Therapy experts are urging mindfulness as distressing videos flood social media feeds.

Many people know the feeling: you start scrolling on social media, look up and suddenly an hour has passed.

As videos capturing tense moments across Minnesota circulate widely online, mental health experts said it’s important to be mindful of what we consume and how often.

Graphic or emotionally-charged content has been flooding social media feeds in recent weeks, sending many users into a constant loop of distress and uncertainty as comments and opinions pour in.

Tai Mendenhall, a medical family therapist and professor at the University of Minnesota, said the emotional reactions many people are experiencing are normal.

“The anger, the sense of injustice, the not being able to turn your brain off at night, these are normal responses to an abnormal situation,” Mendenhall said.

He said constant exposure to negative or distressing content can take a toll on mental well-being.

“Constant exposure to negativity is going to certainly influence feeling helpless or feeling hopeless or feeling anger,” Mendenhall said. “I think that social media is a big culprit in that.”

Mendenhall said one of the biggest challenges people are facing right now is uncertainty.

“Ambiguity is hard,” he said. “Humans don’t deal with ambiguity very well.”

Without a clear timeline or sense of what comes next, he explained that emotional strain can build.

“Right now, it’s like running a marathon without any mile markers,” Mendenhall said.

Still, he says there are ways to pace yourself and protect your mental health. Experts recommend staying physically active, eating well and setting limits on social media and news consumption.

Mendenhall said it’s equally important to stay connected with others.

“People need people,” he said. “Talk with each other. Go meet your neighbor that you’ve lived next to for 20 years and don’t know their name. Go to wellness events.”

He also stressed the importance of giving yourself grace.

“If you’re struggling, that’s okay,” Mendenhall said. “It means you’re human.”

Community gathering events are being held across the Twin Cities, as mental health experts emphasize the importance of staying connected.

RELATED: DHS social media videos sparks concerns from legal experts in Minnesota

Minneapolis NAACP prayer gathering and healing circles
12 p.m. on the 7th of every month
North Minneapolis: 1101 W. Broadway
South Minneapolis: 4301 1st Ave. S.

Art Shanty Projects 2026
Location: Lake Harriet
Dates: Jan. 17 – Feb. 8, 2026
Time: Weekends, 10 a.m. – 4 p.m.

Light The Park – Kickoff to the 140th St. Paul Winter Carnival
Date: Thursday, Jan. 22
Time: 6 – 7 p.m.
Location: Rice Park

Here is a list of suicide prevention and mental health resources:

If you believe someone is at risk of suicide, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services suggests you:

Ask questions about whether the individual is having suicidal thoughts.Call the U.S. National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 988 or 1-800-273-TALK (8255).Seek help from a medical or mental health professional. If it is an emergency situation, take the person to a hospital.Remove any objects from a person’s home that could be potentially used in a suicide.Do not leave the person alone, if possible, until help is available.
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