How trauma memes are helping people process pain
REPORT
30 Sep 2021
How trauma memes are helping people process pain

With the stigma associated with discussing mental health on the decline, Gen Zers are finding a creative and emotional release in ‘trauma memes’. Viewing these videos and photos can be a reassuring experience for young internet users, but revealing dark secrets online is nothing to take lightly.

Christianna Silva

Christianna Silva is a tech and culture reporter at Mashable, where she predominately covers Facebook and Instagram. She was raised in a small town on the Southern Arizona border and now lives in Brooklyn with her cat, Colby Jack.

Amy Morin

Amy Morin is a psychotherapist and the editor-in-chief of Verywell Mind.

Casey Lewis

Casey Lewis is a writer and editor based in New York. She's the creator of After School, a daily Substack newsletter about youth culture, and previously founded a media agency focused on Gen Z. She has worked for New York Magazine, Teen Vogue, and MTV, and consults on youth culture for brands including Vice, Self, and Refinery29. She also considers herself to be an ‘unofficial’ teen magazine historian, documenting her findings on the Instagram account Thank You Atoosa.

Adrienne Matei

Adrienne Matei is a journalist for publications including the New York Times, Bon Appetit, Vanity Fair, The Globe, and The Guardian. She writes about the intersection of online and offline culture from Gen Zer Tik Tok trends to the digital afterlife.