Public conversations about mental health have expanded rapidly, largely due to destigmatization and social media. While this has increased awareness, a parallel trend called “mindflation” is described.
Mindflation refers to the overextension of clinical psychological terms to describe everyday stress, conflict, or discomfort. Psychological language carries diagnostic and therapeutic weight.
Self-labeling or overuse of concepts such as trauma, gaslighting, or ADHD without clinical grounding can blur the line between normal human experience and mental disorder, reduce perceived agency, and foster misunderstanding. Especially when a lot of online mental health content is inaccurate.
Precision in language does not reduce compassion. It supports understanding, care, and meaningful pathways toward healing.
The image featured in this post is Travel (2023) by
@soogimi . The work explores surrendering body and mind to the present moment through movement, without attachment to place or outcome. Observed from a distance, the figure’s unrestrained motion reflects a state of openness, vulnerability, and presence.
@soogimi is a photographer based in Seoul and Berlin. Her work explores personal mental experiences and expands them toward a collective perspective, giving visibility to stories that are often marginalized or considered taboo.
What are your thoughts on the way mental health language is used today?
