I'm so glad you posted this video because I've privately been concerned about you over sharing for quite a while now. It's definitely great to reach out to others and share your experiences because not only is this beneficial to your audience and wider society, it's also been an outlet for you to lift a weight from your chest. I think you definitely do need to set yourself some boundaries, however because your friend was spot on when they described reaching out to a vast sea of strangers in brief moments as being like empty calories. I think so much of your brand revolves around your mental health, which is good in many ways but I have felt at times that you do romanticise your mental health. Young people nowadays are acutely aware of mental illnesses but I think that a problem that is being caused by the overload of information and personal experiences that we have now, young people are misinterpreting normal levels of anxiety, stress, loneliness, feeling out of place, low states of mind, etc as being clinical anxiety, depression, OCD, etc. I know so many people who say they have this and that, but they are under 25 and haven't even made an appointment to speak to a doctor or a councillor. There's also a really worrying trend, especially on sites like Tumblr, where people think having some sort of mental illness fits in with a particular aesthetic, and they are deluding themselves by exaggerating their personal struggles. Don't get me wrong, it's amazing how open more people are about mental health in 2017. You speak so eloquently about your own experiences, Dodie, and you articulate your answers beautifully (your Instagram posts in particular are great). Like I said, I just think you and many other vloggers need to set boundaries for yourselves. It's always best to chat to a friend first before impulsively pouring your heart out online where you can end up dramatising your struggles and effectively make your situation worse than it already is. Keep talking about mental health, keep sharing, just make sure you know how much you want to share and give a thought to how other people could be impacted by your words. (Before anyone starts, I'm not 'hating' or anything here, I'm just giving my honest opinion). Love you, Dodie. x


we all believe in you . we love you dodie <333


I feel like my mood did get worse from watching this video, but not cause of what they were saying. It was because I realized everything I was suppressing.. love you Dodie thanks for just existing tbh ❤


Don't usually comment online, but thought I'd just add my two cents to the discussion.
First off, I'd like to say that I'm very impressed with this community and how respectful many of them are. I've seen lots of people online tear each other apart over differing opinions, but from what I've read so far, everyone's offered solid points and counterpoints whilst maintaining a sense of decency. But anyways:
1. I think an important question is if, as a creator, one has an implicit responsibility to their audience. So much of what you say is available to and influences a large population of people, so should that audience cause you to filter what you post/share? Its a question I don't think has an absolutely "correct" answer, but should be considered nonetheless.
2. The "branding" of the channel as connected to mental health issues. Would "trigger warnings"and knowledge of the type of material you post be sufficient reason to post without any filters? (Just as an example, I have an allergic reaction to peanuts, but I can't really get mad at a company for one of their food products giving me allergies if said peanuts are listed as an ingredient in the food labeling. If anything, I'd be mad at myself for not paying attention to the warning. If, however, a product contained peanuts but they were not listed in the ingredients label, that would be sufficient cause to file a complaint against a company.)
3. Definitely attempt to share with friends/family about what you're going through more. I know the feeling of not wanting to burden someone with your own troubles, but honestly, it probably also hurts them to see you so down. Its a fine line between being upfront about what's happening in your life and being unduly open, but knowing the difference can be critical for healthy relationships.
4. PHYSICAL HEALTH.The brain and everything you mentally feel is oftentimes directly connected to how physically healthy you are (diet, sleep, etc.), and while feeling good physically definitely won't solve all your problems, I find that it often goes a long way in making progress towards a healthier mind a lot easier.
And if Dodie ever reads this, I'd just like to thank you for making an effort (and succeeding, to a large extent) to be a positive force of good in this world. You've made a massive amount of people (those who suffer from mental health and otherwise) feel like they're not alone, both through the work you post and through this community that you've created. Cheers to a better tomorrow.


I kinda love how she shares how she feels. Because I have no one to talk to. Even when I'm at my lowest it helps me. And I know for some people it's not helpful but for me it is. Idk.


It's all a process :) find out what's best for you. It's nice to hear the things in my head out loud and remember I'm not alone and that those thoughts are not me, it's the crazy


This video came at an oddly specific time for me. I've been in a serious committed monogamous relationship for two years and I am the "clingy" girlfriend. I am not controlling or manipulative but I am clingy in the sense that because my boyfriend has hobbies, friends and an enjoyable life I felt that I didn't need to, that I could bicuriously live through him. I have bipolar disorder so I often feel alienated and alone no matter how often I talk to people about it so I stop living life all together sometimes. Spending days at home doing absolutely nothing when there is people I could call to go hang out with, even when my boyfriend is busy. In my head I convinced myself that people only like me for him but that's not true at all. There is definitely a line of I wouldn't say oversharing, for me personally, but a level of suffocating for the people around me. It's good for me to get my feelings out there but it's not healthy when it's a constant. I had a fight with a friend over this. I was going through a very sad period of two years where I could no longer continue pointless educations courses but no one would hire me for work. I felt alone knowing I had nothing to talk about but my internal sadness and nowhere to go. It got to the point where it was all I could talk about. I'm now self aware that though I love my boyfriend, I can't sit at home when he is busy waiting for him to get back. I think we are the same in the sense we talk too much about our mental health because we feel so alienated compared to others, completely forgetting that everyone has a level of problems we don't fully understand. I don't think you should stop talking about it completely but I definitely think you need to tone it down. When we're sad we often disregard other's feelings because we're so sad ourselves. Next time you want to tweet about it, think, "is this benefitting anyone or am I selfishly blurting out my feelings so I can get empty validation from others?" I love your content, Dodie, and I'm glad you've come to this conclusion in this video :)


I've really thought hard about this and I think the part I find problematic is that the audience knows you have an audience.  Yes it's important to bring mental health issues to light because so many people suffer silently or behind closed doors.  But those that don't still might not have anyone that reaches out.  Even if someone doesn't want to be silent there may be no one around to witness the pain, or no one that reaches out.  Odds are that you get a high supportive messages because you have a large audience.  But everyone in audience knows that they won't get that same level of support because that network just isn't there.


I really what to thank you for opening my mind and helping me understand mental illness better. I have been in low places before but your snaps were making me question how I feel. So I did have to stop watching and really quickly click through your snaps. I do thank you for your response you just posted.


we never want you to feel as if you're going through this alone dodie, but if you'd be uncomfortable watching it and if you're uncomfortable sharing it then i think leave it. whatever you feel is right we'll be here !


I agree that it seems like a cry for help without actually dealing with the problem but I love your honest blogs about your mental state and I hope you don't stop making them!


Thank you so much for sharing. I'm a beginner YouTuber (I currently have four videos) and I really want to talk about my mental health as a way to, like you said, raise awareness and fight the stigma and as another way to express what's going on?? Anyways, I just wanted to say that your video was really helpful for me and I'll be keeping it in mind when filming my own mental health journey-thing.


Thank you sooooo much for making this video! ❤


dodie, I watched your snapchat about how the responses are completely varied and I agree but I just wanted to say, you have helped me so much. I'm 13 and I've had anxiety as long as I can remember but it was only recognised when I was about 10 or 11, you've helped me put things into perspective and understand that it's okay to not be okay sometimes. As for the depression side of things I have watched your Snapchats and I now understand (even though I will never truly understand) what it must be to go through something like that and have even been able to learn from it. Thank you so much for always being here for me. Lots of love xx

(Also quick side note, I personally don't think that you're romanticising anxiety and depression and I think that you're just telling it how it is but if it helps other please don't share too much)


Your recent snap chat stories have calmed me down so much and what you talk about kind of makes me feel like I know what's going on. You've helped me through almost literally everything and I've learned so much from you. I understand for most people why it makes them feel uncomfortable and feel worried but I personally really appreciate it. I've had most of my friends feel depressed like this and they've asked for help but I've never really understood, now I know how they see it from their point of view and I really appreciate it cause now I feel like I could help them and I wanna let you know you're so important to me and you have a supportive audience that will understand how you've feeling but yes, sometimes there is a line of how much you should say because some people in your audience could have maybe just got out of a bad state and now are reminded of it but also it is a really big help to them too. We all love and respect you so much and only wish for you to be content feel ok (this probably sounds all messed up but I just wanted to make it clear that we support Dodie)  :)


im watching this video for the second time now and ive thought bout it a lot. honestly, it doesn't bother or affect me at all? on the contrary, i think the videos where u open op about specific details are really comforting for me. idk, just wanted to share because most of the comments state a different opinion


I think dodie should share as much as she feels comfortable. For me it really helps and I really appreciate those videos and snap chats.


I adore this video. I feel like this video was very much needed not only for you, Dodie, but for me and others in your audience. I really needed to hear everything that you guys talked about. The putting it on social media as a cry for help is something I absolutely connect with. When I'm low I want to talk to someone about it and I want someone to come and comfort me but I'm just so scared to directly go to someone and ask if I can talk in fear of being bothersome. On another topic, I don't want to say that I'm jealous (??) that you have someone like Hazel living with you who also struggles with mental illness because that just sounds so wrong, but I sort of am. I wish I had a person with me so that we could be in this pisshole together and that we can help each other when we're in this pit. I feel like I sound like an awful person saying that but it's true. This comment is a mess (as my comments on your videos usually are) but I just felt the need to say this. Videos like this are so so so important to me. Thank you. x


i've had to take a break from watching dodie's videos and i've even unfollowed her on social media because the amount of times she talks about her bad mental health online is, at least to me, overwhelming. i understand that talking to people is a way of feeling better but i feel like she'd do much better for herself if she talked to a friend or a professional, not a bunch of teenagers online who are for the most part very uneducated regarding mental health and are easily impacted by the topic. with dodie's audience being so young the whole idea about depression and anxiety is so easily engrained into their heads. i was going to go to her "you" tour in london in october but i decided not to for a number of reasons, one of which was because i don't want to be constantly talked to about how she wrote this song because she was depress and this song because she was depressed and this song and this song etc. personally i don't think i'll be watching dodie again for a while until stops constantly rambling about how horrible her life is and starts seeking help from the people she needs it from.


I think Hazel really has a good point about making videos on the topic when you feel better.<br>Zannah also has a point, about how no matter how much we love and support you, we can't give you what your friends can, because we only see a fraction of a fraction of your life.  Yes, you do indeed have a younger audience and they can be easily influenced by certain kinds of talk. I feel like oversharing details about your mental health has become an issue because it is easier to talk to a camera (based on what you say in the video) Sharing with your audience about how bad its been is easier to do than calling up a friend and talking about it. Mental health is a issue of HEALTH, reach out to your friends, maybe start a journal or an audio journal? record what you feel either when you feel it or can talk about it. You are kind of already using the videos where you have a mental health chats as a sort of video journal.  I hope you find an way to comfortably vent but still get the love and support you need.

I think Hazel really has a good point about making videos on the topic when you feel better.
Zannah also has a point, about how no matter how much we love and support you, we can't give you what your friends can, because we only see a fraction of a fraction of your life.  Yes, you do indeed have a younger audience and they can be easily influenced by certain kinds of talk. I feel like oversharing details about your mental health has become an issue because it is easier to talk to a camera (based on what you say in the video) Sharing with your audience about how bad its been is easier to do than calling up a friend and talking about it. Mental health is a issue of HEALTH, reach out to your friends, maybe start a journal or an audio journal? record what you feel either when you feel it or can talk about it. You are kind of already using the videos where you have a mental health chats as a sort of video journal.  I hope you find an way to comfortably vent but still get the love and support you need.


I've been watching your videos for more then 5 years now and a couple of years ago I told my sister to watch your videos because she loves music and I knew she'd like your music, also I thought you would be a good role model because of your confidence with sharing your music. Lately though, and it pains me to say it, I have been so concerned and worried that she will see your posts and they will alter her thoughts, or think its okay to feel the way you write about and you feel and it worries me because I'm scared she'll think that posting her feelings on line will be enough and she won't come to me, so yeah as a lot of people have said, I avoid your instagrams and snapchat and videos lately, and I'm sorry and I really hope you feel good more often, and i'm really sorry if this made you more sad, i swear I didn't mean to come off like that!


this seems like a really honest and healthy discussion. hope you both are feeling a little brighter soon.


I don't think you're oversharing, you talking about your mental health really helps me. It makes me realise I'm not alone and that it's okay to feel like shit sometimes. Thank you


I totally get the hesitation to watch/ read some of your content when I suspect it's gonna get very deep into mental health issues where I know it's gonna get explicit, but that is a personal choice and I understand it may help people. But, I do take real issue with how you both contextualise creativity with mental health, not only does it glamourise poor mental health in how it may dissuade people from seeking help for fear that they'll lose their creativity, it could also really isolate people who don't feel creatively driven when they're feeling low and can't reframe their ill health in a way that finds a positive like you can, thus causing them to feel worse about it. I really respect your speaking out about mental health and the action you've taken to try to destigmatize it,  and given how much you care about the issue I hope this is something you'll take into consideration when discussing it again.


I really appreciate this video. Makes you think about things and that. So yeah. Thanks for this :)

Yes it is. I dropped a like just for you're username

Yes it is. You are the best dodie fan I have yet to find

I was going to ask if your profile pic was dodie yellow, but then I saw your username and was like 'That is the best username EVER!'


this is actually so SO important to talk about though!! i love reading your instagrams and i don't watch your snaps but i think it's important to talk about mental health. however you should never sacrifice that mental health in order to be relatable for your audience! there's always a happy medium to find and i think even more recently you've been doing a lot better with finding that medium. hazel is right however - people that you actually know are going to give you far more validation than people on the internet who are often there only for their own validation purposes. i am proud of you for finding what you're comfortable with sharing and i'm ever so glad you are honest, but please don't think that i won't still b proud of you if you don't share as much. we're here to support you. please go get some real calories now :)


there's already so much happening here and i want to preface this by saying that i adore you dodie and i only want whats best. i think thats it impossible to discuss mental health on social media without romanticizing it slightly, because in a way your life seems like such a dream and to impressionable people, it might seem like to have the dream you need to fall into a bad state. however, your outlet is important. there's something so validating about watching number of views climb, and i understand how that can just feel like "x amount of people have listened to me. x amount of people are going through it with me" and sometimes i like to join in and watch but i also have a barrier where i can tell that i'm not in a stable enough place to watch. i worry that some people might not have that. maybe a strategy could be to film your whole rant on sc, but save them instead of posting them. then, when you're done, watch it back and see if its something you still want to share. see if there were things you said that you didnt mean, or things that even after 10 min you realize arent what you want to put into the world. (and hey, showing your rants to doctors could help them understand what you were feeling without having to actually explain it in an office, because i find that so difficult to do and end up leaving having convinced everyone nothings wrong) i love u so much and i wish u the best in everything.


It is a really complicated situation... i can understand how for you, it can make you feel better in Ye moment, because you're getting it all out there, people are listening to you and you can see that.

I love you SO much Doddie, and even though you don't know who I am, I feel like you're one of my closest friends... so when I say this I mean this with love in my heart. Putting things out there for the attention (which I love and I'm sure you do too) isn't good for the mental health things. There are much healthier ways to get through the bad times.
When you put it out there on Snapchat like that, it not only allows you to wallow in it, but it also allows others to jump in and wallow with you. And it all just turns out to be a big "poor me" festival.

Again Doddie, I mean this out of pure love and intention of helping you feel better ultimately, not just in the moment.

I have horrible anxiety, but I find the more I talk about myself, and excuse myself it gets much worse. I'm not saying shove it down pretend not to notice it. When I'm feeling an attack coming on, I sit down and I ask myself "am I okay?" "Am I I'm danger?" "I'm not in harms way, I am okay, I can do this. This feels horrible but I want to get better and this is how. So thank you brain for telling me there's a problem, but I'm okay"
See the thing with most mental illnesses, is, doing what it tells you to do makes it worse. Telling it to shut up, and bottling it up makes it worse. Doing the opposite of what it tells you is going to help. And if it's telling you to upload that snapvid then you probably shouldn't. If it's telling you to not call your friends and not bother them, then you probably should.

I love you Doddie and I love how you talk about your mental illness. But sometimes you have to keep things personal for your own sake.
I love you doddleloddle and I wish you the best🖤🖤🖤


Hi so I'm watching this so many years later and keep coming back to this video because of how REAL it it, little did I know that I've actually based my undergraduate Psychology dissertation on the whole chicken-egg-creativity-mental illness discussion. Scientifically, yes, creativity and mental illness are linked, because they are two branches of the same tree - a deviation from the norm. Be it a deviation from a 'normal' way of thinking (mental illness), or a deviation from the norm to be 'original' (creativity), they are two concepts that, although are entirely different, their ideals are so similar. So yes, it may be narrow minded to say that all creative minds are broken, and likewise that all broken minds are creative, but that is not what this video is saying in ANY way. It's asking questions about whether being creatively original comes from a place that balances on the edge of sanity and insanity, or whether having a poor psychological state opens the creative realm as an outlet and form of therapy. Either way, its fascinating and is a topic that shouldn't be branded as romanticising mental illness as a means to be creative, but rather one that should be embraced and discussed and used, whilst respecting and caring for those who delve too deep and are struggling.


dodie I really do love you, I adore you, you're an inspiration to me.

all those things is true, but, yes, I think you're oversharing. I'm not saying that talking about mental illness / feelings is bad, it's good! to help people who is fighting the same thing. buut still there's a line.

I, too sometimes posted too many sad things on my social media, I just realized that was stupid, because the case for me is I'm way too overreacting, and people doesn't even care about me, so for me it's complete useless.

but you on the other hand, you got a wide, large group of  young audience. like me (im 17). so not all of your audience is smart enough.

my friend once told me the same thing u said. " life's not worth living " blablabla, and i'm very angry to her. idk i do try to understand, but can you just be grateful? god gave you life, and you want to end it? just because your life is hard? everyone have problems, some are even harder than yours. everyone's life is hard, NOT JUST YOU. yOU are not alone.


I definitely appreciate how open you are but it definitely makes me worry sometimes. I'm the worst for reaching out to others as well but I think it does make us all upset to see you this way. Obviously it's all a part of life and I don't think it's something you can hide because it's just such a bit part of human existence and how you create the things you do but I think it can make a lot of viewers upset because we all care about you so so much and it hurts because we can't help you in the way that would be the best long term. I think there are always positives and negatives to these situations and social media and mental health together can be a tricky balance especially when you have an audience


since the comment section is extremely negative, i thought i'd add my comment: dodie, you turned my life around for the better. you helped me during my hospitalization to speak more openly and honestly about my mental illness. if people don't like your oversharing, can you make a new channel specifically for that? because i honestly find it very helpful to my own recovery to see someone be so open with their struggle. thank you so much, love you endlessly. xx

AND i'm doing a lot better now so if you ever want to chat about mental illness, don't ever feel like you are alone or are being shut down by the response to this video. feel free to hmu anytime on twitter. @courtxkendell


Here's my thoughts on it:

As someone who struggles with what I think may be depression and self harm, I like it when people who understand talk about it because it makes me feel not as lonely. I love to relate and to listen to the advise people give when they talk about it. I think it's great that you have an outlet. For you it may be social media but for me it's talking to a friend of mine, which I know has saved me from cutting a number of times. However, I belive there has to be a regulation, a line that indicated when it's too much. Maybe after filming a video you can wait and when you're in a better place/mood you can refelct about it. Is it gonna make me feel any better if I post this? Will it be good long term too? Do my audience want to see this? How does it affect them? After that I believe you'll be able to identify whether it is worth posting or not


I've 100% missed the mark of when she reads comments however, dodie if you see this: go to the notes app in your phone and write down all of your thoughts and things that you might normally share online.when you have a bit of perspective on those thoughts and emotions, share them. i think putting some distance between initial thought and sharing it to the world could really help you and us, your audience, so we all learn from it instead of getting raw emotions that could be triggering for those with mental help problems


This is an interesting discussion and I think my opinion and experience differs a bit from the majority (according to a lot of comments I've read)

I struggle with anxiety, it's not too severe but I have seen a gp and I am going to therapy. When I'm on snapchat, most of the time the ONLY story I look at is dodie's because everyone else's is full of the fun things that they're doing and it makes me feel shit. I personally find comfort in reading about mental illness, and watching/hearing other people talk about their own experiences.

I think updates like the treatments and appointments are good because they have educated me about mental illness a bit, and show viewers that there IS help. Maybe where it gets difficult is where some of the treatments don't work for dodie, and it leaves viewers feeling hopeless.

I personally don't think dodie's romanticising her mental illness but at the same time I don't have dpd or depression, so maybe I can only see it from the outside. I can understand how younger impressionable viewers can get a distorted view of mental illness because of dodie's content, but by no means should that lead to dodie stopping what she does. I find it so incredibly helpful to watch and read what dodie posts. Perhaps I'm just able to filter what is useful and what is not?

Maybe filtering out some of the content would help? And tredding more carefully...Writing a diary rather than snap chatting in the darkest moments? Reserving instagram captions for quick updates rather than longer more detailed entires, and putting warnings and disclaimers where possible to remind viewers that it is YOUR experience and if anyone is worried that they may be feeling the same they should try to seek help rather than self diagnosing?

I hope this is a useful addition to the discussion lol. I enjoy dodie's content, but perhaps that is because I don't have the mental illnesses she has, and maybe my anxiety leads to me preferring slightly more relatable content than very very filtered and 'rose tinted' posts from friends...


Just wondering Dodie, do you ever have dreams? I keep hearing from people under the most stress that they don't ever have any dreams. I'd ask my friend for instance how she slept and she would say fine like a rock, then I would ask "any dreams?" and she would always say no. I don't think that's always the case. It just seems like we don't focus enough on them. Maybe because we're afraid of what they show us. But I don't think they're anything to fear. Everyone keeps saying follow your dreams and what I try to focus on is how to follow them. It's hard because this isn't a science that's really widely explored anywhere because the results are highly subjective. But that's the beauty of it. <br>One of the things I love about this is how empowered I feel when I'm in a world of my own thoughts. In waking life I'm actually really timid but all the time my dreams are teaching me to have confidence in myself. It's possible that your subconscious may know something your waking mind doesn't. If you can learn what it's trying to tell you, maybe you'll feel a lot better. Best piece of advice if you're in a dreaming state, look around. You're essentially exploring a new place. Take in as much as you can. Everything you'll see is part of a lesson. You can then figure out what that is when you're awake. You'll start feeling so much better. It doesn't matter if it feels like you're in the dream for what feels like 3 days or 3 seconds. Every little thing you might see helps. It will take time but you'll be feeling better before you know it. :)

Just wondering Dodie, do you ever have dreams? I keep hearing from people under the most stress that they don't ever have any dreams. I'd ask my friend for instance how she slept and she would say fine like a rock, then I would ask "any dreams?" and she would always say no. I don't think that's always the case. It just seems like we don't focus enough on them. Maybe because we're afraid of what they show us. But I don't think they're anything to fear. Everyone keeps saying follow your dreams and what I try to focus on is how to follow them. It's hard because this isn't a science that's really widely explored anywhere because the results are highly subjective. But that's the beauty of it.
One of the things I love about this is how empowered I feel when I'm in a world of my own thoughts. In waking life I'm actually really timid but all the time my dreams are teaching me to have confidence in myself. It's possible that your subconscious may know something your waking mind doesn't. If you can learn what it's trying to tell you, maybe you'll feel a lot better. Best piece of advice if you're in a dreaming state, look around. You're essentially exploring a new place. Take in as much as you can. Everything you'll see is part of a lesson. You can then figure out what that is when you're awake. You'll start feeling so much better. It doesn't matter if it feels like you're in the dream for what feels like 3 days or 3 seconds. Every little thing you might see helps. It will take time but you'll be feeling better before you know it. :)


I always assumed that you did your snaps/instagram novels because they had a therapeutic effect on you.The way I saw it, I thought that just the fact of putting what you felt in words helped you through it, and that was why you did it. I have the incredible luck of never having had a serious mental ilness, so these are just things I'd assumed about how you are living through it.


I think perhaps it depends on who's watching and what kind of stage they are in. I've definitely been influenced by things that romanticised mental illness, like Tumblr, and I do think that it tanked me in a way I might not have if I hadn't fallen into that world as much, however I've never been good at expressing myself or my negative emotions and when I started watching Dodie I was in the worst place I've been in my life to date, I wasnr diagnosed because I didn't get help but I was in really really rough shape and hearing Dodie talk about her brain and depersonalization helped because someone was being open about it and it made me feel like there were answers even if hers wasn't the same as mine. I did self diagnose a little with that but the way she talked about depersonalization, like always being in a dream and not being able to really touch or feel anything was how I felt and hearing her talk about how she couldn't breathe past that either helped me talk to other people because I could share her videos and kind of talk about it through a third party. And now I've gotten a lot better through therapy and such and I still watch her videos and I don't relate in the same way becausw I'm not in the same headspace but I still really love watching someone express themself kind of fearlessly. But I could see that if maybe Dodie had of been the person I watch at 15 or 16 instead of 20 that perhaps I would be telling a different story, not to implicate any kind of blame, there is just a different kind of impressionability when we're that young and don't know what's going on.


i honestly love how the comments are genuine and not "FIRST" or "LIKE THIS COMMENT BLAH" and actually like are about the video and real. thank you guys

elizabethhh that's why I love her fanbase


My personal advice dodie, and I know this has helped me tremendously. Just face real life, the online community can only do so much. Be in contact, real contact with your friends and just try not to care. Just do what you aspire to do and that's all that matters. Pouring out your feelings on the internet will only get you so far. It will just keep you in a cycle and in a bubble of ' I can't talk to my friends so I will talk to a camera and then my video will be shared with random people who care about me' that's not truly intimate. Keep close to your real friends in real life. They will stick by you. Let them in and they'll let you in too


I saw your snapchat today, and I saw that you watched to the bone, I watched it yesterday and honestly it's the best thing I watched. Its so sad yet so funny yet so emotional. 💖


for some the sharing may be a lot, but as i sit here now with a wrenching feeling in my chest all i can think about is how lovely you are and some of the things you have said via your social media mental illness rants/chats. even in this video, for example, when talking about how people are too afraid to be a burden to reach out and how much easier it is to go to s.m. to talk about how you're feeling i can so relate. i realize that those thoughts i have should not be keeping me from opening up to someone i trust and love. so i think a happy medium is where it should be, as hazel said. it's so nice and reassuring to know that i'm not the only one who feels this way, but at the same time it must be so concerning to your friends.

idk what i'm saying anymore but dodie i love you thank you for everything you do i mean it. we love you so much you precious gem you.


It's a really interesting read going through these comments and I must admit it's got me thinking a lot about the topic at hand.

I feel that the videos/snapchats which are posted are very much raw and real and people need to understand that others with mental health will (usually) have more lows days then the average person and surely bringing this to light is surely a good thing?

I encourage my students to always keep open communication and reach out, if that means doing so in a youtube/snapchat/facebook way then I would like to encourage that, not dismiss it as too raw. There will be people that do get triggered by this and they can choose to not watch/follow but for many its a REAL eye opener as to what mental health is actually like.

However we SHOULD also be aware that as individuals we all deal with mental health differently and there will be many which don't wish to use social media for this, that is also completely fine and all I would hope for is that they are constantly seeking some form of support whether that be from a friend, family member or professional service (counselling).

Anyways thanks to you all for the comments, I've really enjoyed reading through people's thoughts/observations/experiences and I look forward to seeing how Dodie and other Youtubers work with this. Social media is never going to go away but we run the risk of people diagnosing themselves and using this to advertise it.

Simple outcome?......not likely.


Here's my opinion: While putting out raw and sometimes harsh descriptions of your mental health, you could potentially be scaring the younger portion of your audience. But personally, I really do appreciate it because I can see that I am not alone. Hell, i haven't gotten out of bed in a month because I just can't bring myself to see the point, but oddly I'll smile reading your posts about mental health because they make me realize even in a dark time that I'm not the only one dealing with something like this. So, while it may be a tad controversial, there are still people that appreciate them. While they're not all that great to post on a regular basis, sometimes it may help someone.


hey dodes! here's my two cents on the whole thing:
you definitely share a lot on social media. however, personally, it's helped me so much. i've struggled with a lot of the same things as you, and your videos and rants have helped me put those feelings into words. knowing that someone as successful and inspiring as u could still deal with this kind of stuff made me want better for myself. however, i understand why people wouldn't be okay with your "oversharing." i understand it can be very triggering to some people, and it has even been triggering to me at times. but whatever you decide to do, know that your words and art have helped people. it has helped me tremendously. maybe putting trigger warnings on videos could give ppl a heads up? i understand the want to share on social media for feedback, so i can't say "don't post abt ur mental health anymore !!" but of course, you are an influence.
love u ❤💝🍓


these kinds of vlogs you’re doing are so fukin relatable. i’m so grateful i found you. now i know and am very sure i’m not alone.


Okay so personally I am sooo grateful for having you talk about mental health in such detail because it helps me and other people a lot, but obviously there are other people who don't want to hear about it, what if you made another snapchat? So people that find it helpful could watch your stories on the other snapchat all about your mental health and the people that don't want to hear can watch the other one you just keep for fun and happy  things :)


I feel like to a certain point, it's natural and healthy to talk about mental health online when you have a large audience. It's important for young people to know that they are not alone and that it's not uncommon for people to struggle with mental illness. I really enjoy your videos where you talk about ways that you deal with your depression or talk about therapy, to me those videos feel very healthy and are proactive. However, your recent videos in which you film yourself in your low moods and talk about it in detail are a lot different to those other videos. I've seen a lot of young people, more than likely undiagnosed, say that they relate so much or that they don't know if what you're going through is exactly what they're going through and it can be extremely confusing to younger people who have never gotten a professional opinion. I feel that those videos are more for your personal coping and should be kept private, it's fine and normal to feel more comfortable talking to a camera and editing it and it is probably very therapeutic, but sharing these videos with the world, in my opinion, just doesn't help anyone, including yourself.
I agree with Hazel and Zannah about the Snapchat, it's just, way way way too much for such a large audience to consume. My suggestion would be to have another Snapchat for close friends so you could communicate how you were feeling at any time, but keep the graphicness of these feelings away from your audience and your brand.
I love your videos and you Dodie, you've been such an inspiration for me and I've always looked up to you and I hope this all doesn't sound harsh or angry. I just want you to be healthy and happy.


I have recently started to get anxiety from being indoors or being in steamy places. I practically have mini panic attacks and now I basically live outside 😂 you inspire me so much. I love you dodie ❤Mia


Got to get that 10 minute ad revenue great job Dodie you're playing the game


This video keeps getting more and more relatable and spot on.


This video seriously helped me I relate with what you were both saying about like why it's hard to get in touch with friends and stuff sometimes it's like I want support but I don't want pity? Idk it's confusing and frustrating for me but anyway I just wanted to say that I really appreciated this video💕


I love you dodie, you're music is great, you're super pretty, and you seem like a genuinely good person. But it sort of seems that depression has become your brand?? I don't know maybe it's just me, I'm really not trying to be rude but that's my thoughts. I love you and it's totally valid to feel this way but perhaps you should lean more on people in real life rather than the internet. Even if there are people on the internet that feel the same, I think it's healthier to get in touch with your friends and family. I love you dodes, I just wanted my opinion out there.


Dodie, I think that being honest online is very important, you're so genuine compared to other youtubers. I think you should upload wathever makes you feel better. People can choose what they want to watch or not. But I also think that it could be helpful to film a video and wait until you upload it, so you can realized if it will help you or not. I don't like that some people in the comments blame you for what you shared, when you were only asking for help and expressing yourself. They probably never went through that. What a lack of empathy. Anyway, I hope you feel better soon and I will still watch your videos, no matter what. Sorry for my english, I'm from Argentina. Bye! 👋🌹❤


There's something called a snowball effect. You used the anagram of a well. The snowball effect is where you think of one thing be it negative or positive and then it keeps going and getting bigger and bigger


Art is to console those who are broken by life. Van Gogh
•
I know I am late to the party to comment but... this quote is one of my favorite. It says so much but in very few words. I believe that we are all broken or and even crazy in our own way or another from life. Art can come from wonderful times in our lives too from the very worst. We are artist, we create from our feelings and our experiences. We create to make people feel! I love this quote so much because it points out how art is not just for ourselves but for the people around us, helps other people. Not always is the most of happy of ways because life is not always peachy. Even though I founded some of your more recent videos to hurt my heart a bit more. I find it even harder to stomach the idea that you might have to pull back that creativity and hide a bit... So please don't ever sugarcoat the way you feel just because the rest of us don't want to see it... the world is not perfect it can be very ugly. There is so much more I could say about art and artists and how we are broken but for now I will leave it at this. So many of us put on a happy face all the time and its nice to know we are not alone. Thank you Dodie♡


I know this wasn't your intention, but all your sad songs and mental health stories made me think that I had the same illnesses as you. I was going through some tough times (my parents relationship was falling apart), but I would cry myself asleep every night listening to your sad music, and watch your depersonalization video every single day and think I had it. I definitely don't have depersonalization, but I read back my diary from a year ago yesterday and I really thought I had it. I think it's really important to say that your diagnosis is really only for you, especially when a lot of your audience is very young! I watched you when I was 13-14, and I was very very very impressionable. Now, I've stopped watching you and I'm genuinely happier and I've realized that my brain is perfectly fine. I just have bad days. This sounds like I'm bashing you sorry lol. I'm just trying to be honest

y e s ! that's what I felt the couple of times I was vvv spacey and whenever I was fine i'd watch a dodie vid and feel all depersonalized. i thought I was being influenced too heavily and this caused me to loose touch with a bunch of my close friends because i thought I was loosing sight of me, but i wasnt. I feel important that Dodie can share these things with us, it shows that she's comfortable with her audience and that's gr8 and i love her for that - but she does it quite frequently?¿ and ofc we all love her and want her better, and its soso healthy to let it out occasionally to your audience, let them know how you're feeling bUt dodie has lots of friends that she's more comfortable with that she should talk to. whenever i met her, i took all of what she was feeling previously on her snapchat stories and i knew she was going to be sad after our meet and greet was over - that she was putting on her best fake smile and that made me feel like our encounter wasn't good, because there was nothing I could do to uplift her, i didnt matter- she was still gonna be unhappy. i still love her and I think it's great that she can be so open to her fans, but what you put out there sets a mood on us, i love dodie and her personality, if i was one of her close friends it'd be sososo great if she talked to me, but im not. i love her art and her creativity when it comes to expressing pain into work, it's beautiful. but i felt like she was influencing me as well with her unhappy videos like "im depressed" and when she said  something like "i would tell happy dodie stop" that made me vvv uncomfortable. she deserves to be happy, a lot but it's better to not share your pain with your viewers so much

Also, Dodie is doing nothing wrong, it's just that she's practically perfect, and when she talks about these mental illnesses, we all want to be like her, and relate.

Rose I really relate. So many of my friends think they have depression, but we're all just hormonal teens with mood swings! Once I stopped watching videos like this, and listening to depressing music, I realized how much everyone exaggerated their emotions. I do still think I might have social anxiety, but I'm much happier now! I stopped thinking that it was bringing me down, so it no longer does. Mental illnesses are really being romantasized with platforms like Tumblr, channels like Dodie's, and music like Twenty Øne Pilots. These things help a lot of people who actually <b>have</b> diagnosises, but it makes it seem like having depression and anxiety is a great way to get attention and support, and makes impressionable teens and preteens believe they have it.

Rose I really relate. So many of my friends think they have depression, but we're all just hormonal teens with mood swings! Once I stopped watching videos like this, and listening to depressing music, I realized how much everyone exaggerated their emotions. I do still think I might have social anxiety, but I'm much happier now! I stopped thinking that it was bringing me down, so it no longer does. Mental illnesses are really being romantasized with platforms like Tumblr, channels like Dodie's, and music like Twenty Øne Pilots. These things help a lot of people who actually *have* diagnosises, but it makes it seem like having depression and anxiety is a great way to get attention and support, and makes impressionable teens and preteens believe they have it.

Rose a lot of the problem is that younger people seem to WANT a mental illness, almost romanticising it, as though it makes you interesting and unique and cool. So many teens self-diagnose and go around saying/insisting they have BPD or depression or anxiety as if it's cute or sweet, as if sadness is romantic and beautiful. It's so incredibly toxic. Like, find me a single person on tumblr that doesn't say they have depression and anxiety.

I think kids need to be told by those they look up to that they can't give themselves a diagnosis, that they need to see a doctor and find out about what's going on from a professional rather than deciding "I get sad sometimes and I worry so I have depression and anxiety". Mental illness isn't cool or fun or cute or romantic. It's fucking HORRIBLE, and not something people should want.

Good for you for realising that you were just moulding yourself to fit a diagnosis and not continuing to insist that you're mentally ill. It's very frustrating to see kids do that.

Thank you for being brave enough to write this because I think this is becoming a big problem. It's absolutely great to discuss mental health and spread awareness, but I think influential people do need to think about how they approach the matter, and think about how their personal experiences can impact other people. I've been in your position, thinking someone was so relatable and that I definitely had this and that because what they went through was happening to me. I was deluding myself and now that I'm aware of it, I know I'm fine. Having depression, anxiety, OCD, etc - it almost seems trendy these days and that's because some young people DO treat it like a trend. It's deeply concerning. More and more impressionable young people are misinterpreting normal levels of stress, anxiety, low moments and they are lead to think 'omg I must have this', 'I must have that'. Unless someone goes to see a doctor and gets a true diagnostic, they'll never know. I think YouTubers in particular really need to start setting boundaries for themselves, and more people need to follow in Dodie's footsteps and address the problems of over sharing.

I literally relate to this entire comment i dont dislike dodie but i think its better for me to not watch her content anymore

yeah I was in the same situation when I watched her depersonalisation video I was convinced that I had it too (which I don't)

Rose this was hard to read, but I appreciate your honesty ☀

See, this is terrifying and exactly why you should be careful about what you share to a large audience of young people. I hope you comment gets a lot more likes so that she can see this. I love Doddie too, but her content is getting increasingly toxic.

Or maybe you watched it when you were sad because it helped and when you stopped being sad you didn't need it?

i felt that way only a few months ago, and im finally realizing how unhealthy that whole thing was. it really is true. when someone makes mental illness look so pretty, you want to be able to realte, live in that same warped reality? im not trying to belittle dodies mental health, but i think it's healthier for me to avoid her snaps and social media.

however. dont stop talking about mental health conpletely. it seems like some people can benefit from your geniune chats about it. idk man this is all confusing

yyyyyyes! this! this! this! I totally agree with this! - When I was younger (I'm 19 now) I was so so easily influenced by people online/in books and I loved everything that seemed 'cool' and 'awesome' and...sadly, mental health HAS become a trend. And when you're someone as amazing as Dodie and as beautiful and smart and kind as Dodie - it makes it seem like a good thing to have a mental illness - when it's actually not...I had a similar thing when I was younger with eating disorders, and how it was cool to not eat etc - when it wasn't, that wasn't healthy at all - but I completely agree with you, young people get influenced so easily - It's a similar thing to seeing adverts/mannequins of slim models etc, and then a young person walking by and thinking 'yeah that's what I'm MEANT to be like' which is nooot the case at all - I think that mental health issues may be turning into a similar thing :(


This helped me so much because recently I've been putting on Snapchat and Instagram that "I feel like shit, kinda wanna die lol" And I put lol at the end because I don't want people to be seriously concerned. This video brought me to the realization that I've been saying that because I want someone to ask me if I'm okay. Now instead of doing that I'm  going to reach out to my friends, so thanks for making this video.


Because of you and your favourite drink, I decided to drink a nice big mug of tea while watching this👏🏼


i fucking feel this so damn hard
i dump so much shit on everyone and honestly this is helping me realize that i do have friends that i can talk to instead of just wallowing
so
thanks guys


Love you two little birdies, I'm so happy you have each other ❤ really important and complex discussion. Idk some thoughts came to my mind about this situation that you and what seems like many online/public figures go through. First of all, it does a lot of good to the world that you are open about such important issues and talking about mental health in a honest way. You're helping people and opening important discussions like this one. And it must do you some good as well, as you said, you feel better after posting about it and you are clearly handling things much better than if you had not talked about this at all. Yet, I can't help but feel like it does some damage on your younger audience and your own mental health in the long run. It can't be healthy to take your own sickness "to work" and make so many videos off of it. Honestly, youtubers tend to slip into this horrible romantic relationship with their troubles, and sadly it can affect a lot of fragile viewers as well. I imagine you'll be associating the illness with the very core of your online career and the community around it, making your mental state something you keep on revisiting, never getting a break from it. It's very personal to go through dark feelings, and it must be very hard for you to handle it all in front of an audience :'(

Anyways... I should mention that I haven't watched all your stuff so I'm not up to date on what's going on with your snaps and instas or what ever. I'm not really wise enough to have any good answers and I'm rambling so don't take me too seriously lol

peace and love xx


Even if it is over sharing which I don't really think it is.. I still love it. I love that your real. You don't try to sugar coat life and put a filter on it. It makes me feel better knowing that there's somone else out there feeling the same thing. I will say that you may have over shared a few times but it's ok if you do at times. Its only human.


Dodie I think you maybe overshare but for me it really helps cause i feel i can relate and feel s ad together which is sometimes what i need to get out of it <3 Thank you so much


I don't know how you survive spending so much time on social media, but I personally find it helpful to listen to people actually talking about mental health, because it is so hard to be open about it that it's good to start discussions. But if it isn't helping you in the long term, talk to your friends about it like this and consider it a bit more. But thank you for being you and for considering your audience even when everything's so hard for you. Your friends are there for you, and so are we, but look after yourself


dodie I really think it's so admirable you making this video and discussing the oversharing opening the conversation. I have to say I agree with a few of the comments on here about the romanticising of mental health issues. I myself have had a complicated mental health past including depression, eating disorders and anxiety, my issues lead me to do some pretty god awful things and landed me in hospital a couple of times, I know consider myself to be recovered mainly from my eating disorder and able to function in a happy place in terms of my depression/anxiety, I still have bad days ofc but I worry when I see you snaps and videos bc I don't think it helps you or anyone else, when you're so ill you become absorbed in your illness it becomes your everything and it's hard to focus on anything else, it's a catch 22 bc your illness is everything it's in your head it's part of your life every day but when you start to put that out to the public it becomes even more your identity, the image of a 'healthy' you portray is then muddled in with your illness and people confuse the two if that makes sense, it's like the film the perks of being a wall flower where the depression and anxiety are make to look cool and edgy when they're not. I know that this is not at all your intention, I just think you need to be aware. For me part of being ill myself was I romanticised my own illness, now I'm 'recovered' especially from my eating disorder I still sometimes miss being really ill(I know how fucked up that sounds but my brain doesn't work right!) and I know if I'd have had put it out so publicly I would find it so hard to look back and not miss it even more if that makes sense, so I worry this is not only detrimental to young impressionable people but more importantly your own journey and recovery because unfortunately missing being ill is a whole part of mental illness and it fucking sucks! I hope this has no way offended you dodie, sending you all the love in the world, look after yourself xxxxxxx


I really like the way you share with us it feels like we are family and can help eachother and also I suffer from mental illness and hearing someone else talk about something like what you are going through is very refreshing and it reminds you that you aren't the only one going through this so I believe that your sharing can also help and not just affect people😊😊<br>Thanks dodie for being you😁

I really like the way you share with us it feels like we are family and can help eachother and also I suffer from mental illness and hearing someone else talk about something like what you are going through is very refreshing and it reminds you that you aren't the only one going through this so I believe that your sharing can also help and not just affect people😊😊
Thanks dodie for being you😁


I love your videos like this because I feel like (being a YouTuber myself and a person lol) that I can't share, I can never share how I feel with anyone. But idk this helps..


With makeup or without makeup, she's still and angel💕


Reading through these comments, the major themes of romanticization and the harm that results are all things I agree with. However, one thing I think has been neglected in these threads is the extent of tailoring to this image taking place. Dodie, I love your music and a majority of your content. You are a beautiful, kind person, and while I do believe that there is a part of you that genuinely wanted to help your audience, most of your phrasing and actions point to the purely selfish motivations. Even in this video, there are specific clips chosen to give an impression of just two friends chatting with some cute giggling interspersed. That clearly signals intimacy when even you say you don't view the camera as your audience- it's just a void to speak into. Highly edited versions of this can easily be pared down to the informative and positive and you can take the darker aspects and start dealing with them through healthy discussion in therapy or with friends rather than wallowing. So although some people argue that on social media you should do whatever you feel is right, it is important to remember that 1) social media is your job and 2) YouTube is just as edited and romanticized as those long Instagrams or vague Snapchat stories. You have an obligation as a content creator to be responsible for handling the portrayal of these issues. You have an obligation to yourself to begin focusing on addressing them productively so you can heal.


I think if you share when you are in the pits of depression or anxiety, you also need to share how you got out of the pit. That way you can really help people and help them see it is ok to have bad days but there are things you can do to make yourself better. It is in your control, and that it isn't some random thing that happens. I know sometimes you can't explain it, but please try .. I think that would really help your young audience. Thanks for sharing this ❤


i used to watch your snapchats all the time but for the last couple of months i just havent becuase it does bring up negative emotions. like lets say im doing really really well one day and i open up snapchat and you are feeling terrible, it affects my mood ???? idk if that makes sense. im glad now you are aware of the impact that your words have on your audience who are young (like me!!!!)
the awareness you bring for mental health issues are amazing but spewing unhealthy and extremely negative ideals when you are in a dark place to thousands of young impressionable kids isn't.
maybe this was too harsh ?? ive been watching you for about 4 years now and you are absolutely lovely and deserve only the best out of life.
good things are coming, they always are <33333

I know how that is. I'm a complete empath and whenever someone's in a bad mood I happen to get into that mindset as well. In fact, I have anxiety and that's where a lot of it comes from. It's so hard to see Dodie going thru this as I love her so much but I just can't watch her snaps as it puts me in a bad place. As she said it sucks that such wonderful minds have to go through this kinda stuff

StarryRingo I'm only 15 years old but I have dealt with depression, anxiety, and a personality disorder for years now and I'm concerned for Dodie because what she's doing is not only unhealthy for her but her fans also and she needs to realize this!

I've had the same experiences and I don't ever feel like I want to watch her snapchats anymore because of it. And the thing is, we don't have the power to be there for Dodie when she's feeling this way. Opening up to a friend allows for discussion and healing, but none of us are friends with her or can reach out to her in a way that will mend the problems. Instead, we're all just reading her diary and waiting for the next chapter to show up, having zero control over when its written and how graphic it can become. It's scary.

liya - ella very well said. I'm a bit older- in my early 20s- but I have a long mental health history and Doddie's content had become extremely triggering for me. I've had to unfollow her on all social media except YouTube. Ending mental health stigma is important, but that is NOT what she's doing here. She's, for lack of a better word, burdening an extremely young audience (many of whom are already mentally ill) with very adult and very personal issues. I've also been following Doddie for several years and it breaks my heart to say something negative, but I just hope that she is able to wake up and see that the "validation" and attention that she's getting here is not worth negatively impacting people who are so young that idolize her.

Karen Karen ahh thank youu! honestly i find it so hard to find someone who agrees with me because i feel like everyone gets blinded by their love towards dodie and fail to see the truth!

liya - ella i agree with you! it's okay to bring awareness to mental health but i feel like she's oversharing it a bit too much. every time she feels like shit she posts about it instead of reaching for help to someone personally, which i understand because dodie said was a way of her asking for help, but then again it's unhealthy. i love dodie so so much but she needs to change some things and get help!❤


I think that it is incredible with how you share your mental health with an audience and that it is important to ensure that the conversation continues and awareness is spread. However, this certainly does not have to be just on you, as many other people are also beginning to have this conversation through YouTube and other mediums. The audience that is reached from this channel however, may occasionally struggle to hear when things are getting really tough and rough and may be triggered by hearing things. I don't believe that romantasising is the right word, but more, for a young audience that may not fully understand the severity of mental health, they may struggle to appropriately process some of the content, especially on snapchat. For your personal benefit, being able to understand when it may be too much for viewers, and also personally unhealthy for you, is when it may be better to physically talk to someone. As was said in the video, this benefits more in the long run. Certainly, it is not sunshine and rainbows, and you shouldn't have to put on a facade of that to filter for the benefit of the viewers. That too, would be mentally draining. Stepping back when it may be better to talk to a person, rather than a screen might be a way to help. :)


I used to be deep into depression.  However I am very lucky to have recovered from that. I didn't use any drugs and I did all by myself. It's a fact I'm very proud of and feel really good about.  So when I'm feeling very anxious (I still have massive amounts of anxiety, but I guess I need to take it one step at a time. ) I like to talk to people about how I did it all alone.  How I didn't get help.  That I did it entirely by myself and independently. It makes me feel stronger. If I can recover from the lowest point in my life then I can recover from this. However the problem lies in the fact that a lot of people don't like to listen so I'm still a little anxious ball of nerves. The point of this tangent is: Dodie if talking is an outlet and it helps you then go for it.  It may help to put warnings tho.


Social media saved my life. I had an outlet to people who objectively saw my situation and gave me support. As long as there is trigger warnings and you remember you do have people who love you, I think social media can be one of the best tools in recovery and self care, not a destructive one.


September of 2016 I became very depressed because of a certain event that took place and the depression carried on for about 4-5 months and I COMPLETELY understand what you guys are talking about in this video. I cried and moaned and poured out my feelings to people (usually the same people) so often that I sensed that they were starting to get real sick of me talking to them so much about that one thing. I felt as though they were all so over me being sad all the time and talking about how depressed I was. So, to avoid annoying my friends, I dumped all of my thoughts online. Granted, it was my second account, but it was still on the internet. I started talking so much online that It seemed my friends got even more annoyed and over my "complaining" than they were before. It was like they started to doubt that I was actually feeling this way and that I was just  faking it so that I could be the center of attention all the time. And that sucked. I'm not depressed anymore (thank god) but it still hurts to look back on. I'm glad I can look back on your videos and relate.


I appreciate you’re trying to get rid of stigma and it’s great if it’s helping someone out but I have a feeling it might be doing more damage than good and honestly I had to stop watching your videos because of it, glad people are bringing it up to you.


What I think (which I know is completely irrelevant to you and everyone else) is that straight away, mental health and social media are never really a good combination. Now I completely understand how social media and Youtube can be amazing ways of people sharing their experience with mental illness, therefore making themselves and their viewers feel less alone or as though they are not the only one going through what they are experiencing. Zoe (Zoella) being a big example of this, when she first shared her anxiety disorder on Youtube, opened lots of people's eyes to anxiety and mental health, and also helped many people who were possibly struggling with anxiety themselves. However, (let me just point out, I love and respect you, dodie, and will support you no matter what) I think that the problem arises when huge, detailed captions about feeling extremely depressed, are paired with 'aesthetic', 'themed' photographs on Instagram. It gives the impression that the person posting is romanticizing the mental illness. Or like when the paragraph is written with similes or metaphors and made to sound tragic like a piece of literature. Obviously, mental illness is tragic, but it's not the type of romantic tragedy you'd find in a book, it's raw and painful and disgusting, and I don't think that it is truly possible to show how horrible mental illness is, to it's true extent, via social media. Now don't get me wrong, I think it is hugely important to share how you are feeling when mentally ill, and dodie must not view the comments on this video as though they are telling her to stop sharing how she feels, but I think there are more sensible and productive ways of doing so. I am afraid I had to stop watching dodie's snapchats, as they were just making me feel completely shit and really very low. When I feel low (I will not say depressed, as I have not been medically diagnosed with depression (diagnosis, a thing many young people and teenagers seem to forget the importance of, when it comes to mental health) it is sometimes completely random, and based on nothing, but sometimes the impact of a thing or another person can cause it, and watching dodie's snapchat story definitely did not make me feel great. When some of the time I think that life is not worth living, hearing someone say it so often was not beneficial to me whatsoever.
Conclusion: I think Dodie just needs to be careful that she does not come across as romanticizing mental illness, but also makes sure she doesn't completely stop sharing how she feels or bottles it up.
I am glad I got to share my opinion. :)
(If you disagree with me and are going to reply to this, please do it in a sensible and polite way)


i don't identify you through your illness. it's a part of your life which unfortunately you have to deal with. i love you so much and i understand why you're being cautious about how much you share - but that's your decision and no one can tell you what you can and can't do. if people feel you're over sharing and it's changing their perspective of how they're feeling then it's their responsibility to click off. but plenty of people love and support you. i love you so much. ❤❤


It's much easier to say "why didnt I just reach out?" Than it is to actually reach out sometimes. So sometimes the sarcastic 3am tweet is a god send.


Dodie we all love you and we want you to be able to talk to us all I have bipolar and depression and talking about it really helps and I understand that when you're at your lowest that you don't think straight like I don't either when I'm really really down and you just need to talk to someone it's always easier to talk to someone who's going through the same thing I wish I could talk to you irl and I tend to not tell people when I'm down I don't like to talk to people about it because I always feel like I'm just a problem and that I don't want people to think of me as the sad person and I feel like people wouldn't want to be friends with someone like me so I just hold it in and never tell anyone close to me because I'm too scared of scaring them away 💛 I love you dodie 💛


This was really interesting as someone who is definitely an under-sharer. I always see your ig posts as really honest and I admire that because it's something that I could never do. But as someone who's not easily triggered I can't really speak for how it affects other more vulnerable members of the audience. But it is your personal channel and if you feel like documenting this aspect of your life is useful to you then it's really on other people whether they should watch it or not. However, I don't really see the romanticization that many others are talking about. For me, a pretty pic doesn't detract from what you're saying & the horrible-ness of mental illness bc I know, I've been there.


Dodie, I have watched your videos for over two years now (obviously watched all your videos before that as well). I fell in love with your videos because I related to your music and you had a good and realistic view on life. You were (or seemed) cheerful but then again sometimes you talked about your hard times. That helped me. Like your asmr videos, they were made to make people feel good. I felt like somebody really cared. Those videos I loved. But once I added you on snapchat... The image I had of you changed, you changed. You stopped posting videos and when you did and it was a mostly cheerful video, I felt (like you said on your snapchat numerous times) that you were being fake. I got the feeling that you were romanticising mental health issues. To me the cheerful but realistic Dodie turned into the sad and unrealistic Dodie. And I completely understand (for as much as I can) that what you are going through is horrible.  I have been diagnosed with and anxiety disorder three years ago and I am still trying to learn how to live with it today. And at first I pitied myself and I kind of wanted my friends to feel sorry for me and be worried about me, because I was worried about myself and I needed help. Luckily I got an amazing therapist who taught me that I should help myself and not pity myself but respect myself. I try to think positive and be strong for as much as I can. And if I really am having a terrible day I have amazing friends I can talk to, who now respect me for being strong instead of pity me. I am not trying to bash you because I can see you are trying your best. I just wanted you to know that I looooved your old videos and I still love you and your music. But I miss the strong, cheerful and realistic Dodie who helped me a lot. Your snapchats (and videos) now make me feel sad... And I am scared that it might influence a younger audience of yours by making them romanticise mental health problems or thinking that they have the same thing as you do. Be careful love and take care! I will always support you! You will get through this! Xx


I think part of the reason it's easier to talk to an audience rather than a specific person is because if you say it in general, nobody specific is obliged to reply--if you talk to one person, then it feels like putting pressure on them specifically to respond and help rather than being able to let whoever wants to come to you. when it's an open invite, people who don't want to help don't have to.


"describe to me how you're feeling"
"oh fuck offf"
honestly me if I ever went to a therapist or anything

I literally said this to a therapist, it's the most Irish response though haha

alvina the antelope I just snorted out loud


Perfectly posed, sad looking, tumblr-esque photos with poetic stanzas and elegant words is not the way to discuss mental health, it's the way to romanticize it


I think, I love both of you more. ❤
I love and appreciate your honesty, your support of each other and the love and respect you have for each other is palpable.
Now just hug, and be thankful that you found each other in this time and place amidst this 'open air looney bin of a planet'

A little bit of crazy keeps you sane.

and Love
Always love.
m.


There are times when you just want to scream out loud to the world and sharing it with someone close has the issue of "what are they supposed to respond to you" when you are simply screaming out loud at the world. Getting what ever is inside out is the point of screaming at the world, not finding a reply for it.  It is part of learning how to deal with ourselves and the world. <3


I just want to write about my experiences and opinions on this. I myself, really struggle watching your snapchats and whether it's unintentionally or not I feel like you treat your snapchat audience as your therapists. I get the impression that you know if you talk about how sad that you're feeling you know you will get an overwhelming amount of love on Twitter etc because your audience loves you, it's just not healthy or fair in my opinion.
I'm sure you're not trying but I feel like you use being a popular youtuber as a gateway to love and compliments like when you said in the video that if you're sad you will go on snapchat instead of just talking to your friends unlike what anyone not in the same profession would do.

In my personal experiences, as said, I find it very hard to carry on watching the snapchats everyday just because they make me upset myself. If someone with such an amazing life as you gets upset then how are we (your audience) ever meant to be happy? I have 2 friends who have encountered these Snapchats and the very little mental health videos that you actually post of your channels. As soon as you made a video about depersonalisation she began to say that she felt "spaced out" and as soon as you spoke about the symptoms on snapchat she began to say that she was feeling all of these symptoms. I'm not trying to say that it is fake in her case, however, your audience look up to you they want to be like you. It is no different to your audience wearing yellow or cutting hair short or wearing eyeliner, you influence them and that makes them want to be like you. In the second friends case, he is also a fan like me and I won't go into detail but has had problems with mental health before and he's said that watching your snapchats make him upset it brings him back to when he was going through those hard times.

Lastly, I don't really like how you claim that you don't want mental health to be your brand. Other creators brands are their brands because they talk about it a lot or do it a lot or make it a visible thing about their appearance. Examples like, Luke Cutforth repeatedly making the joke that he 'smells like milk', if you keep saying the same thing your audience will latch onto it and that will be their 'brand'. It's the same as talking about mental health (more specifically depersonalisation or depression in your case) your audience will make it your brand. I'm not trying to be mean or leave a load of hate but I just think you aren't properly thinking of the affect you have on your audience and your friends around you. As Hazel said she feels terrible when you go off and talk to your audience about how your feeling instead of your literal close friend and roommate which is very understandable. I'm also sure that other friends see your snapchats about how bad you're feeling and then feel like bad friends for you choosing your audience over your friends.

Im sorry if this came across as mean I just want to get my opinions and feeling across. I wish you the best with dealing with this and I hope that you begin to realise the effect that you have on others, both on a personal level as in family and friends, and also your audience. ❤


I'm saying this to be constructive as i really do like you, but i agree with the idea that you may be slightly romanticising the struggles of mental health and that its becoming i bit like a brand. Mental health is important to talk about but not as a feature that makes you creative even though it can sometimes be inspiration. Also this video said to me that only creatives are struggling with mental health issues when that's not the case even if you did not mean it to come across that way.


I think it can be good for both you and your audience when you share a bit of your struggle with mental illness. Doing that makes you seem more human and it can remind people that they aren't alone; life is not perfect for anyone. However, I do agree that you've become incredibly dependent on social media and you have been oversharing. In your "I am depressed today" video you talk about how you aren't usually mean to yourself and you try to make things as positive as possible, but what you show your audience completely contradicts that. I think sharing your struggles is okay, as long as you post helpful and positive content far more often than your negative content. Unfortunately, lately that has been flipped across all of your social media platforms. I still love you, your music, and your videos, but sometimes it really is a lot to take in. I think you have an audience that truly has started to care about you, and it almost hurts to see you constantly hurting. Also, I'm sure there are a lot of much younger people who watch your content and pay attention to your social media. Initially, you talking about your issues will help them not feel alone, but after a certain point it may prevent them from seeking help themselves or learning to rely on others who can actually communicate back to them.

Making this video and having this discussion shows tremendous growth and maturity. The fact that you're willing to pull back after seeing the effect you have on others shows that you truly are a good, caring person. We all just want to see you heal and be as happy as you can be.


To start off Dodie I love your channel and am a massive fan, hoping to see you at summer in the city this year!  But there are some things that have upset me and doubtless other fans in light of your recent use of social media.

Medication helps so many people and doesn't work instantly, and although it wasn't the right choice for me I am aware of the fact that it is immensely helpful for other sufferers.  I did not appreciate how you talked about it on snapchat as if it was a pointless treatment that crushed creativity.  This is where I believe the romanticisation of mental llness is coming from, you do not need to be a 'big feeler' to produce art.  This notion implies that you need a mental illness to validate your art.

On top of this it is equally harmful to imply that creatives must be mentally ill in some way.  This feeds into the lie discussed above.  It only adds to the proliferation of artists that were apparently mentally ill and made 'better art' opposed to those who were not ill.  Also this idea is harmful to non-creatives who are mentally ill as it implies that they will never have a real outlet for their suffering.  In a way it says that they are suffering wrong.

It particularly affects my 2 sisters and I who are all creative people who do not consider any mental suffering we have undergone to be the reason we are creative.  Suggesting that has actually been harmful to us, we worry that good mental health (obviously a good thing) would lead to a lack of imagination and poor creative output.

Basically we feel that mental illness is being used on your channel (and some others) as a badge of honour.  Portraying you as a cut above those who do not have a mental illness.  You are an invaluable spokesperson for breaking down stigma about mental illness, I hope you take everyone's advice that they have left in the comments.  You still have a faithful watcher here!


Hey Dodie!
I think while its good to have these chats about your thoughts on mental illness, talking in offhand ways about things like mental illness and creativity and  on a public video where younger impressionable teens will see it and misuse, its not the best idea.

I totally get what you said about it being hard to reach out to people close to you but posting online from so many others to see is even more passive aggressive way of talking about it as your friends and family may see it and think well why are they not talking about it to me and it may seem like showing off or wanting a pity party. Trust me it looks a like a pity party. Its like those people on Facebook who have to document their feelings regularly. Its not pretty it doesn't actually help you and it puts off those who see it because it looks immature, embarrassing and attention seeking (sorry for the harsh truth but it is what it is!).

Seeking help from a trusted friend or family member a good listener is SO MUCH MORE HEALING, and in the present, than thousands of sweet helpful comments which are like sugar give you an energy boost but make you want to keep reaching out for more. And most of these sweet comments will eventually mainly be from those impressionable young uns, as the more mature have left the building feeling that you haven't taken in advice on actually fixing your problems. Not that we magically expect you to, but you definitely need to take control of your situation rather than staying the victim.

I definitely for one would be happy to talk to you privately one on one over email or something if I feel I can help you get through your bad times, as I have had experience in both anxiety and depression and meds, CBT and talking therapy. And I'm a good listener and have also helped my friends on occasion. So the offer is there.

But the key to this is privacy and yes the online platforms encourage a gratuitous amount of sharing and it becomes an addiction. I totally feel that. Im glad you are asking your audience these questions, and I hope that you can take a step back from whatever comments we say that may feel hurtful to you initially but mean well in a way to snap you out of it and towards a more healthier way of dealing with it.

Your content has always been something I adore and admire. I am a creative myself and there is a sense of not being good enough or not having things perfect which can lead me to spiral, but I've realised that making sure to be grounded as much as possible and change my pattern of thoughts and how I see myself and the world is important.

I pray that you see that you can be so much more, that you can be so much more content (with less highs and lows and more bearables) that you can reach out to people who genuinely want the best for you and have the best advice for you, and that you can take healthy steps in your life that help you heal. Much love xxxx


I just recently confessed to my friends completely and my friends are convincing me to confess to my family. I’m so fucking nervous about it, but I’m ready and willing.


Dodie I would like to thank you for showing the bubbly and bright side of you that's as warm as a cup of tea, but I also thank you for showing us the side of you that's a cold and bloody awfully made cup of tea that's sad and melancholy. I love both sides of you, and so do all of your amazing and lovely fans. Thank u so much for everything you post and for your honesty and humor and for giving so many people a smile of their face❤


I never realised the amount of young viewers you had. Yes you share a lot but it seems to help you and I think it actually does help others too. I personally like to watch your videos and stories because you are honest about what you feel. But I'm not ok with the fact that your young audience has access to all of "it".


I am a 13 year old girl.. well turned 13 in April and I  was diagnosed with depression and anxiety but before I even knew you had mental health problems as well, you're videos (mental health ones) help me realize other things about myself and help me reflect and look back at myself from a different angle your  videos don't make me worse but I am not everyone else; dodie I love you so so much but you really should think things through so much more I understand your intentions but people are people and are not all the same you may already understand that but maybe not as deeply TRULY deeply

hope this was good advice. will always watch your vids, best of luck and love you x


Personally I find the stuff you put on Snapchat and Instagram very reassuring that  I am not the only one who is feeling a certain way. However, I do understand the other point of view about it being quite triggering. You are always so honest and raw and it's really great to see!! Sending my love xxx


Ok so I'm probably late but I've been thinking about this and I might as well share. You mentioned on snapchat that here in the comments everyone is either one extreme or the other, but I find myself kinda in the middle? Because I'm happy that you share your feeling because as someone with anxiety (though I haven't really suffered since I quit school, hooray) it makes me feel less alone and like "hey, look at this person, they deal with this, maybe it's not what I'm dealing with but they know what a mental illness feels like!" so that's cool, but I also find myself freaking out sometimes because "I'm not really feeling anything right now is this how Dodie feels" and "wow, that must be terrible" and I then spend the next hour questioning life and freaking out over tiny things.
SO, what I'm trying to say is: it's nice to see someone else talking about a mental illness being totally open and honest, but sometimes it's a bit to much and it get's a bit too heavy and scary.
So maybe film yourself talking about how you feel when you feel down but wait to post it and maybe react to some pieces when you're feeling better to express your true emotions?

IDK THIS PROBABLY DOESN'T MAKE ANY SENSE I'M SORRY


I'm currently doing my Masters in Arts Health and Wellbeing and this is a dialogue we have constantly in terms of general talk and just art; is it more helpful to put out into the world, details of mental health, even the deepest darkest parts of it? Or.. should we be focussing on putting out images of flowers and 'happy things' to encourage happiness? I've always chosen the former because when you are down in that place, then seeing someone's artwork (mine is based on my experiences of having depersonalisation/borderline personality disorder/ocd), it can create a kinship and a mutual understanding that you often might not be able to find when you are feeling so low. From my experience, the images of flowers and happy families seemed mocking and condescending rather than hopeful. I've kind of gone of on a tangent cause I'm basically just regurgitating my essay, but yeah.. it's a constant dialogue in my field of study and work and it's confusing but sharing your experiences can be good because other people can find comfort and solace in knowing that those dark thoughts are not necessarily exclusive to them.

Anyway, if anyone needs any advice or support, I run a lil mental health blog. If you would like the url, let me know.

But yes yes this is a very interesting topic to bring up and it's so completely subjective that it's often confusing trying to settle on a singular answer.

You're all rad. Make yourselves some tea because tea is good okay bye pals.
X


this made me cry, I don't cry much when I'm watching/reading stuff


I think that while its very very good that you talk about and raise awareness of mental illness and its affects on everyday life and how it can crawl into anyone's brain, you and Hazel have made it clear in this video that spilling your thoughts into snapchat posts isn't constructive, even if it makes you feel better in the moment. I, for one, enjoy watching your personal videos a lot and like to hear about what you're going through and experiencing to better understand mental illness and sometimes even see how you cope and try it myself when I'm feeling particularly anxious or self-destructive. I also think you should continue to share your thoughts with the internet. But, I think refraining from late-night snaps when you're really at your worst would be a good idea, and to make sure any videos you make or anything you do post has trigger warnings. I can't really say what to do about the effect this all has on your younger audience members, one of which is my 11-year-old sister. I think that children are going to need to be taught at younger ages about mental illness and that you are a good way to start that conversation, but I also don't want to encourage self-diagnosis. You are in a position of power, and therefore you should be wary of this effect and how you can use your power to educate about mental illness and advocate for awareness.


I think that it’s really important to recognise mental illness online, everyone is saying how it needs to be discussed, but when you do they say that it’s too much, how does that make sense, if it makes you feel better to share your feelings, do it! And if it makes it worse don’t, do what makes you feel good, so you can be happy!


I don't think you overshare but I do think, and this may seem a little savage, that your approach to discussing your mental heath comes across as more self-pity than self-help. And, of course, this is a symptom of depression, but to constantly make videos about what an awful time you're having and how it isn't getting better seems more triggering and dangerous for someone with such a young audience than anything else. If anything, I would say carry on sharing as much as you do but try and have a more constructive approach. Other than that I have always loved your videos and will remain a loyal subscriber x

no it's not her obligation but it is her responsibility as a creator with a young and impressionable audience.

Rachel Clarke I disagree. It's not her obligation to make other people feel better or have some educational, heartwarming twist and approach to her bad times. It would be stupid to expect that from her. I think she does have a constructive approach to sharing different aspects of her life when she really puts thought into it but sometimes she shares stuff on the whim and thats ok.

It also kinda reminds me of the reason I left Tumblr. Having a place I could share my thoughts with like-minded people didn't make the constant triggers worth it. Solidarity and understanding is awesome. Enabling, not so much.

I will personally say that I love Dodie a lot but there was a time where I couldn't watch her videos because they kinda confirmed all my negative feelings and I was just kinda stewing in them? Especially when I was trying to get better. If that makes sense. But also it's not her fault. It's not "stop talking! you're making me depressed!". It's more like there is something delicate and vulnerable about sharing about feelings - particularly re: mental health - only, both for the sharer and the audience, just because the internet works in weird ways. It's tougher when you have a following because these coping methods that loads of people do suddenly become "but YOU can't do it bc you have subscribers!!" you know? It's kinda tough. How can you encourage someone that their experiences are valid without ignoring the fact that it makes it tough for some people?

Idk. It's hard. Life is hard.

I do follow her on both of those! Hmm I see what you mean but I think to criticise someone for 'oversharing' concerning their mental health is to suggest that it can only be spoken about a certain amount and this fuels the kind of erasure that makes people feel so alone when they suffer from something like this. Therefore, I don't think its the amount she shares that is the issue (for me personally at least) as to share is liberating and comforting for the individual and others - but she does need to be careful about <b>how</b> she shares her personal experience - as I said, in a constructive way that helps rather than hinders. I do see where you are coming from though.

I do follow her on both of those! Hmm I see what you mean but I think to criticise someone for 'oversharing' concerning their mental health is to suggest that it can only be spoken about a certain amount and this fuels the kind of erasure that makes people feel so alone when they suffer from something like this. Therefore, I don't think its the amount she shares that is the issue (for me personally at least) as to share is liberating and comforting for the individual and others - but she does need to be careful about *how* she shares her personal experience - as I said, in a constructive way that helps rather than hinders. I do see where you are coming from though.

Rachel Clarke could not agree more. when I'm in the depths of bad mental health, watching her videos does not help but hinder. it just gives me the mindset of - we're all hopeless... there's no hope.

Yes! The part with the young audience is to true!
Do you follow her on Snapchat and Instagram? I thinking that she's definitely oversharing too much. I'm really concerned about her mental health because sometimes it feels like Dodie feels guilty for sharing or even having happy moments so that she instantly has the need to say/write/make another snap with "Lol I'm depressed though".
In my opinion it would be healthier for her to not share so much from her private life as she does. This is something I say from self experience.


I think my take on this is that when dodie was uploading lots it was a time when I had no one and the "oversharing" helped create an essence of trust and of even though ik that sounds stupid it still rlly helped me utube made me feel like I had freinds and so did videogames I had something to be passionate about, communities I could join, places where I couldn't be judged <br>Yes as a side effect I now have anxiety and depersonalisation but that's fine better that then dead :/ how jolly

I think my take on this is that when dodie was uploading lots it was a time when I had no one and the "oversharing" helped create an essence of trust and of even though ik that sounds stupid it still rlly helped me utube made me feel like I had freinds and so did videogames I had something to be passionate about, communities I could join, places where I couldn't be judged
Yes as a side effect I now have anxiety and depersonalisation but that's fine better that then dead :/ how jolly


I'm not sure where I stand on this topic, but I thought I might suggest something that helps me: stream of conciousness writing. Just type whatever thoughts you're having, unfiltered, without thinking too much about it. It's like telling someone but without having to share anything. I find that this method sometimes helps me discover underlying causes for my shitty feelings or what I could do that might help a little bit.