Jesy Nelson, performer in the girl group Little Mix has opened up on the topic if cyber bullying and how it has affected her.
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Jesy gained international fame in 2011 she won The X-factor along with her bandmates Leigh-Anne Pinnock, Jade Thirlwall and Perrie Edwards. They went on to gain international attention for debut album DNA and went on tour in 2013.
During this time Jesy along with the other band members were actively engaged on social media to be able to interact with fans on a more personal level. The types of comments Jesy began to receive was anything but supportive.
Some of the shameful comments included: “Fat singing whale”,“The fat one is repulsive”, “Kill your f---ing self”, “Go chop your f---ing head off”, “Jesy’s face is deformed”, “That one from Little Mix looks like Miss Piggy from the Muppets.”
Jesy went on to explain how eventually the negative feelings that stemmed from all these cruel comments started to build until she reached her boiling point. “I remember going to the kitchen and just took as many tablets as I could. Then I laid in bed for ages and kept thinking, ‘Let it happen. Hurry up’.”
Jesy shared her thoughts on the cruel comments: “We were all told we had to have social media and it completely changed my life.
“The whole world had an opinion on me and they weren’t good ones.
“From the minute those comments started, it became one of the worst times of my life.
She added: “As a kid I was very very confident. I never had any issues with the way I looked, my weight — until everything changed. Being in Little Mix is just the best thing that’s ever, ever happened to me. But I hit such a low point in my life that I stopped turning up for work.
Jesy went on to explain that since this ordeal she deleted Twitter from her mobile and immediately felt better. Unfortunately trolling and negative comments may not be something we can avoid especially when you become so accessible to so many people, you don't need to let it get to you though.
If you or a friend ever feel like you're reaching your boiling point, don't hesitate to get help. In the UK you can call Samaritans Help Line at 116 123 or Text Get Help to 85258.