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The Duke and Duchess of Sussex have spoken about “almost insurmountable” online abuse while appearing on a podcast with a group of teenagers to mark World Mental Health Day.
Arry and Meghan joined three California high school students on an episode of their Teen Therapy podcast and discussed topics such as mental health stigma, self-care, and online abuse.
The Duchess said the Covid-19 pandemic, which has closed schools around the world, has meant more time online for many.
She told presenters Gael, Kayla and Thomas, “Yeah, it’s a great way to connect, but it also ends up being a place where there’s a lot of disconnection, you know, I can speak personally.
“They told me that in 2019 I was the most trolled person in the world, man or woman. Now eight months of that wasn’t even visible, she was on maternity leave or with a baby.
“But what could be manufactured and produced is almost insurmountable, it is so great that you cannot think about what it feels like, because I don’t care if you are 15 or 25, if people say things about you that are not true, what that makes your mental and emotional health so harmful. “
Harry added that people can hide behind usernames in virtual spaces to project or say things that they wouldn’t say in person.
He continued: “I think many, many people are suffering, a lot, and they are going crazy for the way the world is and for sometimes the echo chamber that the online platform that they have created has created for them. chosen to be in.
“But it’s also about control, you can control what you see, you can control what you do, so whether it’s notifications or vibration tones, whatever, these things control you, instead of taking control.”
The broadcast was recorded earlier this week in the Santa Barbara area where the Sussexes now live, and with everyone socially estranged and wearing masks.
It typically features five seniors, from Loara High School in the Orange County city of Anaheim, who have candid conversations on a variety of topics, from mental health, school and family to friendships and sexuality.
The couple discussed their coping strategies to anchor their mental health: Harry told the hosts that he meditates and Meghan said that he writes diaries.
Harry emphasized the importance of prioritizing self-care and having candid conversations about wellness, adding, “The more we talk about it, the more it becomes normal, and it’s normal, and it’s not a sign of weakness, it’s a sign of strength. “
The Duke and Duchess later criticized algorithms on social media sites promoting suggested content, saying that consuming material online should be treated in the same way as a physical diet.
Harry said, “I think it’s very easy to get sucked into and consumed by negativity, but we all have the option of being able to eliminate that from our lives.
“Followers of hate have become something, you don’t need to do that. As much as we worry, we are worried and we realize what we put in our stomach as a diet, the same applies to our eyes and our mind, what we consume is affecting us ”.
PA media
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