GRIEF AND LOSS IN THE DIGITAL AGE

In the current digital age, it can be difficult to keep up with growing aspects of technological

advances. There are ongoing conversations about risks and benefits of one advancement in

particular: social media. One important aspect of this conversation needs to be the impact of social media for people navigating grief and loss. Depending on a person’s individual

experience, there may be a variety of positives to interacting with social media. There may also be negatives associated with having a more public experience of grief. By exploring some of the realities of both ends of the pro/con continuum, we can better understand how we might navigate grief and loss in the digital age.

Instant Exposure to Grief: Many people may login to a social media account and be exposed to grief whether it be someone they know, someone their friends/family know, or someone in society (e.g. public figures, celebrities). Pros to this fast sharing of information are that you can be informed about a loss and be connected to others who may have similar experiences of grief.

A con of this instant exposure is that there may be a lack of personalized support with learning about a death, especially if it is a loss close to you. There has been a significant shift in receiving a phone call to inform you about someone’s death versus finding out on social media.

Mourning that Has Become Public: In the past, people generally mourned in private. Social

media platforms have provided more public spaces for people to mourn. This can be a powerful positive when it can act to normalize grief and loss and help people to feel less alone in their journeys. A potential negative is that social media might increase your exposure to mourning that is not entirely connected to your experiences. A similar conversation is the reality that if you are too connected to headlines in a 24-hour news cycle, then you might find an increase of stress in your life. With social media, you may find that your “algorithm” connects you with stories of grief and loss that may be quite distant from you but connect with you on some level.

This has risks and benefits to consider that are unique to an individual’s circumstances including their history of grief and loss, their mental health, their support system, etc.

Sharing of Memories: Social media can be a space where it is easy for people to communicate and share memories of those who have died. A potential benefit of using these platforms to share memories is that it can allow people to continue remembering their loved ones and keep

their memories alive. A potential risk of this use of social media is the addictive nature of

constantly wanting to keep up with memories shared on platforms, which can have a significant impact on the journey of processing grief and loss. It is important to be aware of time spent on social media and reflecting on whether it is helping or harming your experiences with grief.

By considering a few aspects of social media, it is clear the topic of grief and loss in the digital age is already complex. “Digital grief” will become even more complex in coming years as technology continues to advance.

Submitted by: Walking Through Grief Society

Funded by FCSS; City of Lloydminster, Towns of Vermilion and Wainwright, Village of Kitscoty, and County of Vermilion River.