Conversations around dinner tables and in social gatherings have notably evolved, with once clinical terms like “trigger,” “trauma,” “boundaries,” and “affective responsibility” now flowing naturally. This shift reflects a broader societal change where mental health, previously confined to therapeutic settings, has entered everyday discussions, social media feeds, and even become a component of personal identity for many.
While this increased visibility has numerous positive aspects, such as reducing stigma and fostering openness, it also introduces complexities and potential pitfalls that warrant closer examination. The phenomenon underscores a profound transformation in how individuals perceive and articulate their inner experiences.
To comprehensively understand this contemporary movement, insights from leading experts are crucial. Jair Soares dos Santos, a distinguished psychologist, founder of the Brazilian Institute for Therapist Training (IBFT), and a doctoral candidate in Psychology at the University of Flores (UFLO) in Argentina, provides a critical perspective on this evolving landscape.
Santos explores the drivers behind therapy’s widespread popularity, highlights the dangers of what he terms the “aestheticization” of suffering, and explains how Generative Reprocessing Therapy (TRG) interprets these new approaches to managing emotions in the modern world.
Mental health discourse: A double-edged sword
The sheer volume of engagement on platforms like TikTok, where the hashtag #mentalhealth consistently garners millions of views, exemplifies the current trend. Experts like Jair Soares dos Santos acknowledge the immense social benefit: the popularization of therapy significantly diminishes long-standing stigmas and democratizes access to an emotional vocabulary that was once exclusive or suppressed. This broad accessibility to internal care resources and understandable emotional language represents a substantial gain for society.
However, the transformation of mental health into a viral trend is not without its distortions. When personal suffering becomes a cultural commodity, there is an inherent risk of diluting critical clinical concepts. Terms intended to convey deep emotional significance, such as “trauma” or “trigger,” are frequently used in a generalized, almost casual manner. This superficial usage often strips these terms of their true clinical weight and meaning, potentially hindering effective understanding and treatment.
The allure of informal sharing
It is now a common sight: individuals openly sharing deeply personal struggles in informal settings, such as a bar, conversations they might never initiate in a therapist’s office. This shift, according to psychologist Jair Soares dos Santos, is a direct consequence of altered social codes in contemporary society. Informal environments cultivate a sense of equality and approachability, where traditional hierarchies of expertise are less pronounced, encouraging a collective desire to offer advice and support. In these contexts, the primary motivation for revelation often stems not from a direct pursuit of healing, but from a profound human need for connection and belonging, where shared vulnerability is seen as a powerful creator of interpersonal bonds. However, Santos cautions that while these exchanges may foster connection and reduce feelings of internal isolation, they typically involve a “narrated, not processed, vulnerability,” meaning the stories are told without fully engaging with the embedded emotional and bodily experiences that require deeper therapeutic work. Such conversations provide valuable human connection but do not substitute for the transformative work of therapy.
Debunking popular self-care myths
Self-care has become a ubiquitous mantra in recent years, widely promoted across various platforms. Yet, a significant portion of the prevailing discourse tends to romanticize this process, according to Jair Soares dos Santos. He points out a common misconception: the belief that self-care is inherently a consistently pleasant or effortless experience. In reality, genuine self-care frequently involves navigating considerable discomfort, demanding introspection into painful memories, confronting ingrained behavioral patterns, severing detrimental relationships, acknowledging personal self-deceptions, and establishing boundaries that can be emotionally challenging.
Another prevalent myth centers on the notion of absolute self-sufficiency in addressing emotional pain. Santos emphasizes that many deeply rooted emotional struggles are relational in origin, having emerged from interpersonal dynamics. Consequently, these pains cannot be fully processed or resolved in isolation. Professional guidance becomes indispensable when the mind’s own defense mechanisms prevent direct engagement with the core of the suffering, requiring expert intervention to navigate complex emotional landscapes.
Furthermore, there is a pervasive confusion between authentic self-care and mere escapism. “Avoiding what hurts is not care; it’s anesthesia,” Santos asserts, highlighting a critical distinction. The methodology of Generative Reprocessing Therapy (TRG), in contrast, advocates for a direct confrontation with the emotional imprints that have profoundly affected an individual’s system. This direct engagement allows the pain to be systematically reorganized and integrated, fostering genuine healing rather than temporary suppression.
True self-care, therefore, is an active, often challenging journey towards self-awareness and emotional regulation, requiring a commitment to confront internal discomfort and seek appropriate support when necessary.
Emotional narratives in the digital age
A striking phenomenon of contemporary culture is the conversion of personal emotional lives into public content. Heartfelt confessions transform into social media posts, and intimate narratives become viral videos. Jair Soares dos Santos notes that this trend often stems from emotion serving as a fundamental tool for identity construction. Individuals who have endured suffering frequently present themselves as survivors, while those who have overcome significant emotional challenges often adopt the persona of resilient warriors. The personal narrative, in this context, evolves into a public persona.
However, this public performance of emotion carries a distinct risk: the individual can become entrenched in the identity of their own wounds. Santos, an expert in the field, draws a clear distinction between expressing an emotion and remaining trapped within it. Merely verbalizing pain publicly does not automatically equate to its internal processing or resolution. He underscores that true healing originates not from external validation or audience engagement, but from a profound and intimate connection with one’s own inner self.
Deeper transformation versus superficial expression
The core distinction within the realm of mental health discourse lies between merely articulating pain and genuinely processing it. While talking about struggles can offer initial relief and validation, the depth of transformation required for true healing often transcends simple verbalization. This intricate process involves confronting, accepting, and ultimately reorganizing the emotional imprints that reside deeply within an individual’s psychological framework.
According to Jair Soares dos Santos, the danger of “emotional performance” becomes evident when individuals discuss their pain without truly engaging with its core. Engaging with pain means more than just narrating the experience; it involves accessing and transforming the underlying emotional and physical sensations that remain stored within the body’s memory and the emotional system. This crucial difference separates a momentary sharing from a sustained therapeutic effort.
Generative Reprocessing Therapy (TRG) emphasizes that while acknowledging and discussing one’s history is a vital first step, the therapeutic journey truly begins when individuals move beyond mere recounting. The method focuses on guiding patients to access the deep-seated emotional residues of their experiences, facilitating a process where these previously unprocessed elements can be re-evaluated and integrated. This deeper work is fundamental to achieving lasting change and genuine emotional liberation.
The therapeutic value of authentic engagement
Despite the prevalence of superficial discussions, the inherent human need for validation and witness is undeniably legitimate. No individual wishes to endure suffering in isolation. The fundamental challenge, as articulated by Jair Soares dos Santos, lies in shifting the source of this validation: from an external reliance on others to an internal process driven by one’s own emotional reorganization and healing.