World Cup, Social Media and Mental Health: A Therapist’s Perspective

The World Cup may have ended, but many of the conversations surrounding it continue across social media. Major sporting events can create excitement, connection and a strong sense of community. They can also highlight the impact that social media can have on mental health, emotional regulation and the way we communicate with others online.

From a therapist’s perspective, the World Cup offers an interesting example of how quickly emotions can become amplified through social media.

The Positive Impact of Football on Mental Health

Football can have a positive impact on mental wellbeing. Supporting a team can create a sense of belonging, shared identity and connection with others. During the World Cup, people came together with friends, family members and wider communities to watch matches and celebrate memorable moments. For someone experiencing loneliness or isolation, having a shared interest can provide an important source of connection.

Sport can also encourage conversations, strengthen relationships and allow people to experience joy and excitement together.

How Social Media Can Intensify Emotions

The World Cup naturally created strong emotions, including hope, pride, frustration and disappointment. These feelings are a normal part of supporting a team.

However, social media can intensify those emotions.

After a difficult result, repeatedly reading angry posts, criticism and arguments may prevent disappointment from naturally passing. Instead, people can become caught in a cycle of scrolling, reacting and becoming increasingly frustrated.

This is sometimes described as emotional contagion. When we are repeatedly exposed to other people’s anger or anxiety online, it can begin to influence our own emotional state.

Taking a break from social media after an emotionally intense match can give the nervous system time to settle.

Online Abuse and the People Behind the Screen

One of the most concerning aspects of social media during major football tournaments is the level of criticism directed at players, referees and supporters. A person may be reduced to one mistake, one decision or one moment during a match. Behind every social media account, however, is a real person who may be affected by the words being written about them.

Online abuse can contribute to anxiety, shame, low self-esteem and emotional distress. Public figures may appear confident or resilient, but this does not mean they are unaffected by thousands of negative comments.

Before posting, it can be helpful to pause and ask:

“Would I say this directly to the person?”

Strong emotions are valid, but they do not always need to become immediate actions.

Teaching Children Healthy Online Behaviour

The World Cup also created opportunities for parents and carers to speak to children about emotional regulation, respect and responsible social media use. Children learn from the behaviour they see around them. When adults respond to defeat with hostility, personal criticism or online abuse, young people may begin to see this as a normal response to disappointment.

Instead, adults can model healthier ways of managing emotions by:

- acknowledging disappointment without attacking others

- stepping away before posting while angry

- discussing mistakes without dehumanising the person involved

- showing respect towards opposing teams and supporters

- reminding children that social media does not show the full story

These conversations can help young people develop healthier relationships with sport, social media and their own emotions.

Protecting Your Mental Wellbeing Online

Social media does not have to be entirely positive or entirely negative. What matters is how we use it and how it affects us personally. You may benefit from setting boundaries if you notice that football-related content is increasing your stress, anger or anxiety.

This could include muting certain accounts, avoiding comment sections, limiting scrolling after a match or choosing to discuss the result with someone offline instead.

It can also be helpful to notice how you feel before and after using social media. If you regularly leave an app feeling worse than when you opened it, this may be a sign that your online habits need adjusting.

What the World Cup Can Teach Us About Mental Health

The World Cup reminded us that sport can create powerful moments of connection, joy and belonging. It also showed how quickly disappointment and frustration can turn into conflict when emotions are expressed without pause or reflection. Looking after our mental health does not mean avoiding strong emotions. It means recognising what we feel, giving ourselves time to regulate and choosing how we respond.

At The Wellbeing Therapy Hut, we believe that understanding our emotions can help us communicate more compassionately, build healthier relationships and protect our mental wellbeing both online and offline.

If social media, anxiety, low self-esteem or emotional overwhelm are affecting your wellbeing, counselling can provide a safe and supportive space to explore what you are experiencing. The Wellbeing Therapy Hut offers affordable counselling for children, young people, adults, couples and families, both in person across Surrey and online.