TW: SELF-HARM
Hey there, Little Leaves...
Today's topic is going to be a bit more serious than the other's.
There are some things you see online that stay with you long after you close the app.
Recently, an incident involving Perez Hilton circulated online after he harmed himself during a TikTok Live before police arrived and he was taken to the hospital.Seeing something like that is difficult to process. It can bring up a lot of emotions—sadness, anger, confusion, fear, or even memories of things you have experienced yourself.
I think it's important that we talk about it.
Not because someone's lowest moment should become entertainment. Not because we need to dissect what happened. But because there are real people behind all these screens, and sometimes those people are hurting far more than anyone realizes.
Self-harm is not attention seeking
One of the most damaging thing we can do when someone is struggling is immediately assume they are just 'looking for attention'.
Sometimes a person who is hurting desperately wants someone to notice, but wanting someone to notice that you are not okay is not the same thing wanting attention for the sake of attention.
There is a difference between saying, "look at me," and saying, "please realize that I am hurting."
Nobody ever knows what someone is carrying.
A person can laugh with their friends, go to work or school, post on social media, answer texts, and still be struggling internally.
This is why I wish we could approach these conversations with more compassion and less judgement.
When a crisis happens online
Social media has changed the way we experience other people's lives. Sometimes we are no longer hearing about someone's crisis afterward. We are watching it unfold in real time.
That is an incredibly difficult responsibility for platforms, viewers, and everyone involved.
A person experiencing a mental health crisis should not become a spectacle. Their pain should not become content for people to share, repost, comment on, or argue about. If you ever encounter something like this online, you don't have to become the person responsible for fixing it yourself. You can report the content. You can contact emergency services if appropriate. You can step away from the screen.
Most importantly, you can remember that you are a human being too. You are allowed to protect your own mental health while still caring about someone else's.
If you are struggling
If you have ever struggled with self-harm, I want you to hear this without judgement:
You are not disgusting, you are not broken, you are not a burden, and you do not have to be at your absolute worst before you deserve help.
Please tell someone you trust what is happening. A parent, guardian, counselor, teacher, doctor, friend, or another safe person can help you take the next step.
You don't have to explain everything perfectly. Sometimes all you can say is, "I'm not okay, and I need someone to stay with me."
That is enough to start a conversation, and if someone tells you that they are struggling, please don't make them feel ashamed for telling you. You don't need to have the perfect words. You don't need to solve their entire life. Sometimes, being willing to listen is one of the most important things you can offer.
We need more conversations, not more shame
I don't think conversations about self-harm should be hidden away because they make us uncomfortable, but I also don't think someone's suffering should become something we consume.
There is a middle ground.
We can talk about mental health honestly without glorifying harmful behavior. We can acknowledge that self-harm exists without describing or demonstrating it. We can encourage people to seek help without making them feel weak for needing it, and we can remind people that their worst moment does not have to define their entire story.
If you are struggling right now, please don't wait until you think your pain is 'bad enough' to reach out. You deserve support before you reach that point. If you've never struggled with self-harm yourself, I hope you'll remember this the next time someone tells you that they're hurting:
Believe them. Listen to them. Don't shame them.
You never know how much courage it took for them to say, "I need help."
Sometimes compassion is the first step toward helping someone believe that they can keep going.
You've reached the end, sorry this post was so long!
Also, Little Leaves, if you're reading this and you feel like you have nobody to turn to, please send me an anonymous message! All of my social media links are on the home screen of my website, and I'm on them everyday, so please don't feel like you're alone! I'm a great listener, and I've been through all of it. I can do my best to help!
One more thing..
Any and all negative comments about Perez Hilton will be deleted!
Thank you, Little Leaves, and have an amazing weekend!
— Autumn
Add comment
Comments