Agreed, it would be safer for others.
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And reduce violence as well.
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Yep, I agree with that too.
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Bumping!
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Iāve never truly sought to use mental health issues in stories, just because they effect everyone differently. However my main character Blake in one of my wattpad stories, he has depression, the way he acts is in part taken from some of my own personal battle with it. The story is close to my heart as I started itās based on a lot of what I have been and still am dealing with. So although it may not live up to everyoneās expectations on depression etc it was this way for a reason, because to meā¦ thatās real, or was my real.
I do get sick of seeing people writing it into stories as a trend, or as an excuse to be an asshole. Itās neither. And like what was mentioned about the anxiety attacksā¦ people need to realise that these arenāt just the same as those moments that take your breath away, you have these characters supposedly having an anxiety attack, take 2 deep breaths and then off skipping along the rest of their day. The same way as when they see a hot guy and are like wow! They arenāt the same reaction.
My anxiety attacks wipe me the hell out. When I do manage to calm down, Iām usually so wiped out I just pass out, or am so weak I canāt even get up for a while. When I do, itās to go to the kitchen or bathroom and back and thatās about it.
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Did you report how the guy acted? Was it something he could be fired for if he made others uncomfortable?
The only story I used mental health issues in was my story The Girl Upstairs. My LI had an emotional impairment my mc went through some depression after a scary experience.
I dont believe anyoneās experience with a disability or depression has to be like anyone elseās. Everyone deals with it in their way, so Iām not really upset with how I portrayed it.
I havenāt really read any stories with people talking about disabilities, so I donāt know how they are usually in episode to know if they are portrayed poorly.
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I did report the guy. All they did was talk to him. I switched departments to get away from him but now I have to do half deli and half bakery. So I will be working with him again. The bad part is he is a nice guy but just has major anger management problems. Everyone likes him including the store manager and deli manager. If he does again when I have to work with him next then Iām going to make my thoughts on his temper clear to him. Iām not going to step back and take the verbal abuse anymore.
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I think itās wonderful that authors try to represent poor mental health however I always feel veryā¦ wrongly represented. Itās either extremely glorified, like the bad boy is depressed but that just makes him quirky, or itās just totally wrong. Iād love to read a story where the Mc or a big role has issues w mental health if it was correct. Itās honestly not too hard to look up either, thereās billions of sites that explain the feelings and signs of mental disorders. Iād also love to see more than just social anxiety, as mentioned earlier in the thread, Iād love to see panic attacks and ptsdā¦ Maybe other phobias as well? GAD? Eating disorders? Suicidal tendencies? Thereās so much to talk about but no one does. I love the idea of showing and explaining mental health issues in stories but the truth is itās always poorly done.
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Speak by J Miley
Anywayā¦Mental illnesses are poorly researched and therefore badly portrayed in most stories. Like, when the MC āhas anxietyā, yet never experiences any panic attacks or anything other than stress in tough situations? Everyone experiences stress, not only people with anxiety. Or the MC that āhas depressionā and it only mildly shows up when someone breaks up with her? Yes, a breakup can make mental illness feel worse, but at the same time a relationship wonāt make it go away 
Just donāt make the MC have a mental illness because she experiences stress/sadness/etc. in situations that would make anyone stressed/sad/etc. 
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Well, then they can have situational depression I guessā¦ I 100% understand where youāre coming from. But in a way, I disagree.
If someone gets depression from an event, that doesnāt mean their feelings matter less. They need help too.
There are people who commit suicide after they lose their job, or get dumped. Their feelings are strong too, even if it was after an event that others may think isnt that bad.
If a character gets dumped and they have effects of depression, call it depression. If she goes home and cries with her friend for a few days, call it sadness.
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If only we had a name for chemical depression as opposed to situational depressionā¦
Oh yeah, clinical depression and PTSD. They can both be called a depression and thatās generally accepted by health professionals, there shouldnāt be gatekeeping in mental health I agree
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I agree with you on this one as a break up can lead to really bad depression. You canāt expect someone to āmove onā or āget over him/herā as this can make things worse. Especially when they were happily in love with that person for a very long time. So yes, break ups can lead to really bad depression.
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If you read Stripped From Royalty by Sky Kovett, there is PTSD involved as the love interest suffers from it. You canāt blame him for being upset when someone brings up something like alcohol because it given him flashbacks of the trauma that happened to him and he also gets angry when he gets compared to the person that was supposed to be his parent.
Even though I find the story very entertaining, I like the fact that it did portray PTSD professionally without offending me as I also have this.
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Can I also say this: absence of a mental illness doesnāt automatically mean your mental health is fine. Just like with your body, you can have poor mental health even if you donāt have depression or anxiety or schizophrenia or something. Too much stress isnāt good for your mental health. Neither is pushing away all of your problems or making light of serious situations. People seem to forget that mental health isnāt binary or a yes or no question.
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These are the kinds of situations I was referring to. Not the situations in which a character actually has situational depression. Iām talking about the times when a character just whines for a bit and the author calls it depression
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Yeah I see it a lot in real life. When you tell someone about your medical diagnosis and theyāre like āmy boyfriend dumped me. I had depression too. You just kinda get over itā
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Honestly, I havenāt really seen mental illness in stories much. So, I canāt say whether mental health is represented in stories properly and correctly or not. Iād like to read a story with a character who has a mental illness, but I want the authors to show the mental illness correctly and respectfully.
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My anxiety/panic attacks exhaust me as well.
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Where is mental illness in Speak?
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The MC is mute and she has PTSD. She also has an eating disorder according to her therapist. Iām reading the LL version of the story so if you do read it, you will understand the story.
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