‘Sadfishing’ trend raises concerns about teens seeking sympathy on social media

The growing trend of “sadfishing” among teens is causing alarm as they increasingly use social media to garner attention through exaggerated expressions of distress, according to experts.

Per Fox News , sadfishing, is defined by the Journal of American College Health in a 2021 study as “the tendency of social media users to publish exaggerations of their personality to generate sympathy.”

The research came to the conclusion that sadfishing “may not be triggered by an acute perceived lack of social support, but rather, may be more strongly related to the persistent trait of anxious attachment.”

Journalist Rebecca Reid came up with the term in response to a 2019 post made by Kendall Jenner, according to Parents .

The controversial post spoke on Jenner’s “debilitating struggle” with acne, which generated tons of support from fans. However, the post was later revealed to be part of a marketing ploy in partnership with Proactiv.

While social media can effectively raise awareness about common issues, it becomes problematic when it shifts focus from the issue to the individual seeking attention.

Teens and the dangers of ‘sadfishing’

Teens are particularly vulnerable to sadfishing, often seeking validation and attention without addressing their emotional issues.

Dr. Liz Nissim-Matheis, owner of Psychological & Educational Consulting, told Parents that teens may turn to social media because they feel uncomfortable sharing their feelings in person.

“This type of behavior signifies feeling isolated from peers and family members emotionally and not having an outlet to express their frustrations,” she explained. “It comes off as attention seeking, and sometimes it is, but I don’t think it comes from a place of feeling content and happy.”

A 2023 report from BMC Psychology, per Parents, found that teens who posted sadfishing content exhibited higher signs of anxiety and depression, with low social support also being a contributing factor.

Sadfishing, instead of fostering genuine connections, can be manipulative and potentially damaging, leading to increased stress and anxiety.

“Sadfishing elicits a response or a reaction,” Reena B. Patel, LEP, BCBA, told Parents. “Albeit not necessarily a sincere one, any type of response can provide that fleeting hit of dopamine from the attention the teenager is receiving after an emotionally-charged post.”

Addressing ‘sadfishing’ behavior

Experts emphasize the importance of open communication for children to discuss their problems.

According to Parents , if a child posts particularly vulnerable content online, Dr. Nissim-Matheis advises parents to engage in conversation without directly addressing the post to avoid causing embarrassment or anger. Instead, parents should foster an environment of trust and openness.

“Saying something like, ‘I can see you’re hurting. I’m here to listen if there is something on your mind that you want to talk about or brainstorm about,’” she suggested.

Dr. Don Grant, national adviser for Healthy Device Management of Newport Healthcare, told Fox News that building real-world social relationships and seeking help from mental health professionals is preferable to posting problems online.

“Real-life connection to me is the antidote for just about any problem,” he said.