@article{DewitzAckermann, author = {Dewitz, Leyla and Ackermann, Judith}, title = {Anxiety-Related Content on Instagram and Twitter: A Mixed Methods Analysis of Mental Health Communication and Information Sharing}, address = {Potsdam}, doi = {10.34678/opus4-3220}, url = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:kobv:525-32201}, pages = {1 -- 28}, abstract = {Approximately four percent of the world's population suffers from anxiety disorders. This makes anxiety disorders one of the most common mental illnesses and a significant global health concern. As social media is a primary source of health information and communication, this study aims at investigating how the hashtag \#anxiety is used on Twitter and Instagram. The hashtag \#anxiety was chosen because it is commonly used by the social media community to post or tweet about anxiety disorders, such as social anxiety, thus providing broad access to the data. We followed a quantitative approach and gathered open data from December 24th, 2019 to January 1st, 2020. Furthermore, we used a qualitative content analysis to detect topics and patterns within the data. Coding focused on identifying goals, motivations, and feelings concerning anxiety (disorders) and information sharing. Findings show that content and appearance of posts are strongly shaped by characteristics of the platforms. Additionally, the results unveil that both platforms serve as mediua for sharing information regarding mental health matters, such as personal experiences, challenges, and coping strategies, thereby cultivating a sense of community and support among users dealing with comparable issues. Twitter predominantly functions for real-time updates, in-situ interactions, and emergency communication, while Instagram's visual nature appears to offer a venue for creative expression through images and captions, illuminating the emotional and personal narratives of mental health journeys.}, subject = {Psychische Gesundheit}, language = {en} }