Online Trends Romanticism Of Mental Illnesses - 2013 Words

Lucy Rock English 100 - R. Tasaka 10/28/2014 Online Trends: Romanticism of Mental Illnesses From a young age I had been aware that certain people weren’t happy with who they were. I had a specific person in my life that sometimes hurt herself in order to feel better. Even though the problem was recognized, depression or self harm wasn’t something people in my life openly talked about. So I grew into my early teen years believing that any sign of mental illnesses was something that should be hidden. I saw it as a secret that couldn’t be discussed with anyone and definitely not revealed. I spent a majority of my adolescence on my computer, joining new sites and meeting different people. For the most part, it was a very positive influence. I’ve been exposed to certain things that have largely affected the goals I have for the future. It’s connected me to all parts of the world and allowed me to gather hobbies that I never would have had found if it weren’t for the sites I spent my time on. So many positive aspects emerged from my many hours online but like most things, it had it’s drawbacks. I was quickly exposed to blogs that promoted self-harm, suicide, depression, and self-loathing. What later came as a shock to me, was how other people on the site viewed them. Most of the websites I went on had begun to grow in size and people were starting to share their personal lives or stories, which sometimes included a struggle with mental illness. Some people were part of support