Why do people post self-degrading statuses online?

[Deleted User]

We've all seen it before. "I hate myself", "he dumped me probably because im too ugly", "Note to self - stop being such a useless piece of shit." and so on. I remember one female friend had an argument with her boyfriend and started writing words such as "unlovable" in her physical diary.

Something I've never understood is why people post these statuses. I've done it before many years ago but don't know why. Is it an attempt to grab sympathy or attention? Do some people going through hard times notice other people posting such statuses and imitate their behaviour (social proof)? Is it a symptom of mental illness?

 

[The Catboy]

Fishing for compliments.

 

[notimp]

Fishing for compliments.

Essentially, yes.

https://www.theguardian.com/technol...-self-deprecation-is-taking-over-the-internet

edit:

This is the news item I was initially thinking of:
https://www.npr.org/sections/health...n-teens-cyberbully-themselves?t=1534050634215

 

[EddieEddie90]

I guess some people just don't know of any other way to grab someone's attention.

 

[qqq1]

Possibly fishing for compliments. As someone who has had depression more than half his life making myself feel bad at least lets me feel something.

 

[x65943]

It's kind of like cutting yourself. It's an outward manifestation of someone's state of hopelessness and a cry for help.

 

[Song of storms]

Some fish for compliments and some think it's a funny meme. As someone who's going through suicidal thoughts nearly every day, it's frustrating how these kids make depression a mockery.

 

[FAST6191]

[snip]and some think it's a funny meme [snip] it's frustrating how these kids make depression a mockery.

Self deprecation/mockery, and self degradation if we are to us the OP's term, do form the basis for a lot of humour, especially in Europe and the UK (former) commonwealth. Even ignoring parody it is far from absent in US comics, though there it is more reserved for the darker comics (go watch a set from Doug Stanhope, George Carlin or possibly Sam Kinison).

I would want greater context for some of the examples in the OP but many I can happily see be that without it. Some could be seeking some kind of affirmation, some could be a genuine expression of feelings and some could be some variation on the same thing that gives us the "humble brag" but I absolutely can not dismiss the humour element.