How to Properly Vent on Social Media

Venting on social media isn't exactly easy. People aren't very fond of it either. It can be seen as toxic, rude, self-absorbed. But if you do it right, it can be seen as none of this. It will be seen as a very well-respected vent.

1. Don't Do It Often

Venting can be very overwhelming to some people, especially to those who may not experience the problems you are going through. Some people, who are assertive, may be overwhelmed and try to help you—and if they can't, they get an immense feeling of helplessness.

To avoid those feelings, what you must do is gain a sense of self-control, especially those who have depression, and this stuff never leaves their mind. I recommend maybe once every month. That could do the trick. But for some of us who may be depressed -- once every two weeks would be subtle enough as well.

When you do it a lot, it could be seen as toxic to your community on Facebook, unless you're in support groups that allow such vents to be present, and often. But if you're venting to the people around you, be sure you don't flood their feeds with your issues. Be respectful of their social media browsing.

2. A Respectful Introduction

The introduction to a social media vent should be short and simple. Assure your community that this was a last resort, and they don't have to look through it if they do not want to. Here's an example from a vent I had to make when my cousin passed away in September of 2019.

"Hey guys, I don't normally post this kind of stuff to Facebook, but this one I just have to post. If you don't want to read this, you don't have to. It's just a vent."

An introduction that clarifies that you care for the health of others whilst passing by your vent is important and more likely to draw support rather than disdain.

3. The Vent

The vent itself, you should follow the following rules:

• Refrain from profane language
• Refrain from bashing a specific individual. If the vent is about an altercation between an individual an yourself, be sure to make sure that the person involved is not demonized. Venting can be very blunt, brutal, and sometimes honest. However, that can sometimes be unavoidable.
• Refrain from arguing in the comments. I will cover more on this later.

4. Something You Learned

Venting usually is in regards to a a dramatic/traumatic ordeal that you have gone through. Usually in these types of situations, we learn what not to say or what could have been said. We learn things we could have done different and what not.

Explain to your audience how you feel the ordeal has affected you and how you would treat it differently. Be careful though, don't beat yourself up.

5. Some Advice for Others

After explaining what you potentially learned from your vent-worthy ordeal, go about telling others what they should do should they ever fall into the situation you were in, the situation which boiled on your mind that if they were to ever have to deal with what you did.

Don't tell them it's what they need to do, but it's what you would have done differently. This section of the vent should co-align with "something you learned."

6. Thanks For Listening

Always, always thank people at the end of your vent. They took the time to listen, you take the time to appreciate it. You tell them that you're very grateful to have people listen even if it's the last thing they wanted to do.

Gratitude is the best thing when it comes to sharing your thoughts with others during their social media scrolls.

7. Reacting to Comments

Okay, before you respond to anything... you let the vent sit for a bit and gather a reaction. Wait 10 minutes after each response to make sure it is the last one for a while before you do anything. You can do one of two things:

1. React kindly to each comment and engage in civil conversation.
2. Acknowledge that you have read their feedback with a simple reaction (i.e. Facebook reactions)

If you went with number two, you can then either go after one, or you can write a comment in mass response, for example:

"Thank you for listening, everyone. Thank you for words of advice in helping me through this. It really means a lot."

This concludes this article on how to properly vent to social media outlets in the wake of an ordeal.

Now, what's on your mind?