May is the month for Mental Health and the Not Alone campaign marked the event with a discussion on ‘Following the Herd’ on Monday in Muscat.
‘Following the herd’, is a psychological phenomenon where individuals conform to the majority view within a group, bypassing personal judgment or distinctiveness. This tendency is driven by the natural inclination to be accepted and feel secure within a social context, according to HH Sayyida Basma al Said, a mental health advocate and founder of Not Alone.
It also touched upon self-confidence as the speakers narrated their personal stories.
When individuals consistently conform to group norms and suppress their unique thoughts and behaviors, it can lead to a decrease in self-esteem and personal identity, creating feelings of dissatisfaction and psychological distress.
Moreover, the pressures of conforming to perceived social standards on platforms like social media can exacerbate feelings of inadequacy or anxiety, especially among younger users who are highly sensitive to peer approval and belonging.
In extreme cases, this can contribute to mental health disorders such as depression or social anxiety, highlighting the critical need for awareness and interventions that encourage authentic self- expression and diverse social exposure.
The evening featured guest speakers sharing their stories, some of which they had never expressed before.
Shaika Jawaher Al Khalifa, an entrepreneur from Bahrain, spoke about her personal experience on the confidence she has built over the years which enabled her to manage and focus in many areas of development.
Mohannad al Hattab, a Syrian comedian raised in Dubai, has attracted hundreds of thousands of followers on various social media platforms. According to him, his primary aim is to offer light-hearted entertainment that brings joy, particularly in times of global tragedy, ensuring his channel remains a space solely for laughter. But in the current situation his subject turned to the Palestinian cause and he shared with the audience this personal journey.
Qusai Mansoor, a radio and TV presenter, who is also UNICEF's Oman child rights advocate, also spoke during the event.
According to experts, on social media, herd mentality shows up when people follow and share viral content, trending topics, or popular influencers. This often leads to a cycle where the same types of posts get more attention and likes, which encourages even more people to share them. This behavior helps create echo chambers, where users mostly see content that agrees with their views.
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