Physical Sciences and Mathematics Commons^™

Covid-19 And Mental Health/Substance Use Disorders On Reddit: A Longitudinal Study, Amanuel Alambo, Swati Padhee, Tanvi Banerjee, Krishnaprasad Thirunarayan

Computer Science and Engineering Faculty Publications

COVID-19 pandemic has adversely and disproportionately impacted people suffering from mental health issues and substance use problems. This has been exacerbated by social isolation during the pandemic and the social stigma associated with mental health and substance use disorders, making people reluctant to share their struggles and seek help. Due to the anonymity and privacy they provide, social media emerged as a convenient medium for people to share their experiences about their day to day struggles. Reddit is a well-recognized social media platform that provides focused and structured forums called subreddits, that users subscribe to and discuss their experiences with …