For x reader writers:
- If you don't have depression, don't write about the reader being depressed
- If you don't have anxiety, please don't write about anxiety attacks
- If you're not suicidal, please don't write about the reader committing suicide
- If you've never experienced abuse from any person, then please don't try to write about the reader being abused.

These topics are extremely sensitive to a lot of people. Writing about it perpetuates a lot of the inaccurate stereotypes of these mental illnesses, and even goes so far as romanticizing the idea of having a mental illness. People struggle with mental illness everyday, but that doesn't mean they all result to cutting themselves and trying to kill themselves. Mental illness is messy, complicated, and hard to understand. As someone with depression and anxiety, it makes me cringe how many times I've read x reader fanfic where the reader is supposedly depressed. The story arch always goes the same way:

- the reader is depressed/has anxiety/abused
- the reader gets so fed up they cut themselves excessively, thinking that everything will get better
- things don't get better
- they try to kill themselves
- the lover rescues them and straight up tells them that they don't need to be depressed when they are there to accompany the reader
- the reader believes them and they live happily ever after
(Because I'll definitely stop being depressed when a man comes my way and tells me that everything will be ok so long as I'm with him🙄)

If you're going to write about mental illnesses, rape, or abuse, you need to take the time to research about the symptoms and even go so far as to find stories of victims of these experiences. It would be even better if you have friends or know someone who has these experiences, and talk to them about what they feel and how they cope. You'll then realize that not everyone resorts to killing themselves. We all have different ways of coping. And writing the lover in a way that tries to protect the reader only gives—at least me—the impression that the lover doesn't care about the reader's past and cares about their love. Which is good, yes, but only for a little bit. You'll soon understand that you're feeding into the romantic ideals in dating someone with these experiences. You're also invalidating all their experiences and giving them the message that everything will be ok once you have a romantic partner to take care of you. People with these experiences are perfectly capable of functioning on their own, and even go to the far lengths of pretending everything is ok just for others to be happy. They are strong people who deserve more than just the love of a partner.

Instead, you can portray the lover to be understanding, to listen to the reader, to be the support that they sometimes need. It doesn't have to be dramatic like seeing them about to kill themselves. It can even just be the lover figuring out about their past and work on ways to support the reader. Please spread this because I want all the writers, especially x reader writers, to contemplate their writing. If their work reflects what I've just said, then they need to reconsider what message they're giving to the audience. As writers, we have a power to control the imaginations of the readers, even just for a little while. Let's make sure not to get too offensive or insensitive to these topics.

I'll probably talk more about x reader fanfic later. I don't wanna make this psa long.

As for the readers who are also struggling with these experiences, I want you to know that what you're feeling is ok. You're strong and very brave. To imagine each and every one of you finding ways to cope with something that no human should ever go through, is astonishing. I admire you guys so much. Keep fighting the good fight, and remember to breathe and take life one step at a time.

With Love,
K