Therapist and certified coach RaQuel Hopkins is sparking conversation with a viral Instagram video urging people to rethink how they handle emotions online.
In a thought-provoking clip, Hopkins critiques the modern tendency to project emotions outward—often using social media as a battleground—rather than processing them internally.
“So somewhere along the way, we have stopped seeing emotions as something to feel,” she says in the video. “Emotions aren’t evidence. They’re not justification. And they’re not a pass to manipulate the world around you.”
Hopkins argues that feelings of discomfort, sadness, or anger are increasingly being “weaponized” to silence or control others.
She points out that labeling someone as “toxic” or “unsafe” simply for challenging one’s perspective may be a sign of avoidance rather than true emotional resilience.
“If your peace depends on people treating you just right, then you don’t have peace,” she states. “If your worth depends on validation, then you don’t have self-trust.”
Her message has resonated widely, with many praising her call for self-awareness in an era of reactionary online discourse.
Others, however, have pushed back, arguing that speaking out against harm is necessary.
The video has, nonetheless, ignited a larger discussion about emotional accountability and the difference between feeling emotions and using them as weapons.
