Cuidar e adoecer: O trabalho de psicólogas clínicas e a presença nas redes sociais

Abstract

This research aims to examine content published on social media by clinical psychologists, focusing on tensions related to visibility, productivity logic, and the effects on these professionals’ mental health. It is based on the idea that work occupies a central place in social life and seeks to understand how presence on digital platforms has reorganized professional daily life, work experiences, and the subjective effects associated with this process. This is a qualitative study based on a netnographic approach, in which the production of empirical materials was carried out through the analysis of posts and their respective comments on social media platforms such as Instagram, YouTube, and TikTok, recorded in a field diary. The theoretical framework is Social Psychology of Work. As results, four thematic categories were developed, addressing the professionals’ relationship with digital presence; the effects of this type of demand on their daily lives and mental health; the ethical conflicts involved; and the resistance strategies used to cope with the situations experienced. Social media platforms are understood as spaces marked by conflicts, where demands for presence, engagement, and self-management are identified, intensifying and expanding the time dedicated to professional activities. Feelings of tiredness, guilt, and comparison with other professionals appear as effects of this movement, understood in this study as related to structural processes and not merely as an individual issue. The research reinforces the importance of critically reflecting on the use of these platforms, promoting mental health and ethics in clinical practice in a digital context that increasingly shapes interactions and social relationships.