For many people across the UK, it feels like the rain simply hasn’t stopped. Day after day of grey skies, damp streets, cancelled plans, and reduced sunlight. At the time of writing, some parts of the country have experienced over 37 consecutive days of rainfall. Rain is not new to Britain. But the way we are experiencing it today feels different. To understand why, we need to look not just at the weather—but at how our relationship with social media and mental health has changed over the past decade. When Rain Was a Joke: UK Social Media in 2016 Back in 2016, British social media had a very distinct relationship with bad weather. Rainy days were turned into: * Light-hearted jokes * Relatable memes * Photos of tea, windows, and grey skies * Hashtags like #TypicalBritishWeather and #UKProblems Platforms like Twitter and Facebook were less performative and more communal. When it rained, people complained together. Humour softened discomfort, and shared experiences created a sense of belo...