JMIR Publications

ABSTRACT

Background:

COVID-19 exacerbated global mental health challenges by limiting access to in-person social support. In response, many turned to digital platforms, particularly social media, to maintain connection and find wellness support. While digital environments pose risks to mental health, they can also offer protective, identity-affirming, and community-driven benefits. This study explores #RadicalPermission, a social media-based wellness initiative launched during the pandemic that invited participants to write and share "permission slips"—affirmative declarations of intentions—to promote personal and collective well-being. Grounded in a mutual aid model, Radical Permission expands upon the self-permission practice popularized by Brené Brown, emphasizing an individual’s capacity to improve wellbeing and mental health.

Objective:

Using content analysis of #RadicalPermisison tweets, this study identifies key self-permission domains employed by users to cope and relate to the pandemic and broader social contexts, including socio-political unrest.

Methods:

Publicly available tweets containing “#RadicalPermission” from June 29, 2020, to December 31, 2022, were retrieved through X’s API. This study employed an exploratory thematic content analysis approach, which allows for interpretation and categorization of textual data. Using academictwitterR, relevant tweets were identified based on a priori criteria. Tweets were thematically analyzed in MAXQDA using inductive methods. The codebook was developed with process and in vivo coding. Multiple coders validated the codes; discrepancies were resolved collaboratively. Categories were refined into subthemes and themes. Researchers employed peer debriefing, an audit trail, and analytic memos. Researcher bias was minimized through regular team review and systematic documentation of all analytic decisions.

Results:

A total of 829 tweets met criteria. All tweets collected responded to the study prompt (i.e., what do you give yourself permission to do today?). Three hundred seventy-three unique X users completed these tweets. The number of tweets completed by each user ranged from 1 to 34, with an average of 2.25 tweets per user and a median of 1 tweet per user. From analysis, eight primary themes (with 32 subthemes) emerged: permission to accept the external, permission to move towards, permission to ‘be’, permission to accept one’s limitations, permission to set limits, permission to immerse, permission to rest, relax, recharge or release, and permission to self-tend. Frequencies of these eight primary themes were identified. A ninth theme, Permission Slips as Responses to Socio-Historical Events, was observed and elucidated, revealing how #RadicalPermission users applied self-permission to relate to socio-historical events (e.g., COVID-19, U.S. Mass Shootings, U.S. Supreme Court overturning Roe v. Wade).

Conclusions:

Together, these categories demonstrate the utility of #RadicalPermission for both individuals and online communities. This study indicates that online communities frequently support well-being during crises. Radical Permission may have varied applications across individuals and communities, both offline and online, and is worthy of further examination.