I'm a 17 year old black female and been feeling terrible lately. If i don't feel sad or anxious, my mood is low. Its a rarity to feel happy. Different things are giving me negative vibes.
Obviously I am apart of social media because i'm a teen, but the things i see on tv or online makes me feel bad about myself because i haven't got the nicest stuff. I also feel that people are very mean especially to black women, when they make stereotypical claims and jokes about us, and that is one of the main things i feel upset about.
In reality, small things put me in a low mood, the disrespect of other, shady people in my class, and stressing about not doing well enough to please my family.
I feel like I'm slowly deteriorating inside, and its horrible feeling this way literally every day, I'm not really open about talking to people about this face to face because I don't like crying in front of others.
Any advice? It would be much appreciated.
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robinson234
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Hello, I am not young myself but there are many young people on here. I think that young people are under so much pressure nowadays from the social media and everybody feeling they have to have the latest gadgets and so on. I also do think it can be harder being a part of any minority group and you are right that there can be some nasty people who make stereotypical claims and jokes and these things can be very hurtful indeed.
It sounds like you have a lack of confidence .Have found some good websites for you to look at for one thing.
I've copied some of what it says in the second one below. Though it relates to people in America it is the same thing.
"Be aware that many people are so entrenched in the cultural privileges extended to white people that they are not aware that they are either privileged or prejudiced. It is not "all in your head". It is real, and you are not responsible to pretend it is not. It's not just "all about your attitude".
"Seek access to people who are not prejudiced. Use the internet to connect to them. Read blogs about body positivity which represent black people and draw attention to their bodies and their inherent value. Remember that the bigoted people who state their opinion the loudest might attract the most attention, but don't represent everyone else."
Research your personal and cultural history. Where did your ancestors come from?
Find a role model you admire
"Tell your parents or someone you look up to about your feelings."
If you find it is more than this then maybe you will need to talk to the doctor or counsellor as part of your post suggests that it is other things also apart from just this. Some of these things could be just a part of just growing up but if you do find your mood is very low then possibly do think about telling your doctor and do tell your family too.
Hope this helps,
Gemma XX
I am 15 and suffer the same as what you describe, I worry over people sniggering at the back of my class wondering if its about me or if I'm aware of someone looking at me I wonder if its because of the way I look or my make-up, what I'm wearing, the colour of my skin, my smile or the way I speak. Your not alone in what you are experiencing.
Haver you been clinically diagnosed with anxiety or low self esteem?
If you begin to feel any worse or your low moods are becoming more frequent get in contact with a professional or send out a post, there will always be someone out there to help, just to listen or be there for advice & support.
Elle
Hello
I understand, I think you are taking Social Media at College, University, and you are been upset and cynical to Society, in general.
Life is really hard and some people we need to deal with are not very nice and of course the situation in the world can shock even the hardest hack. Personally in the past I have travelled throughout the Middle East and areas right across to Peking, we saw many nasty things over those years and it really attacks your humanity.
Just because you are black and possibly you are seeing what is going on throughout does not mean you do not care, and people in general may be nasty to you regarding various situations. They need to give you respect and treat you like anyone else in Society in general
If you need help see your GP you can suppress the hurt, although do you really need that ?.
We all go through our early life where we wear rose coloured glasses, although life is brutal and unpleasant and there is nothing we can do to change that, although if you are in Media you may in the future be able to do some good. As you will see the good or bad in society in general
Talk to your GP you may need to talk your concerns out to a CPN??. Remember when young we all feel we are going to change the world, the shock is the world and people in it are not very nice. It upsets me as well.
Hey, I know how you feel. I am 21, but I've been suffering from depression for a while and being a black female myself, I know some people give us a hard time, try not to let other's opinions get to you. I'll advice you to get help from your GP, and remember to concentrate on your life goals.
Hi there, I think a lot more people feel like this than you realise, just not everyone can admit to it.
For starters, I HATE facebook and twitter. They are two of the worst things to ever have been invented in my mind. It forces you to see what other people are doing and to stay in contact with people you would normally have lost touch with. It stops people from moving on. I had FB briefly for my uni teaching course coz we helped each other when out on placement etc. And after I failed, I was still going on FB and noticing/being alerted to new comments etc which made me feel depressed. They were all about how great their jobs were and how much they enjoyed teaching, and yet another one of the girls got engaged. I just thought bitterly, "that's great for you all". It just made me feel even worse, so I got rid of FB. I feel better for it. It was tempting to look people up even though I knew it would only make me feel bad. That's addiction.
I'm not surprised you're feeling down about the comments being forced on you, it's enough to make anyone feel down, it's cyber-bullying. FB had been in the news because it's been found to cause depression, and the increased use of phones behind the wheel has been attributed to FB addiction. Not much good can come from it. You can try to use it innocently to keep in touch with long distance friends but you will soon get sucked into it. I would recommend that you delete your FB account. I feel better for it but like you say, teenagers will find that very hard as they are already accustomed to a life revolving around FB.
You can also speak to your doctor about how you feel. There is no shame or weakness in admitting that you feel low. Best of luck xx
My suggestion is to see a Therapist. It helps to have someone neutral to speak to. He/She should also be able to help you develop a customized treatment plan to address your individual needs. Stay Encouraged, It does get better
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