Yearender 2021: 10 trending words that started mental health conversations on the internet this year

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The first wave of Covid-19 and the ensuing digital boost initiated conversations about the ways in which the pandemic was changing our everyday lives. Mental health was one of the most talked-about topics among internet users. From hashtags to detailed explainers and audio-visual content, the discussion only evolved with time - with regular additions to the mental health vocabulary and overall understanding of the wellbeing of individuals, even beyond the pandemic.

As we look forward to another year of an informed and sensitive dialogue aimed at spreading awareness, we look at mental health buzzwords and phrases that made news in the past year.

Doomscrolling

After ‘doomscrolling' was named as the word of the year by the Oxford dictionary last year, the term became Google's most-searched word in 2021. Doomscrolling is defined as "the action of compulsively scrolling through social media or news feeds which relate bad news". The pandemic largely changed the content one was consuming on the internet in the past two years. In addition to an increased exposure to everyday news, the second wave of 2021 regularly flooded the internet with horrifying images of deaths due to Covid-19. Though much discussed during the pandemic, experts say doomscrolling is not just restricted to Covid-19 and may continue even when things are back to normal.

Read more: What is 'doomscrolling'? Experts explain why tragic news is addictive and how to stop overconsumption

Languishing

City-based mental health expert Salma Prabhu defines a person experiencing ‘languish' as, "one who is not depressed, but still not feeling 100%". "It is a feeling of void, of incompleteness, of ‘something is not alright' all the time," according to her. In the year 2021, while there were signs of things opening up in the initial months, the second wave of Covid-19 intensified the mental exhaustion caused by the first lockdown. The term ‘languishing' made news during the second wave of the virus. Stuck in their homes for over a year, many felt frozen with very little motivation to be productive or think positively about events unfolding in the country and their own lives.

Read more: What is ‘languishing'? Mumbai experts break down that ‘empty' feeling with which many are struggling

Imposter Syndrome

Harvard Business Review defines imposter syndrome as "a collection of feelings of inadequacy that persist despite evident success". People with symptoms of imposter syndrome suffer from chronic self-doubt and a sense of intellectual fraudulence that override any feelings of success or external proof of their competence. According to some studies, a staggering 70 per cent of people worldwide internalise a fear of being exposed as a fraud despite ample external evidence of their competence. Even well-known and successful personalities like attorney and former US first lady Michelle Obama and Academy Award-winning actor Tom Hanks expressed that they have experienced such self-doubt.

Read more: Imposter Syndrome: Why some of us feel like frauds and how to overcome it

Emotional eating

Mental health conversations gained momentum on the internet at a time when people were indulging in cooking, ordering and overeating while stuck in their homes. Several experts discussed the correlation of mental health and food. Lifestyle coach Luke Coutinho defines emotional eating as, "eating to feed emotions. The emotions driving this could be either positive or negative, like stress, sadness, loneliness, anxiety, boredom, happiness." Emotional eating often leads to overeating, however, not all cases of overeating are due to emotional health.

Read more: What is emotional eating? A Mumbai-based lifestyle coach explains all you need to know

Family burnout

While the pandemic enabled us to spend more time with family, for many, being with family for an extended time greatly affected their mental health. From children to older adults, many felt the fatigue resulting from lack of self-care, privacy and solitude. "Several households are beginning to experience a family burnout or togetherness fatigue, which can strain relationships. This condition is typified by the three Es of Emotional and physical exhaustion, Executive dysfunction (or an inability to fulfill basic tasks) and Easy annoyance," explains counselling psychologist Namrata Jain.

Read more: Mumbaikars on coping with 'family burnout'

Toxic positivity

"Look at the brighter side", "You have to be strong", "Focus on the positives" - these are just a few of the ‘uplifting' messages that one was getting to read and hear regularly in the past two years. On social media, there are people talking about the importance of ‘spreading positivity'. The insistence on smiling and constantly feeling happy even when one is dealing with grim realities is leading to a culture of ‘toxic positivity' and is taking a toll on the mental and physical health of many. Clinical psychologist Salma Prabhu says, "Positivity is very good but not to the extent of repression and denial - where one does not acknowledge real experiences and emotions and tries to find positivity even in the most negative situation."

Read more: Good vibes only? When positivity becomes toxic and how to deal with it

Living at work

A phrase that became popular in 2020 and is still relevant, ‘living at work' simply defines the situation of working from home while managing household chores. Many witnessed an extension of work hours during the pandemic, blurring the boundaries of work and life outside work. This greatly affected the mental health of those with jobs, especially women who also managed work at home.

Read more: Work-life imbalance: Have we been working from home or living at work?

Anxiety

According to the American Psychology Association, anxiety is "an emotion characterised by feelings of tension, worried thoughts and physical changes like increased blood pressure". While 2020 made us anxious about work from home, Zoom calls and virtual interactions, 2021 made us even more anxious about gradually going back to public places and in-person meetings. As offices and schools opened up in the second half of the year, social adjustment has become a task for many employees who have lived in isolation for over 21 months. According to experts, feelings of anxiety, stress, depression, and burnout have been a few if not all of the problems being faced by people as they return to work.

Read more: Explained: The psychological burden of returning to in-person work

Separation anxiety

As offices opened up this year, many who were accustomed to working from home found it difficult to get back to the office space. Parents and partners have been at the receiving end of this as they have once again been distanced from their children and better halves for hours at a time. Many have been dealing with a feeling of separation anxiety. While it is easier for adults, children may still be trying to understand this change. Mental health expert Dr Jalpa Bhuta explains, "Separation anxiety is a regular part of development for children between the ages of six months to three years. If separation anxiety continues into adulthood, one will be diagnosed with adult separation anxiety disorder. Symptoms of anxiety disorder in children and adults are similar."

Read more: Back in office, out of home: How to cope with separation anxiety as work resumes

Eco-anxiety

The term eco-anxiety generally refers to the anxiety or worry caused by climate change and its impact on the environment. According to a September 2021 survey by California's Humboldt State University on climate anxiety, which involved 10, 000 young people from ten countries, 60 percent of the respondents said they felt ‘very worried' or ‘extremely worried' about climate change and government responses to it. The respondents associated negative emotions like ‘sad', ‘anxious', ‘angry' and ‘powerless' with the manner in which climate anxiety or eco anxiety had an impact on their daily lives. With 68 percent of youngsters feeling anxious, India figured in the top five countries worst-hit by climate change.

With increasing discussions about climate change, its impact on the mental health of environmentalists and young climate activists has become a cause of concern in recent years across countries.

Also Read: Yearender 2021: From home workouts to hemp, these wellness trends gained muscle in 2021