Bloggers and Mental Health

XxMCRxBabyxX

I've read yet another story about "a known name" suffering from anxiety and I've realised that I just don't believe anyone anymore, which is having the opposite effect to what is needed. I don't know if it is over-exposure or stories that just aren't believable but if I'm feeling this way then I'm sure that others are too. It's not good for the public awareness of actual mental health issues.

Note: I've seen a lot of mental health issues in my life between myself, friends and family. I know how bad they can be. I don't like the fact that I now feel this way

retro:electro

Vogue?

XxMCRxBabyxX

Miriam O'Callaghan's daughter so "known" is probably an exaggeration. She could genuinely be suffering so I feel terrible for not believing her but it feels like mental health problems, anxiety in particular, seem to be the "in thing" ATM. I don't know where the middle ground is though. If someone is genuinely suffering they shouldn't be afraid to admit it.

allym

XxMCRxBabyxX wrote: »

Miriam O'Callaghan's daughter so "known" is probably an exaggeration. She could genuinely be suffering so I feel terrible for not believing her but it feels like mental health problems, anxiety in particular, seem to be the "in thing" ATM. I don't know where the middle ground is though. If someone is genuinely suffering they shouldn't be afraid to admit it.

I agree it's a really fine line. On one hand the more people talk about it the better and lessens the stigma about mental health in general. But definitely at the minute anxiety is seen as a bit of a "in" thing which then leads to some people not taking it seriously.

As someone said here before (I think) someone who is worried about something in particular may be anxious but they don't have anxiety. Much like you can be extremely down about a situation but that doesn't equate to depression in the medical sense of the word.

So yeah it's a fine line really!

ratmouse

It's lunchtime on mental health awareness day and not a mention of this from any of the bloggers except Doireann Garrighy. They mention it when it suits them.

Sunny Dayz

I've heard a few mention it, well not physically talk about it but sharing a picture on facebook or instragram and mentioning that it's world mental health day and a few supports (Samaritans, pieta house).

Lead

I've seen quite a few snap it today and in inista stories.

Ray37

I wish that when someone with a large audience speaks out about their mental health, that they do it properly. Having a bad day doesn't make you depressed. Nor does a series of bad days. Being nervous about something doesn't make you suffer from anxiety. It's counteractive to self diagnose yourself and then shout it to the world. Ireland is becoming very American in the sense that 'anxiety' is being used too often to describe a feeling of discomfort. Before anyone lays into me, I have a history of anxiety and OCD, and I hate seeing either of these disorders misrepresented. It's very damaging, and it's very much becoming the 'in' thing for some reason. I've seen it be used to silence people discussing a certain blogger before, and people need to learn that it's not an excuse for crappy behaviour. I really think when it is discussed it is done with careful thought.

fg1406

I find there is a certain form of fatigue to hearing about the mental health issues of the well off, snapchat-famous, beautiful, successful bloggers. I left a job due to mental health issues about 12 years ago and relocated to a different part of the country. I was on anti depressants for most of my late teens and college. I suffered a breakdown in college and spent a year using the local mental health services day service and I had a relapse last year and spent 2 weeks out of work and I'm still having CBT to help me get myself back on track. But when I hear some bloggers (and I'm using that term very loosely) complain about anxiety next to a picture of their beautiful bodies and knowing how wealthy / successful they are, I'm sorry, it does not help people like me. It doesn't make my struggle any easier. It doesn't make it any easier for me to try access the services I need (which still takes €€€ and a lot of hoop jumping). And using mental health as an excuse not to be answerable for your actions on social media is just laughable, if it wasn't so insulting.

via4

Yes all I'm seeing is how they can't go anywhere & be with people they don't know or can barely leave there house according to them but they are always traveling to different countries & always at events it's head scratching stuff

Ray37

I just feel so strongly that there is a responsibility to talk about mental health in the right way.... It's all well and good saying you suffer from x and y, but if you are going to go down that route, I think you need to be careful. I'd love to be hearing the real nitty gritty stuff, posting an inspiring quote doesnt really cut it here. I'd like to hear these people sharing how they overcame their darkest times, and what they do today to keep themselves in a good place. Did they go to therapy, try CBT? Take up exercise, or change their diet? I think delving in a little deeper would really help their followers, especially the younger ones who may be in the grips of some issues that they havent quite worked out yet. People are always saying lets end the stigma around these things, and I think this can only be done by getting stuck in and being super honest about how tough life with these conditions can be.

sashafierce

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SusieBlue

sashafierce wrote: »

This post has been deleted.

Did you see someone commented on the page saying Boards is way worse and we hide behind usernames?
That page is poisonous, the level of nastiness and how personal they get is like nothing I've seen before.

idunno78

Ya I saw that! It might get the odd post that is bad here but nothing on the level it ca get there. Apparently there were some very bad posts there over the wend about Suzanne I think. Haven't a clue what was said but it must have been bad! The newer post about Suzanne got deleted to!

It stays generally ok here amongst the regular posters sometimes when randomer post that's when it might go skew ways! Didn't the girl that said that post here once or twice trying to stir? Or at least mentioned boards on her snapchat?

Tho I think something might have been posted in the #ad thread? I don't know was it's new posts being deleted or old ones! I assume new ones because i never saw anything of the stuff in admin post being posted before!?

qxtasybe1nwfh2

WhiteRoses wrote: »

Did you see someone commented on the page saying Boards is way worse and we hide behind usernames?
That page is poisonous, the level of nastiness and how personal they get is like nothing I've seen before.

Yeah like does it really matter if it’s your real name or username, poison is poison.

I think sometimes though influencers don’t even want to see constructive criticism. Positives vibes only and all that. Which is irritating considering they make their money from public opinions and a lot of money at that. Not everyone has to agree with them.

SusieBlue

idunno78 wrote: »

Tho I think something might have been posted in the #ad thread? I don't know was it's new posts being deleted or old ones! I assume new ones because i never saw anything of the stuff in admin post being posted before!?

It was old ones, a lot of my posts from last week were removed.

sashafierce

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Sunny Dayz

sashafierce wrote: »

This post has been deleted.

What I seen was written about her sister and I agree it was an awful thing to say about someone. The Jackson sisters wouldn't be my cup of tea but nobody deserves to have nasty things like that said.

sashafierce

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Siobhnk

What was said about the Jacksons? I had to laugh when I saw the comment from the admin saying here was way worse. I'm sorry, but every post that is put up on that page has to go through an admin. It's obvious when something is allowed be posted just to stir. I know things can get a bit heated here, but to be fair it's natural/human nature. But the difference between here and there, is that the mods here are quite fair, and enforce the rules efficiently. The last thing they want to do is stir :P

SusieBlue

Siobhnk wrote: »

What was said about the Jacksons? I had to laugh when I saw the comment from the admin saying here was way worse. I'm sorry, but every post that is put up on that page has to go through an admin. It's obvious when something is allowed be posted just to stir. I know things can get a bit heated here, but to be fair it's natural/human nature. But the difference between here and there, is that the mods here are quite fair, and enforce the rules efficiently. The last thing they want to do is stir :P

I think I must have missed what was said about them as well, but it must have been awful to say Suzanne was upset by it. She's very thick skinned and wouldn't be one to get upset easily.

qxtasybe1nwfh2

WhiteRoses wrote: »

I think I must have missed what was said about them as well, but it must have been awful to say Suzanne was upset by it. She's very thick skinned and wouldn't be one to get upset easily.

I think I missed it too. If it was to do with her sisters, that could be why it touched a nerve. She seems very protective of her family.

silvervixen84

mod

Gentle nudge - please don't post what was posted about SJ on the Galz That Snap Facebook page. If it's as bad as you say, we definitely don't need it polluting our thread.

As you were!

Siobhnk

silvervixen84 wrote: »

mod

Gentle nudge - please don't post what was posted about SJ on the Galz That Snap Facebook page. If it's as bad as you say, we definitely don't need it polluting our thread.

As you were!

Sorry mod- curiosity got the better of me!

njs030

Did anyone see the post muf put up on instagram about mental health on mental health day? It's the third pic on her instagram.
Just wondering if that's her in the pic? I'm presuming it is but it looks nothing like any other photo I've ever seen of her so I'm not entirely sure.

Ray37

Yes, defo her. I think it is probably an old photo, as it looks nothing like the current ones she puts up.

njs030

Ray37 wrote: »

Yes, defo her. I think it is probably an old photo, as it looks nothing like the current ones she puts up.

Ah maybe that's it. She has so many different looks that even in side by side photos on instagram her face is different shapes and lengths but it's like a different person there!
Thanks

ratmouse

I kid you not, Holly Carpenter spoke on her Instastory of how her white Halloween wig didn't suit her and how she was going to go with wearing the wig as a ponytail as it was causing her.....wait for it..... anxiety!!

wirelessdude01

ratmouse wrote:

I kid you not, Holly Carpenter spoke on her Instastory of how her white Halloween wig didn't suit her and how she was going to go with wearing the wig as a ponytail as it was causing her.....wait for it..... anxiety!!

Tut tut tut. Such rubbish.

retro:electro

ratmouse wrote: »

I kid you not, Holly Carpenter spoke on her Instastory of how her white Halloween wig didn't suit her and how she was going to go with wearing the wig as a ponytail as it was causing her.....wait for it..... anxiety!!

#sobrave

This is the exact watering down and trivialising I was on about in the op!

ratmouse

anna080 wrote: »

#sobrave

This is the exact watering down and trivialising I was on about in the op!

It actually made me feel so angry when I heard her say that.

fg1406

anna080 wrote: »

#sobrave

This is the exact watering down and trivialising I was on about in the op!

Was she using the term flippantly (as In a first world problems scenario) or really stating it is causing her anxiety? Either way it doesn't help. I'd forgive her more for the former, she wasn't aware of how crippling anxiety actually is (I spent 2 days out of work last week for instance).

Mugatuu

She is so far removed from reality if that is causing her anxiety.

retro:electro

fg1406 wrote: »

Was she using the term flippantly (as In a first world problems scenario) or really stating it is causing her anxiety? Either way it doesn't help. I'd forgive her more for the former, she wasn't aware of how crippling anxiety actually is (I spent 2 days out of work last week for instance).

She has said she suffers from anxiety in the past so I'm not sure. She is that vain she was probably serious.

ratmouse

Well she had several posts about the issue with the white wig that it possibly was causing anxiety

Deer

The only mental health issue most of these people suffer is narcissism !

Sunny Dayz

Apologies if I'm ignorant and don't understand anxiety correctly, but how can wearing a wig for Halloween cause anxiety. And if it does cause you distress, why do you continue with it, take photos of it and post multiple photos of yourself wearing it on social media?

RhubarbCrumble

Rosemary Mac Cabe seems to be having a bit of a mini meltdown today.

https://www.instagram.com/p/BcdXw6Ah51n/?taken-by=rosemarymaccabe

wyrn

RhubarbCrumble wrote: »

Rosemary Mac Cabe seems to be having a bit of a mini meltdown today.

https://www.instagram.com/p/BcdXw6Ah51n/?taken-by=rosemarymaccabe

Actually feel very sorry for her. I know the feeling - sort of going through something similar myself. I don't always agree with her but fair play to her for putting that out there. Far too many bloggers fake it by being all love, light, peace and harmony. Then there are those that claim to have anxiety in post and an hour later are grand which makes me very dubious. Anyway wish her the best of luck.

retro:electro

Meh.

njs030

anna080 wrote: »

Meh.

Shhhh don't say anything...

GavMan

Sounds like a dose of perspective is whats needed.

She should try life being homeless, dying from a terminal illness, living in a war torn country, living in famine and disease, living in persecution for things utterly beyond your control like your race, sexuality, gender, etc. Her problems are few and far between.

The level of self-absorption required to put a post like that out there is genuinely unbelievable given the world we live in. If your issues in life are that you're struggling to get a career going as a PT, you used to work at the Irish Times and people used to know who you were then let me tell you there a literally 1 billion people on this planet who would trade places with you without so much as having to think about it.

Christ on a crutch...

retro:electro

I look forward to her article next week where she discloses how being a personal trainer was the best thing she ever did for her mental health.

LizT

I feel for her but I don’t think she’s doing herself any favours by posting stuff like that to her social media. Kinda a vicious cycle because the reaction she gets to posts like that wouldn’t do anyone’s mental health any good. Which she should know by now.

Loughc

anna080 wrote: »

Meh.

Can Anna have her own forum. I would subscribe to that immediately!

noaddedsugar

LizT wrote: »

I feel for her but I don’t think she’s doing herself any favours by posting stuff like that to her social media. Kinda a vicious cycle because the reaction she gets to posts like that wouldn’t do anyone’s mental health any good. Which she should know by now.

I feel for her too. Depression is an illness. She has spoken many times about she has been diagnosed with depression. It doesn't matter how good your life is, how many people have it worse, depression doesn't discriminate.

It seems to me if a blogger says I have depression/anxiety but still works through it people here mock them saying how they can't possibly be unwell because they are working through it. Yet if a blogger says I have depression/anxiety so I am signing off social media for a while they are also mocked, told that people have it worse than they do why are they depressed, etc. The only way to 'win' seems to be to hide it altogether. Perhaps society isn't as accepting of mental illness as it would like to think.