please don’t romanticize mental illness. not only is it problematic and difficult on other people, it’s also dangerous. when i was younger, i tended to do this, even though i wouldn’t admit to it, and it led to me mimicking behavior. while it’s not the sole cause, i know that this worsened my actual mental health and i developed avoidance strategies and such. when i began to fear water, i dramatized my own emotions gradually over time. i now have a phobia of water that is so bad i’ve had panic attacks at swimming pools during birthday parties, and even pictures of lakes can have me hyperventilating. i have anxiety that makes me feel like i’m dying when a hairdresser is shampooing my hair. it’s hard for me to relax at night and sleep in my own bed at times because my mind won’t calm down. it interferes with my life in horrible ways.
i don’t talk about this stuff a lot, but i want people (especially younger people) to understand the effects this behavior can leave.