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Memefying Mental Illness: A Qualitative Content Analysis of Mental Illness Portrayals in #Depressionmemes on Instagram


 
Dublin Core PKP Metadata Items Metadata for this Document
 
1. Title Title of document Memefying Mental Illness: A Qualitative Content Analysis of Mental Illness Portrayals in #Depressionmemes on Instagram
 
2. Creator Author's name, affiliation, country Anna Wagner; Radboud University; Netherlands
 
2. Creator Author's name, affiliation, country Linn Temmann; Independent researcher; Germany
 
3. Subject Discipline(s)
 
3. Subject Keyword(s) memes, social media, mental health, depression, Instagram
 
4. Description Abstract

Internet memes account for a substantial proportion of depression-related content on social media. However, little scholarly attention has been paid to how mental illness is portrayed in social media memes. This article presents the findings of a qualitative content analysis of depression memes on Instagram. We examined how mental illness, potential countermeasures, and individuals living with depression are represented in the memes. Findings show that the memes predominantly displayed subjective experiences and individual struggles of living with mental illness. Mental health issues were portrayed as uncontrollable conditions, overpowering the individual, and thus largely unchangeable. Treatment options and coping skills were presented as ineffective or even counterproductive. Moreover, the depression memes criticized misperceptions of mental disorders and unrealistic societal expectations toward affected individuals. Against this backdrop, the article discusses the potential short-term and long-term implications of exposure to depression memes on social media.
 
5. Publisher Organizing agency, location USC Annenberg School for Communication & Journalism
 
6. Contributor Sponsor(s)
 
7. Date (YYYY-MM-DD) 2025-03-12
 
8. Type Status & genre Peer-reviewed Article
 
8. Type Type
 
9. Format File format PDF
 
10. Identifier Uniform Resource Identifier https://ijoc.org/index.php/ijoc/article/view/23534
 
11. Source Title; vol., no. (year) International Journal of Communication; Vol 19 (2025)
 
12. Language English=en en
 
13. Relation Supp. Files
 
14. Coverage Geo-spatial location, chronological period, research sample (gender, age, etc.)
 
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