i have never felt you romanticise mental illness, obviously that's just my opinion, and i think it can be tricky as a creator to make art surrounding mental illness without it being interpreted as being romanticised.
i personally, have never gotten anything but help from watching and listening to dodie speak of her mental health and even at times physical health issues. but of course, some days it can be hard to listen to and some days i skip out on videos and snapchats and instagram. you do still need to take care of yourself, no one expects you to always watch/listen to her content.
i understand sharing to people who won't give you reply is a hell of a lot easier than sharing to friends/family who care and love you, my only hope is talking to your audience and sharing online isn't your only escape or whatever and that you do still talk to your friends/family. some issues and problems can be solved by typing something and just leaving it but sometimes there are things that need to be talked about with people who can respond and try to help.
i understand you have a large audience, you are in a position where you have a lot of people following you, but you are also human. like any of us we share and do things out of anger and just pure frustration. i saw a lot of people talking about you and how you felt on medication and honestly. i've stopped talking medication, i've stopped therapy, i've stopped going to the doctor altogether (none of which is your influence). the medication didn't really help, the therapy made me feel worse and the doctors just feel useless. obviously this is all said when i'm in a bad place and i know i need help. but i also know that it can just feel pointless and i understand where you are coming from.
you obviously don't want to make people feel worse, but you don't want to stop talking about mental illness because people and yourself find help from it. i don't think there will ever be an easy way to tackle that. i just saw another comment and i agreed with it, even though you have a bunch of people saying 'you sharing helps me' (myself included.) please only share for you. please only share because you want to share not to cater to people because it helps them because ultimately it's your mental health.
i hope you do take some of what people said and try and navigate your way through this. i hope you don't stop seeking help.
maybe i don't understand where people are coming from, i'm not a new viewer nor a young viewer. and i don't know how i would have felt watching this when i was 13 give or take a few years.
anyway i could be speaking out of my ass, have a good day kids and reach out.


i feel on that 3am tweet thing and then when they actually reply "are u ok?" i regret it instantly lmao idk why i have that mindset


the thing is, I don't want you to see all these negative comments and then withdraw yourself more. Depression sucks ass, and can rip people apart.
You portray your experience of it in a realistic way, but I think because you're artsy and creative, it comes across as romanticising it. This is obviously not great, but I believe you are aware of that and can make a change? I still love and support whatever you do. I believe that venting on social media isn't healthy, and I hope that if anything comes out of this, you learn to talk to people in real life about it.
Don't pretend you don't suffer from depression. Don't hide it away and bottle it up because that can be negative too.

I dont know what the right answer is but hopefully we can all help and keep trying :) life is good a lot of the time xx


I'm impressionable, fine. I look at people and i want to be all of them, so it's nothing personal in that respect, but at the same time your whole audience is impressionable, and they can't help you when you're down. You aren't helping them  either,  you are creating an image of yourself as a lot of suffering, and a lot of people want to be you.. it's unhealthy for pretty much everyone, and I think it would be best to challenge yourself to take a break from mental health talk on social media and learn to talk irl before you return to it.


it's hard for me to reach out and it's hard to be reached out too. however, both are SUPER IMPORTANT. i always feel like i need to 'help fix' or solve the problem when being reached out too - i'm working on that; to just be a sounding board or a vent space...i can hang with that. Like HH i tend to wait till i pull the plane back up to reach out or talk about things because then i'm in a better place to process them. You'll get through it. Take time. Reach Out. Ask. We'll give cookies.


Have you considered your being up in the middle of the night thing might not be helping? Obvs if your anxiety is keeping you awake that's a different matter but I'm just aware a lot of youtubers run on really weird hours and it's really not good for your health, mental or otherwise. I have a friend with crippling mental health issues and I'm really worried about him, but I also see how he stays up late, sleeps late and eats absolute shite. I'm not saying look after your body and your mind will be cured! But it will help massively because your brain has the resources and energy it needs to process things better. Speaking out about mental illness is great and this discussion in particular was very interesting and new. Take care both of you xxx


Despite allot of varying opinions dodies video do help me, as a young person struggling with mental health it's makes me feel as though im not alone and if I didn't see the imperfect side of Dodie I would have thought she was a ridiculously perfect person.


it's good that you use social media as an outlet for expressing how you're feeling, but I think videos on your mental health have become very frequent and you don't post many happy videos anymore. If people like hazel and zannah can see your snapchats and then worry about you maybe the really deep stuff like "not seeing the point in living" (or whatever you said) should be stuff that you talk to your friends about instead of letting it all out to a camera with all the intense details and putting it online. Cos seeing so many sad posts on your social media all the time is sometimes scary. So maybe when you want to make a video about your mental health do it, but maybe don't upload it straight away because so many videos like this in one go can be kinda worrying to your friends and your viewers. 🖤🖤


I think it's absolutely a good thing you're doing, putting your own thoughts and feelings out there. It's also a pretty brave thing to do if you ask me and has made me feel less alone with my anxiety 'struggles' lol. I also feel like there's this kind of stigma around talking about mental illness, which is awful as so many people experience it. The other day on snapchat you said something about feeling like you don't want to do anything, (I can't remember exactly what you said) but it really struck a chord with me. It was like a sudden explanation for why I was feeling so down and made me feel immediately better that what I was experiencing was valid. Point is, I love what you're doing. You're getting people to be less afraid of talking about mental illness, which is something that I think needs to happen.

true! But maybe it would be more healthy if Dodie would share about here experiences at a time where she is not completely at rock bittom. Like that she would take a bit of time to process and see if what she has created is what she wants to put out into tje world. It is so so good that Dodie talks about mental health and her experience and stuff, but maybe not like every "graphic" detail at the exact moment that she is feeling it. idk


I always find writing or talking to a camera about these kinds of things make me feel a whole lot better because then I don't have to hear what other people say. I can talk about it and the person in front of my is a camera or a screen and it lets me find what the real problem or real feeling is because I'm not hiding my true feelings in the fear that someone won't really understand what I am going through. When I am talking to a screen or a camera, there is no one there to stop me and i can be as rough as I want. And then I can post it and my friends and family will see it and then they come to me and I feel like then I can be the real me. I don't have to hide the pain anymore. Does that make sense?


to me, personally, it feels very fake if a youtuber doesnt share online when theyre feeling bad, sometimes you should talk to a friend instead but its not bad to share a lot online especially as a creator.


I love you so much. We love you so much. Your friends care about you so much. Your fans care about you so much. But you shouldn't need validation from anybody to know that your problems are real. That your feelings are real. You are valid. We love you so so much. If you ever want to talk all of your friends love you so much and you can see it. They care about you a lot. They love you Dodie. We do too. You are valid. I hope you see this. I hope you know that you are loved and you are valid.

I feel like an idiot writing so much about something you won't care about but I really hope you see it


i relate to the content in this video on such a level its confusing me on what to do,<br>but im grateful theres someone out there where i can search for these kind of things, though, i didnt watch the snapchats and posts so i cant say whether its good to overshare or not, maybe on some level it is, but, hahah idk im confused

i relate to the content in this video on such a level its confusing me on what to do,
but im grateful theres someone out there where i can search for these kind of things, though, i didnt watch the snapchats and posts so i cant say whether its good to overshare or not, maybe on some level it is, but, hahah idk im confused


I know that this wasn't your intent but when you said that physical health illnesses are easier than mental health illnesses because people can tell that you need help- it caused a knot in my stomach. As a person who recently developed a visual impairment, I want to say it's pretty fucking difficult. Yeah there are tests I can take to quantify my deficit, but at certain moments that number haunts me. <br>Also just because I need help (or when some assumes that I need help), doesn't mean I want it. We all desire some level of independence in our life and mental and physical health illnesses decrease that independence. We are all suffering in someway so please do not feed to the stigma that physical illnesses are easier than mental. Yes physical health gets much more attention than mental health (and that's fucked up) but that doesn't make it any easier.

I know that this wasn't your intent but when you said that physical health illnesses are easier than mental health illnesses because people can tell that you need help- it caused a knot in my stomach. As a person who recently developed a visual impairment, I want to say it's pretty fucking difficult. Yeah there are tests I can take to quantify my deficit, but at certain moments that number haunts me.
Also just because I need help (or when some assumes that I need help), doesn't mean I want it. We all desire some level of independence in our life and mental and physical health illnesses decrease that independence. We are all suffering in someway so please do not feed to the stigma that physical illnesses are easier than mental. Yes physical health gets much more attention than mental health (and that's fucked up) but that doesn't make it any easier.

I think the only way i can explain what Dodie meant is the fact that this comment made more sense to me than any comment explaining mental health. And I am diagnosed with depression and anxiety. she didn't mean its easier to cope with or live with. it's easier to explain and for people to be like "oh shit yeah man that sucks". Mental health is always questioned or disregarded or treated like someone is just over reacting. Your diagnosis, i guarantee you, will be taken more seriously than most people who have a mental health diagnosis and tell someone.

Hayley A as much as i love dodie and would love to say she's always right, thank you for sharing this and combatting what she said (which i also disagreed with)

Hayley A Im pretty sure she meant physically visual ailments. If you LOOK impaired it's easier for people to take your ailment seriously, but when it's something that can't be observed at a glance people tend to think you make it up for attention or just need to "suck it up" or "get a grip". It's like if you were to be visited by aliens. YOU would know what you saw was real, but others might think you're seeking attention or are delusional. You could try to convince others that what you know happened actually happened, but most will  dismiss you out of hand unless they experienced the same thing.

i think she meant it's easier understood but i can get why that'd still upset you.

Maybe a better way of talking about it would be with chronic vs temporary? It's far easier to talk about and deal with a temporary injury, whether mental or physical, than a chronic one. I think it would be better if we talked about it in those terms as, like you said, it's not fair to people with chronic physical disabilities to categorize their pain as "less difficult" just because it's not mental

I didn't even think of this, but you are totally, 100% right. It's easy to say being 'physically ill/injured' would be easier when you yourself do not and have not had a physical disability. thank you for commenting!

Cara McAdam if ur replying to me, she made some video about her eyesight at one point unrelated to her dissociation

i don't think so... i think you're talking about her "i am depressed today" video when she said that nothing looks/feels real?? if i'm wrong lmk

doesnt dodie have some sort of macular degeneration? i feel like she made a video about physical impairments, i could be wrong tho

Hayley A this is such a good comment. Good luck!!

I'm sorry to hear that comment made you feel that way, but to be fair to Dodie and Hazel I'm very sure they were referring to themselves personally being physically ill, eg having a flu, rather than saying that having a chronic illness or disability in general is easier

I think the original comment was more aimed at things like broken bones or fevers which are visible and have a permanent solution, rather than disabilities or permanent impairments, but I completely understand what you're saying! Like it's easier for people to understand staying in bed because you have a cold, but not because your depressed, and that it's easier to justify the first one to yourself and others, but the depression is harder to see and talk about. But again, I understand what you're saying about disabilities, and how statements like that can come across as ableist!

Hayley A I completely understand Hayley, I don't think she intended it, but the comment was incredibly ableist and a bit jarring for myself as well.

Yeah, I agree that in hindsight I should have phrased it as invisible vs visible illness. At the moment when I was posting the comment, I did not want to because it's more a sliding scale between those two quantities in comparison to mental/physical health. While some people's vision impairment is visible, mine isn't. I have so far chosen not to use a walking cane or have a seeing dog because I can manage without them in normal day to day activities.

I also agree that it is easier to seek help when you have a visible illness. But a part of my problem with that is that people (medical professionals/family) often focus on the "solution" of the condition without out focusing on whether or not the patient is physically and mentally ready/prepared/okay with the "solution". I feel that with more visible conditions other people feel like their opinion matters a lot more because they can quantify your condition.

Hayley A I think a better way to phrase it may have been invisible vs visible illness.

It is not easy to have either kind of illness but it can be easier to seek help when your illness is easily seen by others because you don't get or fear getting the whole "you're not really sick" response.


the fact that dodie shared that she has been so unproductive and stayed on her bed being unmotivated for the past week makes me so hopeful. I was on holiday for the past two weeks and spent 1 and a half of those weeks just feeling completely run down and hopeless but I couldnt get out of it. I spent that time on my bed doing shit all and never went outside. I went back to school and I still feel like utter shit even though I am trying to learn (which I barely do because I just sit and do nothing because learning takes all my energy and motivation :-(( which makes me so angry I love learning) and I'm really actively trying to get out of this stage and will hopefully be doing that soon but this just makes me so hopeful because i feel so worthless compared to everyone else. Like i feel like im beyond it and I am going completely fucked but thank you.


I've shied away from you because I felt like it was way too much, I stopped reading the big instagram posts and I really think you've been depending on your audience to feed your need for validation way too much (which is understandable, if I had an audience I'd be tempted) it did get a little scary, you reminded me of people I used to know who would have large followings on anonymous blogs and would share wayyy too much and not talk to their actual friends about it, I'm so so glad you addressed this, I was concerned


The thing is you're human. I have borderline personality disorder, depression and anxiety (gotta love dat orgy tho) and I tend to overshare just because I don't know what else to do. I always want people to understand and tell me I'm not crazy. I don't have a lot of people to turn to, you do online an irl and I know if I had that I'd be the exact same.

Basically I think I'm saying the oversharing can be part of your illness. You're only 22 and you honestly can't be responsible for how your audience reacts, it's easy to put you on a pedestal and expect you to be superhuman. No one is though, no one should be. You can't sacrifice yourself. This is something you have to figure out for yourself, in your own time. Give yourself a break. Personally I do really appreciate how honest you are, it makes me feel like I'm not completely crazy and that I can be myself and there will still be people who get it.

Plus you could always make a second account where you talk about your feels, it's not like anyone is obligated to listen. Young people who do most likely can relate in some way. Idk, I think I've just gone on a bit of a rant that might be totally unhelpful

YOLO


i'm starting to recover from my depression :)


Loshazamium sorry but I only recently started watching hazel and I don't think Jack has clearly mentioned it?


I feel like depression and whatnot is slowly becoming your 'aesthetic', your 'brand'. I don't think this is deliberate, but it's coming across as romanticized. Your instagram is full of pretty pictures associated with graphic details of mental health written beautifully underneath. I worry that people might make the mistake of thinking that depression is the beautiful thing, and not your writing. I admire how well you can articulate your emotions, but perhaps it might be better to find a different place for it? Maybe you could start a blog, or a separate instagram account.

This is all a matter of opinion, but please don't allow depression to become your brand, because then it'll be even harder to get away from it. Your brand is your business, and your business is what you need for income. You don't want to be reliant on something linked to depression, that's just unhealthy. It'll probably just become toxic for you. if mental health becomes your brand, you'll attract a demographic of mentally ill people, which isn't necessarily a bad thing but it might just be a constant reminder of your own struggles, making them harder to cope with. Did that make sense? I don't think that made sense. Oh well lol

I'm not trying to offend at all, I hope it doesn't come across that way
But to put it bluntly I feel like your content is becoming toxic for your viewers and I don't think it's very healthy for you or for anyone else.


I think that this is one of the things that perpetuates the stigma of mental health... the fact that nobody will understand what you are experiencing.


I do still watch your snaps, and I don't think you're romanticizing mental illness at all. that being said, I don't have the same background that  many of your audience has, so I can't really say for sure if your snaps are triggering to some or not. I do hope you read this, as I want to say that no matter what, we are still here for you, and we still love you. I will continue watching your snaps, but it does make me upset, not necessarily because it can be a trigger, but because I'm upset that you're upset xx


You should keep a diary and instead of venting to SnapChat, Once a month (or something like that) You can share some entries and vent that way. Also you can proof read them and will not have anything to regret!


please please please don't be embarrassed to ask your friends for help!! they just want to help you and they may not feel great if they think you feel like you can't turn to them for help!! i think no matter what there isn't anyone that will be able to fully understand how you feel bu that's okay!! people who love you will want to help you no matter what!! i suffer with a load of mental health crap and i'm being really hypocritical right now but just try to think how you would advise one of your friends if they were in your situation and maybe try out some of those things yourself. personally i don't get triggered by and of your sc stories i actually find almost a sense of comfort from it and it's become a part of my daily routine to watch your sc story. at the same time i agree too much is unhealthy -- if you dwell on things too much they're just going to get worse and worse. so either try and put yourself in the mindset that as soon as you finish talking about something on sc that's it it's gone it's off your chest and you don't have to think about it anymore.. and obviously you could also distract yourself from it. do lots and lots of busy things that don't remind you of your problems  (but are still productive?) write happy and optimistic songs about things you love and just try to have moments where you forget you have any issues. keep telling yourself that you will get better and you are getting better and soon enough you'll look back and notice you've made improvements. even a little progress is progress. and remember that no matter what there are people who love you and want to help - including many many fans like me <333


When I was little I was always scared to talk to people, it’s like if you are playing a sport for the first in front of everyone (horrible analogy, my anxious mind). Everything was hard for me to do, even the little things like when you move to a new school and you had to say your name in front of the class, became so challenging for me. Recently we had to do a teachers vs students whack it ball game, and my class was up first and the whole school was going to watch, I asked the teachers multiple times if I could sit out to the point where they were getting annoyed. My friend who suspected I had anxiety stood next to the teacher and spoke loudly “Meghan, your anxiety is getting the best of you.” And my teacher had this shocked face, then she came up to me and said, “you can go sit down in the bleachers if you want”. If any teacher saw a kid, who already struggles with presenting in front of the class, has only one friend, and is crying hysterically, and hyperventilating to the point where it has a risk of them passing out, then they should’ve probably, a long time ago, told the, that they were able to sit this one out.

The next day I came to school my teachers came up to me and were acting all nice, and sweet, and were offering if I wanted to sit at the front of the class (what kind of a question is that, like who just saw me have a panic attack because I was in front of people and you ask me if I want to sit at the front of the class?) . It made it much worse though knowing that that teacher told the rest of them.

The sad thing was is that I’ve been playing baseball for years, I love the game so much, and whack it ball is almost identical except it’s a tennis ball and a tennis racket. But, my anxiety was there behind me to make everything harder.


When I started watching you, I felt as if I could relate. But your new content and posts on Instagram, you're talking about depression more frequently. It sounds as if you're romanticizing mental illnesses in your Instagram posts especially when you come up with poems and such talking about mental illnesses. I understand what you're going through Dodie, but I've just drifted away from your channel, this used to be a place for me where I could escape and feel happy and feel as though there's somebody there for me... But now, I just feel as if you're pitying yourself and crying for attention to your audience because "my life is so bad, I want to die," etc. It's actually come to a point where it's sort of made me angry because I felt like you were just using this opportunity to get some attention from your audience about your problems and not speaking about your audience's problems, but sort of sugar coating the end of the video, talking briefly about how many people from your audience has depression and such. Honestly, it sounds as if you are branding depression and it's just getting you views on YouTube.

Dodie, I still love you so so much. I am subscribed to you on YouTube (on both your main and vlog channel,) I'm following your Instagram and I love watching your videos! Sometimes when I feel down, I watch some of your old videos and they make me feel better, or they make me feel as though somebody is there for me. I just can't cope how open you are, that's why I never really look at your Instagram posts and I don't follow your Snapchat... Talking in front of a camera, I understand must be therapeutic for you, but it's just too much for me now and it seems as if everything is just the same. You're not really thinking how your audience feels, your videos are now probably a little bit more talking about you and you're coming off as a little bit self-centered. Still, love you so much, I could never unsubscribe as you've done so many great things for people! xx


I love you dodie, i truly do. But i have to agree with the fact that you are oversharing. i love your music and you always have my full support in everything. Over the past couple of weeks ive stopped watching your snapchats well at least the ones that you talk about your mental health issues because they just made me sad. i felt sad at the fac that you were dealing with so much and i wish you had the help you need. us, your fans, can't do much. if i could and had the chance i'd message you privately and talk about it with you. But we dont have that close relationship with you and you NEED your friends at times when you feel so low. I think it is dangerous when you post about your mental health on social media. So many little kids look up to you and probably think its cool to be depressed because dodie is. and i know it is not your intention but it sadly happens and some of your audience cant help themselves but want to be like you. your words has helped me when i needed guidance and i fully thank you for that. But you should be more careful about what you put online. i still support you and im geniunely curious of how your book is so im going to buy it and read it because i want to. i know it will contain a lot of stuff involving your mental health but im prepared for that. thank you for finally acknowledging this issue. its been around for some time now and its better late than never. some people can't even own up to their mistakes and just brush it off like its nothing. im grateful that you took the time to listen to what others have to say and i hope you learn from this. you will only get better and stronger if you communicate with your audience like this. you are not alone! much love xx


I understand that it helps to share things but when you have an audience that is for the most part quite young, some of your feelings can very easily be transferred onto them. I know that I personally was affected by a lot of the things you posted n Instagram or snapchat, and I've seen other people I know who just seemed to have all of your problems as soon as you had posted about them. It did make me want to avoid your accounts on social media, just because I don't want to feel as though my feelings have come from you. I do love your videos, but I find that I worry that if I do watch you frequently then I will end up feeling like shit. I know I'm just reiterating what loads of people have already said, but that's what I think. I agree with what Hazel has said.


dodie i don't stuggle with depersonalization but i do struggle with other mental health issues, and i find for me that when i am having a breakdown that often the best place for me to turn to is my journal. i'll often text my girlfriend and let her know that i am feeling horrible etc. but keep the gruesome details for the paper so that i don't freak her or anyone else out by my irrational & heavily emotional response to tricky situations or rough days where i feel way too much and my brain just emotionally vomits lmao. i just keep a small journal with me always just in case i am in a situation where i feel as though i cannot talk with anyone/i actually cant, because trapping the thoughts in my head makes me feel like exploding. so, i write them down instead. it helps me evaluate what i am feeling and why i am feeling what i am feeling. (theres also just something relaxing about writing with your favorite pen and just letting the ink flow..) most often, whether it be an hour later, or five days later, i can look back at what i wrote and realize "i didn't mean this or that, i was just hurting and couldnt properly express myself, or couldn't find a better way to put how i feel about this, or this is why i freaked out so poorly, or this is the underlying issue instead or that," etc etc etc. <br>it isnt always as instantly satisfying as oversharing on the internet (i used to rely on that quite a lot) but it still helps so much. by the time i've finished writing, i normally feel better by at least some degree. also, i believe it helps if you don't pressure yourself into keeping a journal when you're not up to it.. let the words flow when you can. use the notes app on your phone if you can't bring yourself to fetch a pen and paper. i think at least writing to myself a little bit before going to the internet/to someone else to vent prevents me from dramatizing my situation as well. hope this helps any

dodie i don't stuggle with depersonalization but i do struggle with other mental health issues, and i find for me that when i am having a breakdown that often the best place for me to turn to is my journal. i'll often text my girlfriend and let her know that i am feeling horrible etc. but keep the gruesome details for the paper so that i don't freak her or anyone else out by my irrational & heavily emotional response to tricky situations or rough days where i feel way too much and my brain just emotionally vomits lmao. i just keep a small journal with me always just in case i am in a situation where i feel as though i cannot talk with anyone/i actually cant, because trapping the thoughts in my head makes me feel like exploding. so, i write them down instead. it helps me evaluate what i am feeling and why i am feeling what i am feeling. (theres also just something relaxing about writing with your favorite pen and just letting the ink flow..) most often, whether it be an hour later, or five days later, i can look back at what i wrote and realize "i didn't mean this or that, i was just hurting and couldnt properly express myself, or couldn't find a better way to put how i feel about this, or this is why i freaked out so poorly, or this is the underlying issue instead or that," etc etc etc.
it isnt always as instantly satisfying as oversharing on the internet (i used to rely on that quite a lot) but it still helps so much. by the time i've finished writing, i normally feel better by at least some degree. also, i believe it helps if you don't pressure yourself into keeping a journal when you're not up to it.. let the words flow when you can. use the notes app on your phone if you can't bring yourself to fetch a pen and paper. i think at least writing to myself a little bit before going to the internet/to someone else to vent prevents me from dramatizing my situation as well. hope this helps any


I love your snapchat but fully understand why some may find it too much. I think everyone has different triggers, I find watching my friends' snapchat stories really triggering for my anxiety (don't really know why) so I just avoid them and keep up with my friends' lives through other means. I think really it's a matter of doing what you are comfortable with (both Dodie and viewers) and that can mean oversharing or not, and that can mean watching snapchat or not.


i love your videos. but sometimes i have to skip over some and scroll past instagram posts and tap through snapchat stories because they make me feel so sad. it's not your fault, and of course talking it out is healthy to many people with mental health issues, but maybe calling a therapist would be a better idea. the therapist can at least try and give you insight on what to do in a bad space. i feel awful that i can't help from so far away.

thanks.


Dodie you really don't have to apolagise to us. what you do is for you, to get you better.


havent even watched the vid yet but NO DODIE i luv u you could literally make a three hour long video of you rambling and i'd make popcorn


DODDIE I LOVE YOU SO MUCH I LOVE YOU SO SO MUCH I WISH YOU CAN FEEL BETTER AND I KNOW IT SUCKS AND I KNOW FIRST HAND ABOUT OVER SHARING I WISH SO MUCH THAT I COULD HUG YOU IM SO SORRY I TRULY HOPE YOU FEEL BETTER AND EVERY SUCKS BUT IT. WILL. GET. BETTER. PLEASE IF YOU SEE THIS EVERY ONE LOVES YOU AND I LOVE YOU PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE TAKE CARE OF YOUR SELF


For those who didn't read it:

(dodie): alright. what do we think?
I think it's important to be open and real about mental health. BUT
1. it can come across as romanticising it. Which is dangerous because obviously I don't want to fukin advertise having depression lol. My aim is to help those who have it (and myself) by creating out of it and using it to make something. To try and give it meaning and significance, and yourself a purpose - otherwise it just hurts and it's terrible.
2. it's triggering. as hazel and zannah said it can come out of no where and usually my snaps or instas come from the Dark Place so they're not the most healthy. I try and end on positive notes but recently I've been so bad I haven't cared.
3. too much is unhealthy. I'm leaning on social media because I'm embarrassed to seek help from friends. I also feel so alone in my struggles because no one can step into my head and feel what I feel so I try and pour as much out online as possible so everyone can understand.


I completely understand why you share so much online and on social media dodie , I'm a very very honest and open person and I can relate but I do agree with the vast majority of comments here that you maybe need some time to pragmatically seek professional help and guidance before you speak more about your mental health , so that you can come back in a better place and have some suggestions for all those people out there who are also struggling. That being said , I've always admired your talent , compassion, beauty and warmth and I don't want you to change at all, just remember how similarly vulnerable muchnof your audience is and thus try and help them and yourself with some practical things like trying to move forward :) Lots of love


I think a lot of people who have mental health problems, not just those with a following, can develop unhealthy attitudes towards the problems themselves. It can become a part of your identity. It can feel like mental illness is part of what makes you interesting, or creative, or valid. I think that in itself can become a barrier to improving your health, for some people. And it's definitely not a good message to send to a large impressionable audience.

I am personally someone who definitely is influenced by the media I consume, and that has led to me developing some very unhealthy behaviours and coping mechanisms. And when I get low, I gravitate towards things which also are about lowness. I can romanticise, and normalise, and even feel a sense of something like competitiveness, or a need to prove that I, too, am suffering. Now a lot of that is on me. I don't want to get rid of fantastic resources, I want to get better at avoiding those things when I'm down and recognising my own unhealthy attitudes.

But these are real risks. I think damage limitation is important. Waiting until you're in a better place mentally, and can clearly assess the things you've recorded/written to see if they're helpful is important. Saying things which imply mental illness will make you creative is a harmful message to send. Talking about strategies to get help and improve your health is a good message to send. Making people feel less alone is valuable and important, but so are boundaries, for you and for your audience. Are the things you're putting out beneficial to your audience, or are they just comforting to you? If they're just comforting to you, I think it's worth finding new ways to express yourself, with people in your private life, rather than sending it into the public sphere.


I wish I could relate to the cry for help thing, I cry for help a lot except I don't have anyone who actually cares. I can't even imagine having a friend become concerned for me because of a tweet or something on snapchat! The more depressed I get, the more the people I know lose interest.


Your snapchat stories helped me a lot to get in terms with my mental illness and I truly appreciate that, but at the same time, you sometimes go a bit overboard with the details that it's scary and truly depressing and I think you should try talking a bit more to your friends rather than your phone, but ofcourse if talking to a camera makes you feel better afterwards, then do whatever helps, no one is judging you and we're all here to support you. <br>Hope you get better and better, love you:)

Your snapchat stories helped me a lot to get in terms with my mental illness and I truly appreciate that, but at the same time, you sometimes go a bit overboard with the details that it's scary and truly depressing and I think you should try talking a bit more to your friends rather than your phone, but ofcourse if talking to a camera makes you feel better afterwards, then do whatever helps, no one is judging you and we're all here to support you.
Hope you get better and better, love you:)


even the end note "i look like this a lot and i'm always on my floor" it just screams depressed tumlbr girl and people will wanna be like this


you aren't dodie i like hearing people's stories you are the reason i realised i'm BI


dodie you are human. You make mistakes and you can feel. Not everything can be perfect or enjoyable 24/7. What I love about you is that you don't hide anything that doesn't need to be hidden. You are real. While I do think you could possibly take a better route on depression and how your viewers actually view it,I do still look up to you greatly and while some people hate when you talk about how you're feeling on some days,for me you actually put it into light. When you engage in a certain topic,you make me want to look more into it too. I did,and a while back I noticed I had signs of depression. But,I have gotten extremely better. And I have your music and your positive attitude to thank,so thank you dodie.
------
(i understand some of you may not have been in the same situation as I have,which is okay,but I just wanted to share because I rarely do and I felt like I needed to even though I didn't.)
💚💚xo


There is some psychology done on linking creative minds and depression. People with creative minds tend to be more depressed. Because creative people have different and more creative thoughts they tend not to feel as connected with people and feel more alone and like an outsider to most people they meet. And most people like to be with people who have similar thoughts. And because creative people have such different and out of the box minds it can cause them to feel more alone. Also depression can cause creativity but with that creativity can cause more judgment by yourself making it hard to see your creatively as good.  A YouTube channel has a video on this the channel is called psych2go and they can explain this a lot better than me. They have a lot of helpful stuff on mental illnesses. I think you are so amazing doddie and I love your videos and you. I'm sorry you have to go through stuff like this. I hope things get better for you. Thank you if you read this too! 😊


I think I have anxiety, but I'm too scared to go to the doctors to get a diagnosis. I scared because what if I don't? I'll look crazy or like a hypochondriac. <br>EDIT: Thank you all so much for replying.

I think I have anxiety, but I'm too scared to go to the doctors to get a diagnosis. I scared because what if I don't? I'll look crazy or like a hypochondriac.
EDIT: Thank you all so much for replying.

Lana Moore Same I have a normal amount of "friends" but I don't have close ones

Øurbrains!areIntertwined Høwell I don't have any close friends because I isolate myself. My family members don't take me seriously. 😔

I'm really sorry you feel this way. <br>Don't get discouraged if someone says you don't have anxiety. Get multiple opinions. It took me forever to get the correct diagnosis, but it was so worth it. Don't be scared, just keep going, it will be worth it. Try to not get discouraged, I know it's hard. I've been there and it sucks, but please keep going to keep trying to find satisfaction with your diagnosis and treatment. You'll get there, Because i got there.

I'm really sorry you feel this way.
Don't get discouraged if someone says you don't have anxiety. Get multiple opinions. It took me forever to get the correct diagnosis, but it was so worth it. Don't be scared, just keep going, it will be worth it. Try to not get discouraged, I know it's hard. I've been there and it sucks, but please keep going to keep trying to find satisfaction with your diagnosis and treatment. You'll get there, Because i got there.

Try using something like doc ready, which is a website which helps you create a checklist of what to talk to your doctor about, which might make it easier!

Lana Moore i feel the exact same way. i don't feel, from hearing everyone else's severe mental health issues, that mine are valid/important enough to get help for. what do i do?

Lana Moore Me too, I told my dad about my anxiety and he told me I just think I have it and he doesn't want to get anything to help, which I think was a terrible idea, now I'm afraid to mention because I'm afraid he'll just put it off and it's getting worse.

Time, my friend. No matter what, now you are anxious. Talk to a trusted friend about it. Try to find out if something happened to trigger it. If there was a specific thing either try to make it right or give yourself closure on the subject. If what you feel is persistent it might be worth talking to your parents and professionals about. Whatever happens, don't doubt your feelings though. If something is hard for you in a moment then that's how it is. You're the only one that gets to make that decision. :)

Lana Moore You're feeling anxious about anxiety. If that's how you truly feel, I recommend getting a diagnosis

The worst thing is when I am with my parents,  I act.  I act confident and happy. Irl,  I am terrifyingly shy I don't talk,  I hide my self.  I am constantly sad and down.  But my parents don't realize. If I tell them,  they will probably be like, "Who have you been watching on the internet? " " You are normal. "

It is so hard.  Like my bisexuality.  My mum always says,  "I won't mind if you are gay or bi. " Then she says to me "I know you are going to be straight" I am like "yeah.. " but in my mind I am crying.  I see myself as a failure.

I feel i have really bad despression that gives me weird moments of pure sadness which gives me anxiety my austism gives me bad anxiety aswell i am terrified to tell anyone in my family or friend groups so i ignore it trust me if u can get the help before it gets to bad do it do not do what i did of bottle it up till it is always a main focus of your mind

Same, I think I might have social anxiety, but I feel like if I go to the doctor to get a diagnosis and I don't have it I'll look stupid, and also I'm scared to ask my parents to take me.

Lana Moore I loved the irony of when I went to the doctor about my own anxiety, in the fact that I had to talk to someone about the fact that I can't talk to anyone irl without having a panic attack, kinda hilarious

Lana Moore I'm the exact same but with OCD. After over a year of debating whether or not I should do it I went to the doctors two weeks ago and they've forwarded me onto professionals that I need to go and see at the end of August for an assessment. So what I'd take away from this is: go for it!! No one knows your mind better than you do so you'll know when something has to be done. Going to the doctors is one of the hardest parts, but I believe in you!! 💕💕💕

as someone who has anxiety, if you think you have it, you probably do. take the chance, go see a therapist. it really does help

I thought that at first, but I went and I'm now waiting for cognitive behavioural therapy. I'm glad I went as my anxiety has gotten progressively worse.

Don't be afraid. Just speak the words and let it flow, and it's okay to cry. The doctor won't judge you.

Getting help for my anxiety was one of the best decisions I've ever made, I don't know what situation I would be in right now if I hadn't seen a therapist. Nobody thought I was crazy or a hypochondriac, they just wanted what's best for me and for me to be happy. 'What if' thoughts are so common with anxiety; the fact that you're worrying about getting help probably shows you should. Do what you think is best for you :)

Lana Moore this is exactly like me at the Beginning of the year, but I still haven't went to one and it's not bothering me as much now and I just realised this comment is not helpful at all.... stay strong x

Lana Moore   Sameeeeeeee and I've tried to find some sort of therapist or doctor or something to diagnose it but there doesn't seem to be anything like that in my area sadly.

In september 2016 i reached out for a psychologist for my anxiety and that was the best idea ever.  Dont be ashamed of you because you matter and you mental health is more precious than you ego, remember that.  Stay safe and take care because you are important no matter what others may say! So do what seems right and the most important to you <3

Lana Moore the fact that you're worried about being a burden by getting a diagnosis is a likely sign that you do have anxiety. I did the exact same thing, many of my friends did as well. If you feel its affecting your daily life, go to a professional. It will really help in the long run.

The best descision I've ever made was going to a doctor after getting like way too many panic attacks. My parents didn't know how to handle it either so they gladly took me to someone who did. I really recommend that you do go see one! The only people who'll think you're crazy are ignorant people who you should stay away from. Mental Health is as important as Physical Health and people should start treating it this way instead of increasing the stigma around it. I hope this helped and if you have any questions ask away, I'll be glad to help💗

Honestly even if you don't, you should still go. It's never wrong to ask for help. You'll spend a long time worrying if you don't, which will make things worse. Talk to a close, trust worthy friend or a family member. It is honestly never wrong to ask for help about this stuff. <3

emma isabella me too, it's so frustrating.


Some people might find this video as too much or getting triggered by it. But am I the only one that finds this reassuring and nice. Actually made me laugh and happy? And it’s really nice to hear them say like they regret some things and accepts and realizes themselves they’ve made mistakes it’s like...ah yes. Humans. IDK AM I THE ONLY ONE


I know you probably won’t see this dodie but for anyone else stuck in the same place as dodie of relying on social media. I’m not an expert on mental health but I would recommend keeping a thought diary. Even writing down the instagram captions or what you would say on snapchat. It’s good for releasing everything like you would on your phone but you can put it away, close the book and go to sleep with it off your chest


Also with physical illness someone can actually tell you what to do about it, whilst with mental stuff everyone is different. There's no antibiotics, no helpful herbal remedies. Obviously certain teas can sooth you, but majority of the time it's from some deep-rooted thing in your brain unless it's hereditary. So the best fix for it is a good counsellor, but unfortunately in some places they're very expensive. Another reason why everyone should have free health care.


That's what mom calls her "wall"! Your wall is someone that you talk to that doesn't respond and just acts like a body you talk to! They don't have to make eye contact or even remember the conversation afterwards! I'm happy to be one of you're walls :3 <3


you are literally the closest thing I have to a religion

i'm buddhist but i can be a buddhist-dodist

If more than ten people follow a religion it's considered a actually religion. I'll follow it😂

When her book comes out, it's legit gonna be my bible


I think it's hard to ask for help b/c I don't know what would help me or how to tell them that the act of just sitting with me could help, or to take me somewhere else (even though I don't want to go) because It'll make me feel better. If you ASK me if I want to go some where else/ do something else, I will always say no... #struggle


I love art and music
I have depression & derealization
My fren is amazing at drawing, she loves it
She's going to therapy
My other fren loves drawing
She's super insecure
THERE IS A TREND THIS IS WEIIIIIIRD


I don't and have never thought you were oversharing. If your voice, feelings and stories help at least one person feel less alone or stops them from doing something stupid then you are doing good in this world. And I can tell you, that you have helped more than one person as you have at least helped me

However, saying all that, I feel like it would be good for you to find an alternative outlet rather than on here. If you think talking to a camera is what helps why dont you make a personal video diary just for you?


It's hard to share, like you said, you don't know if anyone will take you seriously or just brush it all off. I don't claim to  have any mental illness... I don't know if I do, but what I do know is that what I feel isn't health. It's really not, but who do I tell it to? Not parents, not friends, because I don't want to be a burden, or because they'll just invalidate me and sometimes even because they are the cause. And oh do I want to yell it at their face! "It's your fault!" I want to bellow so that they can at least realise that what they think is fun or normal is hurting me, but I can't. I can't tell them the reasons behind the way I feel, I can't tell anyone how I feel... because no one will get it. Because no one will accept it to be true. Because they will refuse to acknowledge it. This is my cry for help. So thanks Dodie, whatever you share, it is helpful to some at the very least. Dear happy helped me get through a bit of a rough time and I can not thank you enough for all your songs which have do the same. Thank you.


How do I live like normal with depersonalization? How do I ask my parents for therapy? How do I deal with existential dread? Help?

Kate Anderson Maybe talk to them in a serious manner, and break it down.


I think the idea that mental illness and creativity go hand in hand is damaging. I think the best representation of how this is wrong is in the film Frank- Michael Fassbender's character is a musician who never takes off this papier-mâché head. The protagonist believes that Frank's obvious mental illness fuels his musical genius. At the end of the film, Frank's parents say that no, Frank's mental illness has hindered him. He is ill. His creativity doesn't come from his illness, it's from himself, and his illness isn't HELPING it.


i love you so much you do not overshare i love listening to your stories and your life it helps me with my life


I watched your Snapchats where you said that you were worried about mental health becoming a part of your branding. In a way, at the moment, it kind of is (in my personal non-professional opinion), but so are many other things (ex: la la land, bisexuality, ukuleles, yellow, your music in general, etc). Although I agree that mental health shouldn't be advertised or romanticized, it is important for it to be de-stigmatized (which you are helping it do) and it is important and awesome that you create art out of it to help yourself get through it and possibly help others. With that being said, the dodie that we all love and know has a much bigger and more varied and beautiful story and personality outside of just mental health. So perhaps mental health can still be included in the things you share, but maybe make sure to display all the other lovely parts about you, your life, your interests, your activities, and whatever you want. I know it is hard to focus on anything other than how screwed up your brain feels in the moment, and I totally get that. This is just a suggestion to perhaps try to balance out all the mental health talk with other aspects of your life :) And I personally very much love and care about you, and I like hearing updates about how you're doing, and I love chatty videos and Snapchats about topics that matter and that affect your and others' lives, but I understand where everyone else is coming from with all their comments, and they all have good points. I think a bit of balance is key ;) Just trying your best to include some bursts of positivity and things unrelated to mental health could be very nice, and perhaps disclaimers before you talk about it and not sharing all the bad stuff in the moment you're feeling it, as you said, will be good. I love you dodie and I hope this comment was helpful, and I hope you feel more well soon <3


dodie! even if u feel uncomfortable abt talking to someone and feel like they can't relate (i've gone through it and it was horrible bc i felt like they wouldn't care) please i urge u to still tell them and get it out or if u think it's a bit too heavy to put on them, write it down. sorry if im not very helpful, but i really do hope ur feeling a bit better soon 💖 (ALSO IM SO EXCITED FOR UR EP JAJCCJCJCJCJ)


Can we be like friends in real life please ? I feel like we actually are friends already but I want to drink tea with you and watch la la land an cry a bit


<b>offers Dodie a hug of empathy and support</b>

*offers Dodie a hug of empathy and support*


this is the most helpful video arghhh. answered so much for me. thank you so much for this.

but also, if you ask a friend for help, what so you ask for/ expect them to do?


i love you dodie but it seems as it'll never get better? i thought after a few years it'd get better but it seems as it hasn't in your case. i don't want to be sad forever


Dodie I think you need to give yourself a bit of a break from social media because overusing is not healthy and it makes you less connected to the world around you/reality. It is ok to need to give yourself a break while you focus on reaching out to your support group/friends and doing things like therapy. Write in a journal if you have to or create codes with close  friends such as "dinosaur" to let them know you need help/someone if you find saying "I need help" too hard.

But thank you for helping us to feel less alone in our own struggles too, most of the time what you post is helpful but recently I think it may have gone beyond this.


Hey babe I really think u need to reel it in xxx do what you're doing but to a good psychologist because I'm not sure it'd be healthy to share how you're exactly think to lots and lots of people xx

Very well said, talking to a professional can give great insight that perhaps the audience cannot give.


This is so fucking interesting bc we all deal with it. Like hazel said, it's a new problem.


I only watch your channels and don't have you on any other social media, and also do not have any mental health problems, but I personally have never considered the sharing to be unhealthy or anything, I always thought it was good you are helping people realise it's ok to talk about it. However from reading the comments obviously your videos are very different from your other social media. It sounds like from this video , for your own health you should try to use those less, and try to talk to people in real life more (v difficult I know). Also side note- don't censor your music even if you censor your social media. best wishes x


I think that is important to spread the word about the illness. Yes, it is a real thing, it is a real problem, it's not a joke. However, I think you are oversharing slightly. Turn it into something positive! Let people know that's it's a proper problem and they are not alone. It's okay to be vulnerable, but if you share it more positively, or through a more creative (like your songs) way, it can be better for you and your followers. If you want to have a proper complain, I suggest doing it to a friend, not the internet. Again, it's okay to share it, but as an activist rather than a victim. Hope this makes sense 😂😅


"Are we mentally ill because we create" is complete bullshit. Creating art doesn't make you ill.

Actually there is an artist dilemma were you will never be your best because you can always improve and looking at your old art and knowing one day the art your making right now will seem bad to you can cause illness


I love you Dodie, And I understand what your friend is saying, but also I think if you find it comforting posting "graphic" in detail videos then do it. But don't forget you can talk to your friends and fans, I have a lot of the problems you have and I understand its hard to talk to people like maybe you should get an online friend so you have someone you wont necessarily meet but can confine into, I understand this is silly because you have so many subs n followers but if you like you can texts me, my facebook is Amie Tate and my Instagram is just.toxic.dayz yes I am what people call a fan, but I'm here for you so you can talk to someone without worrying about having awkward moments with them irl. :)


Sometimes I get these thoughts circulating in my head and if I don't get it out of my system it will just keep buzzing around inside causing pain and confusion


never seen any of your videos, no idea how i got here. but this was a very good video. and hiding it, or listening to the guys in the comments saying to hide it, is a bad idea. whats worse than being poorly impressionable on a young audience is being fake and unauthentic to who you are or what youre feeling.<br> if kids need unrealistic idols they can watch movies where people play characters and imaginary people.

never seen any of your videos, no idea how i got here. but this was a very good video. and hiding it, or listening to the guys in the comments saying to hide it, is a bad idea. whats worse than being poorly impressionable on a young audience is being fake and unauthentic to who you are or what youre feeling.
 if kids need unrealistic idols they can watch movies where people play characters and imaginary people.

the caveat being that there is probably a balance. but youre in charge of that.


I don't like the way you somewhat romanticized mental illness by pairing it with creating art. The two aren't obligated to be put in the same box, and sending out the message that they are can be damaging. There is nothing beautiful or aesthetic about suffering. Art can be an outlet (I use drawing and painting as a way to release my feelings at times) but isn't always one and doesn't need to be. And I agree with your friends and others in this comment section, opening up to the extent you do does more harm than good. There have been times where I myself have watched your venting videos and fell back into a depressive spiral. They can be a trigger and it's better to speak about your issues in less detail and when you're not feeling your lowest (if that makes any sense). Please don't take this as a drag or offensively, you're lovely and talented and I love you loads and respect you but as someone else who suffers from mental illness sharing too much isn't helpful. It's more damaging.


You have no idea how many times I misread the title as 'Am I overshagging too much?'


this is video is so good i relate so much thank you for posting this !!!! i love you


i think another reason why i won't go directly to people to tell how i'm feeling is because i know if i go to someone their going to give me the answer that i don't want to hear. But in the end what they're saying is what's really going to help you even though it may be what you don't want to hear. ( ps. learned this the hard way )


Force yourself every morning to say I wonder what good today will bring. Just a thought x


this is so difficult because i do understand the people who don't suffer from mental illness here giving their opinions but as someone who does and finds the way she speaks about these issues very comforting it's honestly REALLY disheartening seeing those comments. it's not like we don't know we're being downers but people speaking out in terms of 'stop it we don't want to hear it' is confirming our worst fears. when you're feeling like nothing matters and everything is terrible you sometimes just can't talk about anything else. imagine an intense all thought consuming physical pain - we know other people can't feel it so sympathy is hard but IT STILL JUST HURTS
i do agree these videos should come with a disclaimer but if she stopped making them it would be so sad. i think both dodie and us followers that deal with the same issues just really crave this companionship and taking this away would be hurtful.
i do understand the concerns regarding her mostly young and impressionable audience tho. it's really a difficult situation and i'm very sorry that censoring herself is the most popular opinion. basically our brains are like 'nobody wants to hear it, they're sick of me but i have to get it out or i become even worse' - 'we don't want to hear it' - 'well. knew it'
i do hope that this opinion on your online sharing doesn't compromise your willingness to talk to your rl friends dodie because there definitely is a difference between those two groups of people! xx


you definitely do overshare, you can feel like you know your viewers but we really are just strangers. it does feel like you romanticse mental health, maybe not on purpose but you do. watching a lot of your videos really affects my mental health, which is why i've stopped a little ://

Yeah, me too. Dodie is an extremely creative person and I love her musics. But, I also been avoiding her because of this issue.


"we're all mental" NO, no you're not. Stop this thing of making mental illnesses so artsy and tumblr. I work as a psychologist at a psychiatric hospital and I can assure you you're not "all mental"


When it comes to medication, I do think that you gave up on the hope of them too quickly. It took a long time for mine to kick in and make me feel better. Nothing is a quick fix, you must have more patience with it.


7:30 Finally! Finally! Jack and Hazel are going out! It was obvious but they were like, "were not a thing". Ok, glad that's cleared up.


People don't really want to see the reality of mental illness. They don't like seeing someone successful and talented being raw and real about the demons in their head. People often prefer to just hear about hints of it in lyrics. You do you, Dodie. If you feel comfortable with sharing all these aspects of your life and it doesn't make you more unwell then go for it. I would say the gorgeous insta pictures with sad stories are a bit romanticising. It's easier to talk to a camera than a person but you're really lucky that you have a support network. Learn to use it! <br>Your honesty is refreshing and important. Perhaps just filter things a little bit more if you're concerned about over sharing. You're amazing and it helps me so much to hear about your experiences with mental illness. Look after yourself, talk to friends, focus on therapy and finding the right treatment for you <3

People don't really want to see the reality of mental illness. They don't like seeing someone successful and talented being raw and real about the demons in their head. People often prefer to just hear about hints of it in lyrics. You do you, Dodie. If you feel comfortable with sharing all these aspects of your life and it doesn't make you more unwell then go for it. I would say the gorgeous insta pictures with sad stories are a bit romanticising. It's easier to talk to a camera than a person but you're really lucky that you have a support network. Learn to use it!
Your honesty is refreshing and important. Perhaps just filter things a little bit more if you're concerned about over sharing. You're amazing and it helps me so much to hear about your experiences with mental illness. Look after yourself, talk to friends, focus on therapy and finding the right treatment for you <3


Despite the bleak note it's great to another video x


"I look like this a lot and im always on my floor" same


awwww natural dodie is so adorable i cant


haha Omg, that is me exactly 'people must be sick of hearing me saying the same shit! ' so relatable!


I don't believe mental illness comes from creating. I believe one creates despite mental illness. Because it's not physical, we need to find some way to express it other than just saying it to a stranger or friends. Sometimes drawing a dying flower or splattering a canvas with yellow paint is more therapeutic than sitting in a chair while someone nods. Not to say therapy isn't helpful, just that in some cases it alone may not be enough. I find that I can't draw when I'm having good days. I'm not officially diagnosed with anything but I did suffer with an eating disorders for over 10 years which does creep up on me occasionally and has a big toll on my mental health. Whenever that happens I suddenly have all these ideas for writing and drawing, and the strongest urge to read. It only happens when I'm having these bouts though. When I'm mentally okay, all creativity goes out the window. And I believe it's because I no longer need that outlet, so I no longer am able to channel it.. if that makes sense. Obviously that is just my experience and I can't sit here and say it applies to everyone. But I do believe creativity is a tool we use in an effort to combat mental illness. It helps us make it physical. that being said, I also don't believe you need to be mentally ill to create in the slightest. I feel that this may have happened to me because of the very prominent notion that artists draw all inspiration from pain and suffering which just isn't true. I hope in the future we can get rid of that mindset because I find it very damaging, especially after reading through some of these comments. To anyone reading this if you've gotten this far, do yourself a favor and scroll through these comments a bit after watching the video. There is a lot of great information and input.


I'm also someone who doesn't reach out to people, I keep it all bottled up inside and just cry when I'm by myself, I feel like it's because it makes you so vulnerable to other people, they're seeing you at your worst and that's never a side of you you want anyone to see so try to hide away and keep your best self known to others


if she can't feel comfortable to tell the people that love her and that she loves then how do you expect her to feel comfortable telling her friends and family


to be honest oversharing, at least from personal experience, usually comes from a place of suffocation mixed with perceived isolation- you're dying to let things out but you think you have absolutely no-one to turn to, for one reason or another. whatever the reason is, you kind of just explode and it results in treating your friends (or audience) like a therapist- which never, ever works; I've done it and it has been done to me and it's exhausting and makes you feel constant guilt and shame at not being able to help, it's an awful feeling. i don't for one second think that was your intention, it's just a thing born of desperation but please, if you aren't already, see a therapist. if the one you're seeing doesn't seem to be giving you what you need, find another one- you have to find one you click with to get the best out of it, and it might take a while but it's so worth it. the oversharing you're doing mixed with how vulnerable you've allowed yourself to be on various social media has meant that your fanbase has, i think, started to feel they need to walk on eggshells around you when it comes to this kind of stuff- the amount of essays I've seen in the comments trying so hard to save you or humour you is kind of intense. i love you and I've always loved what you create but the moment you make it feel like you are your fanbase's responsibility is the moment they start resenting you a little bit for making them feel guilty- sorry, that sounds really fuckin harsh but i promise I'm not saying it without a purpose. doubtful you'll ever read this anyways but if you do, thanks for taking the time, and i really hope you go to therapy and feel better eventually, or at least start feeling hopeful (which is what's been the driving factor in my own "recovery" or whatever i can call it) <3 xx


dodie although we are your friends and we love you to bits, we are not professionally trained counsellors. we may not be able to offer correct advice and we are not trained in dealing with major issues and problems when many of us have our own. of course we want to support you and help you get better but sometimes it feels like your are placing your burdens on us and i don;t think it's right or healthy for us and for you.

from someone that struggles with mental health, seeing you sit there and seemingly wallow in your depression and let it take over you makes my depression kick in because i feel like for the past few months you haven't been you and it's really not okay, i feel like you've adopted the persona of 'i'm mentally ill and its all i can think about'. and i don't know about you, but i've spent so long, trying, not to get over or ignore, but accept my mental health and try and live normally. i'm a huge fan and i don't want anyone to take my views the wrong way or get upset by them, but this has been upsetting me for a while and i want to give my opinion.


"Oversharing too much" is a tautology in which there are redundant words or phrases.


I feel like dodie romanticises her mental health and kind of makes it look trendy and hipster, I know she doesn't mean it in that way/from; it's not good at all for younger viewers if in social situations they just bring up mental health which makes people uncomfortable and it's a subject you have to ease into not just suddenly bring it up the way dodie does..

Lmao sorry but I feel like now was my place to say how I feel without being utterly attacked lol

I don't think she's making it look trendy at all... on the contrary. I think she's being very real about it all. I don't think it's healthy either, but to me she is raising awareness and breaking the stigma because she shows how she truly feels and she shows that it's not something nice to feel, which would be the opposite of romanticizing. I don't think she brings it up in social situations either lol, honestly in that you can't say if she does or not because her social interactions are something out of the public eye. I don't think she talks about it that ofter in real life, which would make sense as to why she talks about it so much online.


This is a text I sent to my friend (we often have long talks/debates about dodie most recent being about the onision texts since she likes him and I hate him and she is indifferent about dodie);
Looking back now I don't know if seeing dodie's snaps and all made me feel worse. I can for sure say I've avoided her instas some what cause they are too hard to read lately. If anything all these posts have just made me feel bad for her. As a follower I can't really over her anything rather just a 'quick fix' like a nice message. When she says specific things it brings me back to when I was at a bad mental state, but I chose I guess to not dwell on it. But maybe if I was in that bad way and I was seeing all this daily it probably would have brought me down more.

I don't think she should just drop talking openly online completely because (a) it would be a very fast change while at a hard enough time for her. (b) she has built an audience around talking about mental health and I hope that... >>

Hope that will turn into more support rather than just ranting. (c) it does build a good (maybe not great at the moment) connection with her audience. She is honest which in my opinion is better than just showing the shiny fun parts of life like most lying youtubers.

This is all my opinion, I love dodie's content and I only wish the best for her xx


I feel the same way, sometimes I put a lot of deep shit on people at random moments, like Sometimes I have to talk to myself so I can hear what I’m saying and put my feelings into words so I understand. But when I do it by myself I spiral and there’s no one to stop the thoughts and it makes me feel bad longer.


My first instinct is to say yes you overshare and shouldn't but I can't help feeling like it's weird to say artist should only express their sadness/ mental health issues when it's polished and produced. I guess this have left me thinking you should just do what's healthy for you. If oversharing leaves you feeling brighter and lighter then keep doing it and those are uncomfortable can not watch. But if oversharing with your audience isn't making you happier and the empty calories things is really true for you right now, maybe try something else. Like instead of just posting/sharing with your audience maybe also reach out directly to your support systems or make notes of things to talk about with a  professional while it's fresh in your head as well. Or you could test out only reaching out to support systems for a bit a see if over all it's better. I guess I feel it's just about testing things out to figure out what helps you the most in the long run then doing that thing with no shame because your health and is the most important thing.


Watching people talk about sharing mental health issues and talking to friends about it and having legitimate discussions like that, I'm like "wot??? People do that?? How the frick do you even do that? How do people form words to express it??wottttttt? Wot?"


Today I read an article on someone who went through a very difficult break up. Her therapist didn't ask her about her feelings, which the woman didn't like. But he asked her when was the last time that you fully breathed. With that he ment, when was the last time you actually took care of your body. A healthy body leads to a healthier mind. Make sure you drink enough water, eat the right foods which give you energy ( because I noticed that being mental is extremely tiring) and get a good night sleep. Breathe and meditate. Take some distance of social media and walk through nature without making pictures or something, but just be there and listen to the birds and the wind. <br>Also when I feel down I sigh get my head straight and smile. Even though I don't feel like smiling, it makes me have a better more cheerful mood.

Today I read an article on someone who went through a very difficult break up. Her therapist didn't ask her about her feelings, which the woman didn't like. But he asked her when was the last time that you fully breathed. With that he ment, when was the last time you actually took care of your body. A healthy body leads to a healthier mind. Make sure you drink enough water, eat the right foods which give you energy ( because I noticed that being mental is extremely tiring) and get a good night sleep. Breathe and meditate. Take some distance of social media and walk through nature without making pictures or something, but just be there and listen to the birds and the wind.
Also when I feel down I sigh get my head straight and smile. Even though I don't feel like smiling, it makes me have a better more cheerful mood.


The comments on this video actually makes me so angry. The way that people say that we need too create awareness and sort the stigma but when people talk about it in a relaxed and informal way they get criticised and told that they are romanticising the idea ITS SO BACKWARDS. Part of dodies career has been built on being so relatable and showing an audience what it’s really like to go through things. I have been watching dodge since I was 12 years old and there has been so much personal growth in her and she’s helped me grow as well by showing me that it is okay to be sad, and take breaks and talk to people and reach out. AND IT MAKES ME ANGRY THAT PEOPLE STILL CRITICISE HER FOR HELPING PEOPLE. thankyou for listening to my TED talk.


When you are in a state like hers, you allready feel like you should just shut up and you don't want people to feel overwhelmed with your feelings...and then they say "yes of course tell me!...but don't overshare" like...they only gonna accept a certain part...but it's most often the details, that actually hurt the most and want to be seen and heard


I think it's good to share and it definitely helps me


Is it just me or does everyone do this thing that when people ask how you are or something you always say fine automatically? For me the worst thing is about saying fine is they usually always take it. I'd love for them to just say, "No you're not,"

Elsie Iniya i'm glad i could help! you're welcome and i hope you are happy ! xx

Elsie Iniya yeah I'm exactly the same. The parts of daily convo I hate the most are "Hey how are you?" "What are you up to at the moment?" " what are your plans for the future" etc cos mental health problems impact my daily life so much and I don't want to get into it all so I always just gloss over it 😐

Katie Ahronson yeah it's hard because if I say anything other than fine I have to explain and I don't want to really, as I always seem to think that no one really cares, but maybe some of them do? Some don't obviously they're just asking bc it's polite but idk really... thanks for the reply though it has helped me research this whole topic a lot more :)

caitlin payne hi i just wanted to say thank you so much for this... At the time I was like um ok but I screenshotted it and I was just looking back, and this helped me so much. I mean I can't stop doing it bc I've realised that I'm scared of being left behind, in every retrospect. And pushing people away never helps me but for some reason it keeps happening. Yes I'm scared of myself for doing it but I'm working on it? Anyway yeah, thank you so much for the comment! Xx

Get That Vid it's called phatic talk. Sadly no other response to that question is acceptable ☹ because the person is only asking as a formality

i get it, i use to be that way. wanting to push people away just to see if they'll come back? building walls to see who would care enough to knock them down? all that shit i get. but it's so unrealistic, everyone is going through their own stuff, and some don't have the time or energy to stop and ask again. i guess i kinda learnt that for myself. if someone is offering help and you refuse it, you don't really want help. people stop asking if u constantly brush people off, and u are sat wondering why no one cares. so please do your self a favour, and just be honest, u will feel better

And also every video with Hazel and/or dodie just makes me so unbelievably happy ahh 💛💛

This probably sounds SO self centred but I can never be honest with myself about how I am, let alone other people 💛


I had depression but then I realized "I have nothing to be depressed about. What the fuck am I doing?" <br>I can't remember the feeling of depression honestly.

I had depression but then I realized "I have nothing to be depressed about. What the fuck am I doing?"
I can't remember the feeling of depression honestly.


I think that maybe the constant oversharing could lead people to believe that you're doing it for attention, or doing it to give yourself a certain image


It's just that a lot of the times it's a bit too much to handle. But then you've helped me deal with my own shit and be more open about it. But like idk??? I'm conflicted.


another downside to sharing these things online is that years later if you have an internet fight with someone they will use it against you and call you manipulative :)


Don't lie: you initially read that as "overshagginggggg" and then had to take a double take because of the shooketh

Good to know I ain't the only one whose mind is in the gutter hahahahaahahahah ;D!!!

MikeyMixTV BHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA I SAW THAT TOO


Honestly to answer the question of the video title I don't particularly think you're oversharing because it helps to know how you are and if you didn't share then I'm sure It may make your mental health worse because you sharing may let it out IdK soz


I feel like my perspective as a mostly mentally healthy person isn't that important here, so I've spent my time liking comments I think make good points. However: I do think the whole "creatives are sad" is eehh, no bueno, because I think that romanticises mental illness. I remember not feeling valid in my creativity bc I generally don't struggle with where my head's at. anyway, great vid xx


we all learn from our mistakes right? at least you've realised what you did wrong. I don't think you'll repeat it..


Dodie I absolutely love you but I do agree you over share. I also feel like you've unintentionally made mental illness apart of your brand by over sharing so much. I understand that you just want to talk about it and you just want everyone to understand what your going through, so you can help them, but I think it's doing more harm then help. As someone who struggles with similar issues it can be overwhelming to watch your Snapchat story and hear you talk about how you can get out of bed or something along those lines. It just doesn't help at all. Basically I don't watch your videos to get more depressed? If that makes sense? And when every video you post is just "I'm depressed today" or "I'm at vidcon lounging by the pool but I feel blind'' it just rubs me the wrong way. It makes me feel like I have to pity you constantly and I just hate it. Again, I love you so so so much and I'm sorry if what I said hurt you but I'm just trying to be honest here.


The whole "creative people are mental" is easy to believe but damaging in two ways
1. Not everyone who's mentally ill is creative and so that mantra silences a lot of people who are mentally ill and aren't creative, like myself. I am severely depressed and have been suffering with anxiety to varying degrees my entire life and I do not at all call myself creative. I'm more of a logical, rigid thinker and even with the logical part of my brain saying "Look, Michelle, you're alright. You have a decent enough life" my irrational part of me is just sticking their fingers in their ears screaming "lalalalalalala". Mental illness isn't logical, no matter much the sufferer thinks they are.
2. It implies that in order to be creative and produce great works you need to be ill. Sometimes mental illness even inhibits the quality and quantity of your work. My best friend in the entire world is currently in art college and she's doing extremely well and produces work that not only others are impressed by, but she is proud of herself. And she has to be one of the most well adjusted and mentally healthy people I have had the pleasure of knowing.
I understand the premise of what you mean that mental illness and creativity go hand in hand. One can influence the other, but I don't think one needs to exist for the other to exist and vice versa.
I hope you two are doing OK. I can see the problem with over sharing and I understand why people do it, especially online. Like Hazel said, it's easier to talk to a camera, but, ultimately, like your friend had said, it is empty calories, so I do hope you find a way to have a more productive outlet.

The whole "creative people are mental" is easy to believe but damaging in two ways
1. Not everyone who's mentally ill is creative and so that mantra silences a lot of people who are mentally ill and aren't creative, like myself. I am severely depressed and have been suffering with anxiety to varying degrees my entire life and I do not at all call myself creative. I'm more of a logical, rigid thinker and even with the logical part of my brain saying "Look, Michelle, you're alright. You have a decent enough life" my irrational part of me is just sticking their fingers in their ears screaming "lalalalalalala". Mental illness isn't logical, no matter much the sufferer thinks they are.
2. It implies that in order to be creative and produce great works you need to be ill. Sometimes mental illness even inhibits the quality and quantity of your work. My best friend in the entire world is currently in art college and she's doing extremely well and produces work that not only others are impressed by, but she is proud of herself. And she has to be one of the most well adjusted and mentally healthy people I have had the pleasure of knowing.
I understand the premise of what you mean that mental illness and creativity go hand in hand. One *can* influence the other, but I don't think one needs to exist for the other to exist and vice versa.
I hope you two are doing OK. I can see the problem with over sharing and I understand why people do it, especially online. Like Hazel said, it's easier to talk to a camera, but, ultimately, like your friend had said, it is empty calories, so I do hope you find a way to have a more productive outlet.


Dodie what's you zodiac sign?? Is it a water sign lol. Love youuu btw, I love how much you share it's so important


one time i called my friend crying and i was a frikin mess i was sobbing to him and then he was like uh my friends here too and i was honestly so mortified i haven't talked to anyone since lol


yes you do. you're not a bad person for doing it. we all feel the impulse to do it, but at the end of the day, it's unhealthy.


I hate the world. If you have a mental illness and don't share about it, people are like "Are you okay? Talk to us! Post about it more!!!" And then if you talk about it. "Wish shut up! Stop!"

Don't get me wrong, I agree that it can be triggering, but some people can make it your brand when it shouldn't be something that defies you. You shouldn't be that depressed girl, dodie. You should be the beautiful, stunning, talented dodie who happens to have mental health issues.

Emmy Pattison there's a sweet spot in there somewhere! talk about your illness but in a way that's actively trying to get rid of it. People who care about you have likely experienced loss, and know that it's a thing that doesn't go away, but wallowing in it instead of doing your best to get rid of it isn't the way to go! I talked to a lot of people and not one can tell me the real chemical cause of depression in the brain, or how it's linked to food/ hormonal imbalances or mineral imbalances. if you don't inform yourself and instead hope a video of two people will make you feel better you're not helping either! videos and entertainment helps, but seek the positive kind, and fix the other issues! only way I got out of mine, and I'm being so passionate because were losing good people to depression in an age where we have everything, vaccines, planes, intercontinental travel! I'm not saying "oh it's first world problems", but like open your eyes! learn about biology or engineering just for the fuck of it! it'll show you your world isn't a cage of your mind, that it's insanely rich and varied!

Dodies posts are extremely triggering for me as a mentally ill person, I know how important speaking about mental health is, but we should be coming for it from another perspective, one focused on healing and getting better. Dodies videos are kind of like... idk, sadness porn? If that makes sense. People like me cozy up in it and love the misery it brings us even though we know it's toxic. And thats why she needs to change her behaviour if she cares about her audience. Talking on snapchat how her meds made her feel empty and hopeless made me say no to meds when asked by my psychologist, a decision I now realise was probably very stupid and could have saved me much suffering.

I love dodie with all of my heart and I watch all of her videos even though I know they might trigger me, it's a free world and she can post whatever she wants of course, but we as an audience are also allowed to have an opinion on it.


i think the thing with posting on social media is you allow the option to not respond. if i post a picture with a caption, i am allowing you to read it and dm me, or read it and move past it. but it still lets you know how i am feeling. its very different from directly texting someone, because then i personally feel like im burdening them, and only them with my problem


i feel like its a trap every social media person who wants to 'keep it real' falls into, but the thing is - just like in real life, when you sometimes don't show something or keep something to yourself, you need to have a distinguishing line between what to or not to say. i don't want to sound rude, but sometimes its better to be introspective and kind of untie the knots yourself rather than relying on something. remember yourself in a better day and remind your sad self that if you went through it and felt happy, you can do it again. we human, we feel alot, and it shouldn't just be sad things that move just. <br>wishing you the best with your state and figuring everything out 💓💓💓

i feel like its a trap every social media person who wants to 'keep it real' falls into, but the thing is - just like in real life, when you sometimes don't show something or keep something to yourself, you need to have a distinguishing line between what to or not to say. i don't want to sound rude, but sometimes its better to be introspective and kind of untie the knots yourself rather than relying on something. remember yourself in a better day and remind your sad self that if you went through it and felt happy, you can do it again. we human, we feel alot, and it shouldn't just be sad things that move just.
wishing you the best with your state and figuring everything out 💓💓💓

also, forgot to mention. i think it's better to make yourself do happy things or choose happy things when you're down rather than boiling yourself utterly down with sadness and all of that x


ooh man ive been wanting this for awhile but ive been afraid to say anything about it


when u realize dodie uplodaded ........... good bye superwoman live stream I luv u but this seems very important !!!!!!


I turned my mental distress and frustration into art because I wouldn't reach out to anyone due to the fact I was always the happy creative shoulder to cry on so my art was a good outlet.

I'm emerged from my low point with the help of a friend that became my current boyfriend. Being understood and talking it out is a great cure.


Your sharing doesn't bother me in the least, but that might be because I'm a huge sharer too.  I was diagnosed with juvenile depression in third grade,  but I've pretty much always had it.  I've also been diagnosed with anxiety and now my depression may be developing into bipolar. I also may be developing OCD. I deal with all sorts of mental issues and I understand the comfort of just sort of blurting out what you're feeling.  I'm not much for bottling things up or hiding my emotions and there isn't a single thing about me that at least one of my friends doesn't know. <br>I do understand the people talking about how it's sort of messed with their "escape" though. I found some cute little Hufflepuff playlist on Tumblr this winter (literally my worst winter ever) and one of the songs was Dear Happy. I fell in love with your music and it was one of the things that saved me. I love you for that. Dear Happy, Would You Be So Kind, Freckles and Constellations, and Absolutely Smitten made me happier than I had been in months.  It spoiled that a teeny tiny bit when I started to reach farther and find sadder songs like Sick of losing soulmates and Intertwined,  but at the same time I adore those for their bittersweet artistic beauty. Long story short,  Dodie,  your music can save me or break me,  and that takes a beautifully skilled musician. Thank you for being here.

Your sharing doesn't bother me in the least, but that might be because I'm a huge sharer too.  I was diagnosed with juvenile depression in third grade,  but I've pretty much always had it.  I've also been diagnosed with anxiety and now my depression may be developing into bipolar. I also may be developing OCD. I deal with all sorts of mental issues and I understand the comfort of just sort of blurting out what you're feeling.  I'm not much for bottling things up or hiding my emotions and there isn't a single thing about me that at least one of my friends doesn't know.
I do understand the people talking about how it's sort of messed with their "escape" though. I found some cute little Hufflepuff playlist on Tumblr this winter (literally my worst winter ever) and one of the songs was Dear Happy. I fell in love with your music and it was one of the things that saved me. I love you for that. Dear Happy, Would You Be So Kind, Freckles and Constellations, and Absolutely Smitten made me happier than I had been in months.  It spoiled that a teeny tiny bit when I started to reach farther and find sadder songs like Sick of losing soulmates and Intertwined,  but at the same time I adore those for their bittersweet artistic beauty. Long story short,  Dodie,  your music can save me or break me,  and that takes a beautifully skilled musician. Thank you for being here.


holy crap. i just stumbled across this video and it's like completely smacked me in the forehead about some of the things i do, and dang!!!!!!! i'm so glad i found this video


My thoughts on you oversharing or not are completely in the point of view of someone who has never struggled with mental illness so i feel like i can't give you a valid response. That being said, i'm young, hormonal and easily influenced, so i'm gonna give you my thoughts anyway. So i'm fourteen which is the first thing you need to know. As a young teen, i think that following people who talk about mental illness can do two things: one, it can expose us to the often stigmatised problems that people with these illnesses deal with and can take away some of the sugarcoating that adults in the media receive and/or two, it can make the idea of mental illness almost appealing. For me personally, you are absolutely number one but i think i can see how you could be doing number two. As i said, i feel like i benefit from your oversharing. All else aside, it helps me know that looking after my brain is important and that the people in the media are not perfect. HOWEVER the way that you choose to share your mental illness makes me realise how another young person may react differently. The way that you portray yourself is at three levels: i'm having fun but i still feel bad, i feel really good compared to usual, i feel like shit. Obviously that's ok, but its really hard for people my age who are still deciding how we feel, who we are, to be able to handle this without trying to mirror it. I guess what im trying to say is that i appreciate how much you share so much, but i know that the level of sharing that you do influences people in a bad way, especially teens. Teens (obviously including me) are so so easily influenced and for that reason, i think that even just structuring what you share would be a good idea. I am so grateful for you Dodie, keep being strong and sharing what you feel xxxxxxxxxxxx


Tbh I really like seeing Dodie having mental break downs. I KNOW THAT SOUNDS TERRIBLE. But it's someone I look up to experiencing the same thing I do, and I respect she can be open about it.

Molly Cadman Yes I do understand where you're coming from, but is that really Dodies fault? The 12-13 year old kids shouldn't really be unsupervised online. (I know I'm hypocritical since I was a 12-13 year old kid unsupervised online) I feel like Dodie found a safe place on here and it helps some people to watch. Maybe she can age restrict her videos? Add trigger warnings? I don't know, I just really don't want to take this away from her.

Cassidy Joy But how many 12-13 year olds are watching this, impressionable thinking 'omg I feel the same' when they really don't they've just never been introduced to this world before now they want to be like dodie and think it's cool. It digs an extremely dangerous hole. Don't think dodie realises how dangerous what she's doing is


gods, i wish i had friends like hazel and dodie and zannah that i could just, like, talk to and tell them that i feel fucking shit.

thank you guys so very much for this video. it's got to me very much, and i appreciate you both.