WE'VE all seen it. Your friend puts a huge cry for attention out on Facebook, writing that they've "had the worst day ever" on a very public status.

But the flurry of concerned comment are met by a cryptic reply: "I'll PM you".

7 Sadfishing it when celebrities use their emotional problems to hook people on social media Credit: Instagram

7 Ordinary people are guilty of it too, but it's not helpful to suggest someone has to be miserable to get likes Credit: Instagram

This toxic trend has been around for decades but not we finally have a name for it - sadfishing, coined by the Metro.

When the above scenario plays out, it can be hard to know how to respond.

Is your mate attention seeking, or has something horrible happened?

Should you message and ask what's happened, or do you need to respect their privacy?

7 Kendall Jenner came under fire after teasing her 'raw and personal' announcement earlier this month Credit: Instagram

7 It turned out to be a new deal she had signed with Proactiv acne cream Credit: Instagram

According to the Metro's definition, sadfishing is when someone uses their emotional problems to hook an audience on social media.

They often deliberately hold certain details back, in order to entice their followers in or, in some cases, make the problem seem bigger than it really is.

If you're an ordinary lass, it could get you a few extra likes or much needed texts on a down day.

If you're a celeb or influencer, the rewards in terms of likes, comments and new followers - and ultimately money through sponsored posts - could be huge.

7 Vicky Pattison and Binky Felstead have both been reaching out with sad statuses this year, following their break-ups Credit: Instagram

7 While Olivia Attwood's 'cuddle me' could also be seen as a cry for help Credit: Instagram

Earlier this month, Kendall Jenner came under fire for teasing a "raw and personal announcement", only to reveal that she had been signed for a campaign with acne brand Proactiv.

Although she says the skin condition has been "debilitating", and given her anxiety, the way the new job was teased seems to be done deliberately to drum up publicity.

While Vicky Pattison and Binky Felstead have both been reaching out to their respective online communities since going through break-ups last year.

Posts thanking their fans and friends for support during "dark times" can net tens of thousands of likes.

An expert's opinion Psychologist Jo Hemmings reveals how sadfishing can turn harmful: Sadfishing seem to have evolved from the humblebrag. That modest or self-deprecating post which although couched in seeming humility, is designed to impress and show off. We’ve all seen them on social media and we’ve all seen through them. So along comes something which is much harder to ignore or criticise. Sadfishing posts are more likely to touch you, draw empathy from you or even resonate with you. But they can also be quite enigmatic, purposefully lacking a full explanation, drawing out our need to know more, show support or just acknowledge in some way. But while it may in some cases be a cathartic process for the person who posts their sadness, it is actually increasingly likely to be another attention seeking device, like the humblebrag, to get likes or followers, but in a way that is more inclined to elicit a reassuring, supportive response. Sadfishing – even the fact that it now has a term we can use – means that people will become increasingly cynical about it, confused about what is genuine and what is not. And so the legitimate cries for help, those that are truly reaching out with mental health issues, will just get lost in a toxic maze of those that have jumped on another, short-lived, popularity wagon. And that’s not a healthy place for any of us to be.

We live in an age where people are increasingly open about their struggles - which is both a positive and negative of social media.

There's no good to be gained from suffering in silence - especially when it comes to mental health issues.

But it is also potentially harmful to suggest you need to be sad in order to seek validation.

Us Brits aren't very good at celebrating our achievements - it's normally seen as showing off.

Loved-up couples are viewed as smug, your holiday photos make your mates jealous, and those end of year shots raving about how great 2018 was were met with more than a few eye rolls.

7 Chloe Sims also posted about her family's 'sad news' just before Christmas Credit: Instagram

The problem with sadfishing is it's adding an incentive to misery, while the pics are often still a glossy representation of sadness.

In an age where social media is seen as increasingly important, teens need their friends to celebrate their achievements just as much as being there when they're down.

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