Latest news with #Bellefleur
Yahoo
17-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Why Parents Should Pay Attention to the ‘I Grieve Different' Trend on TikTok
A recent social media trend that spun out of a 2022 Kendrick Lamar song has taken on a new meaning. In recent weeks, a viral trend known as 'I Grieve Different' has taken hold across platforms like TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube. The phrase comes from Kendrick Lamar's 2022 song United in Grief , where the artist explores personal loss and emotional pain. But on social media, it's taken on a life of its own, in some ways far removed from its original meaning. Young people are using the phrase 'I Grieve Different' to share stylized videos about body issues, loss, personal trauma, mental health struggles, or future concerns. These clips usually feature moody music, dramatic captions, and the message that their way of grieving is unique or misunderstood. While some posts are sincere, others blur the line between genuine emotional expression and being performative. For those who are still figuring out how to process these emotions, participating in or consuming these videos can reinforce the idea that grief is something to be aestheticized for attention or social validation. How This Trend Impacts Teens A registered dietitian recently took to TikTok to express concern over how teen girls are using this trend to subtly showcase disordered eating behaviors. She says she's seen five or six videos of young girls saying things like: 'I'm so healthy,' 'I eat very clean,' and 'I exercise everyday.' 'And then the 'I grieve different' part is them saying things like: 'I don't have a period,' 'I have extremely low bone density,' 'I have to get iron transfusions,' and 'my hair is falling out,'' she calls out. Experts like Monique Bellefleur, LMHC, warn that although the 'I Grieve Different' TikTok trend can seem like it allows people to be candid about the darker sides of self-growth or accomplishment, these disclosures are framed in a 'funny,' easily digestible way that is made for user engagement and not reflection. 'The problem is that eating disorders and other mental health struggles deserve deeper discussion and consideration than a TikTok trend can offer,' Bellefleur explains. 'For example, the framework allows people to normalize and make light of serious eating disorder symptoms such as amenorrhea (loss of period), hair loss, malnourishment, or dehydration. What these videos rarely mention is that eating disorders can be fatal–and that there is help available. Recovery from an eating disorder is possible.' Bellefleur goes on to explain that social media is influential for teens because it offers a lot of stimuli for the brain to take in quickly, and it's natural for our brains to start internalizing the messages we are constantly exposed to. Adolescents are already navigating intense social comparison, and platforms like TikTok or Instagram magnify this by serving up endless stimuli about gym routines, diets, and beauty regimens. 'I have worked with many adolescent clients who get trapped in cycles of harmful comparison on social media,' she recalls. 'They start to believe that this is how they 'should' look or eat, and they begin to feel bad when their bodies or diets don't match. What social media doesn't show is whether that image is edited, what that person might be sacrificing to achieve their 'perfect' body, or how their obsession with a high-protein diet is affecting their mental health. Lara Zibarras, Psychologist and Eating Disorder Recovery Coach, agrees, adding that the trend celebrates wins that come with a 'small sacrifice'. 'On the surface, that might seem harmless, but when the so-called sacrifices are mental health issues, hair loss, missed periods, or disordered eating, it's no longer funny,' she says. 'Teens may scroll past these posts thinking, 'same,' without realizing how serious the behaviors actually are. It makes illness seem normal or even aspirational, which then blurs the line between concern and casualness.' She adds that the real impact of social media for teens is that it's tied to identity. 'Teens are figuring out who they are, and TikTok offers instant community, but sadly also the pressure to fit in. I've had clients tell me they didn't realize they had disordered eating because 'everyone else online was doing the same thing.' What Can Parents Do? Dr. Zibarras advises parents to pay attention to changes in their kids' eating habits, like avoiding foods they used to enjoy, skipping meals, pushing food around the plate, or not wanting to eat with the family. 'The most helpful thing parents can do is keep conversations open," she says. "Don't lecture! Instead ask how they're feeling, what they're seeing online, and whether anything is making them feel anxious about food or their body. Curiosity and connection will go much further than criticism.' Bellefleur suggests encouraging children to be critical of the media they consume by asking questions like: 'Is this lifestyle realistic?' 'Am I seeing the whole picture?' 'How does this content make me feel?' Malika Closson, M.D, Double Board Certified Adult & Child and Adolescent Psychiatrist, Consulting Psychiatrist for Freespira, thinks it's most important for parents to maintain open lines of communication. 'Staying informed about social media trends and creating an environment where there can be open discussion about these trends is important,' she recommends. She also says look for warning signs of mental health issues by asking the following: Does my child seem more isolated or withdrawn than usual? Are there big changes in their sleeping habits? Are they less interested in things they used to enjoy? Are their grades declining or have they been having other issues in school? It's Not All Doom and Gloom Despite the concern, Dr. Closson, highlights some positives about the trend. In her opinion, the 'I grieve different' trend is rooted in an attempt to feel less isolated and establish common ground with other young people by sharing experiences or emotions that tend to be universal. She notes that the desire to fit in and be accepted is not problematic in itself; what can become problematic is when there is an over-reliance on sharing via social media, versus getting the necessary help. 'It originated as a way for young people to share instances where something good on the surface can also have a downside, which is a universal theme that all of us encounter in life,' she says. For example, there's a TikTok of a teen celebrating being on summer break, but then shares the downside of having to work a full time job. Another young person shares their excitement over meeting a potential new love interest, only to reveal their anxiety about being vulnerable with someone else. 'These are things that many of us experience but might not necessarily share,' Dr. Closson continues. 'By sharing, it creates a sense in others that they are not alone, and also highlights the fact that many positive things in life can also have a negative side." Read the original article on Parents Solve the daily Crossword
Global News
06-07-2025
- General
- Global News
Lac-Megantic marks 12th anniversary as calls for improved rail safety mount
As citizens of Lac-Mégantic, Que., marked the 12th anniversary of a rail disaster that killed 47 people when a runaway train derailed and smashed into downtown, an advocate warned that more needs to be done to ensure rail safety. On Sunday, the town lowered flags to half-mast, laid flowers and organized a moment of silence to commemorate the July 6, 2013, tragedy. Officials also asked that the rail company not run trains through the area out of respect for the victims. But spokesman for a citizens' rail safety group believes not enough has been done to ensure the town's some 6,000 residents are safe from future disasters. Robert Bellefleur says trains have become longer and heavier, while a long-promised bypass to divert them from the city's core has not been built. Story continues below advertisement 'Before, trains were about 80 wagons long on average…trains are now more than 200 wagons, are more than 15,000 feet long with big locomotives that often weigh more than 150 tonnes,' said Bellefleur, who is a spokesman for a group of citizens who are working ensure better rail safety in Lac-Mégantic These 'monster' trains are travelling on rails lines built between 1880 and 1920 'for trains that were much lighter and much smaller,' Bellefleur said. Get breaking National news For news impacting Canada and around the world, sign up for breaking news alerts delivered directly to you when they happen. Sign up for breaking National newsletter Sign Up By providing your email address, you have read and agree to Global News' Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy He believes trains are more dangerous now than at the start of the 2000s, and 'it's not just Lac-Mégantic that's at risk.' 2:30 Trudeau announces Lac-Megantic rail bypass nearly 5 years after deadly train accident In recent months, he said citizens have noticed wear and erosion around railway culverts near the town's entrance, which is 'nothing to reassure citizens,' Bellefleur said. The Canadian Pacific Kansas City railway sent workers to the site, he said. Story continues below advertisement In a statement, CPKC said the tracks are in good shape and well-maintained. 'The rail line running through Lac-Mégantic is safe for rail operations, as confirmed by numerous regular inspections, including one carried out on Saturday,' said company spokesperson André Hannoush in an email. The 2013 derailment and fire destroyed much of the downtown core, forced about 2,000 people to evacuate their homes and spilled some six million litres of crude oil into the environment. The disaster happened when the brakes failed on a train parked in nearby Nantes and it barrelled down a slope and exploded in the heart of town. In 2018, the federal and provincial governments committed to joint funding for a rail bypass to send trains around Lac-Mégantic's downtown. While land expropriations took place in 2023, the Canadian Transportation Agency has yet to greenlight construction and has requested additional information on the project's environmental impacts. Some citizens in Lac-Mégantic and neighbouring communities have also become opposed to the bypass, citing concern with the route, cost and potential damage to wetlands and water supplies. Transport Minister Chrystia Freeland issued a statement on Sunday marking the anniversary, and saluting the courage of 'an entire community that, year after year, continues to rebuild itself with dignity and resilience.' She said the bypass was one of her priorities, and promised to work with the communities until it's completed. Story continues below advertisement Bellefleur, for his part, said Freeland is the sixth federal transport minister to make such promises. 'In that time, the years go by,' he said.
