness (Baek et al., 2013).

Viewers can also have high levels of admiration for vloggers and may look up to vloggers as role models (King & McCashin, 2022). It has been suggested that the glamorous  attractive appearance of females vlogging about depression 'with makeup and long eyelashes' adds to the already existing pressure on young women to maintain a flawless appearance (Bakøy, 2023, n/p). This pressure may be particularly damaging to viewers with depression - a disorder that frequently intersects with negative body image (Bakøy, 2023).

Approximately 20 per cent of teenagers seeking information on depression online will turn to YouTube (Gaus et al., 2021). YouTube can influence viewers health-related attitudes and behaviours both positively and negatively (Balcombe & De Leo,2023). While giving insight into stigmatising topics, vlogs about depression tend to include youth-oriented content and  vloggers have been critiqued for not being knowledgeable enough on treatment options (Gaus et al., 2021).

Despite these considerations, vlogging remains a way to create networks of peer support, and bring hope, companionship and encouragement to those with mental health difficulties (Naslund et al., 2014). Watching a vlogger tell their story can help viewers feel that they have been given a voice. This is particularly relevant for marginalised groups or those with stigmatised disorders (Naslund et al., 2014; Sangeorzan et al., 2018). By watching a vlog, these individuals can feel seen and heard, and reassured that they are not alone.

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References

Baek, Y. M., Bae, Y., & Jang, H. (2013). Social and parasocial relationships on social network sites and their differential relationships with users' psychological wellbeing. Cyberpsychology, behavior and social networking, 16(7), 512–517. https://doi.org/10.1089/cyber.2012.0510

Bakøy, E. (2023). A part of the problem: An exploration of YouTube videos about depression. Seminar.net, 19(1). https://doi.org/10.7577/seminar.5243

Balcombe, L., & De Leo, D. (2023). The Impact of YouTube on Loneliness and Mental Health. Informatics, 10(39). https://doi.org/10.3390/informatics10020039

Gaus, Q., Jolliff, A., & Moreno, M. A. (2021). A content analysis of YouTube depression personal account videos and their comments. Computers in Human Behavior Reports, 3, 100050. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chbr.2020.100050

King, C. M., & McCashin, D. (2022). Commenting and connecting: A thematic analysis of responses to YouTube vlogs about borderline personality disorder. Internet interventions, 28, 100540. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.invent.2022.100540

Kowert, R., & Daniel, E., J. (2021). The one-and-a-half sided parasocial relationship: The curious case of livestreaming. Computers in Human Behavior Reports, 4,100150. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chbr.2021.100150(14)

Kurtin, K.S., Roy, D., & Dam, L. (2018). 'The Development of Parasocial Relationships on YouTube'. The Journal of Social Media in Society. 7,(1). 

Naslund, J. A., Grande, S. W., Aschbrenner, K. A., & Elwyn, G. (2014). Naturally occurring peer support through social media: the experiences of individuals with severe mental illness using YouTube. PloS one, 9(10), e110171. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0110171

Sangeorzan, I., Andriopoulou, P., & Livanou, M. (2018). 'Exploring the experiences of people vlogging about severe mental illness on YouTube: An Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis'. Journal of Affective Disorders. 246. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jad.2018.12.119

Stein, J.-P., Koban, K., Joos, S., & Ohler, P. (2020, December 3). Worth the Effort? Comparing Different YouTube Vlog Production Styles in Terms of Viewers' Identification, Parasocial Response, Immersion, and Enjoyment. Psychology of Aesthetics, Creativity, and the Arts. Advance online publication. http://dx.doi.org/10.1037/aca0000374

Woloshyn, V., & Savage, M. J. (2020). Features of YouTube™ videos produced by individuals who self-identify with borderline personality disorder. Digital health, 6,  https://doi.org/10.1177/2055207620932336