O Yellow September and the virtual cancellation are different themes, but they can be associated with the same context, after all, both are directly related to the mental health of the population.
To understand how these two issues manifest in your life and how they can impact your social circle, check out the content we prepared. With it, you will have an incentive to keep getting informed on the subject, developing a healthier environment on the internet.
The origin of Yellow September and its importance
Yellow September is the name of a suicide prevention campaign, which also seeks to make the population aware of the need to take care of their own mental health. In España, this action started to be carried out in 2015.
The World Health Organization, WHO, however, had defined since 2003 that September 10 would be considered World Suicide Prevention Day, with the color yellow as a symbol of this campaign.
The choice of date and color for Yellow September was not random. In fact, even the need to talk about suicide was motivated by a very specific factor. In September 1994, 17-year-old American Mike Emme took his own life.
At the teenager's funeral, friends and family handed out cards with yellow ribbons, the same color as the car Emme drove, with self-help phrases for anyone going through a difficult time. This attitude drew the world's attention to the topic.
In this way, Yellow September proves to be an essential measure to combat the taboo on suicide. For a long time this practice was seen as an act of cowardice, weakness and selfishness, as if it were not the result of intense suffering.
By creating debates about mental health, more people can recognize that this part of who we are is just as important as physical health and that we need to embrace and help people who don't feel good about themselves.
So Yellow September is a measure that can deconstruct the negative and inappropriate stigma about mental illness, in addition to offering support to those who need to seek psychological help and may not have realized it.
What is internet cancel culture?
Cancellation on the internet consists of repudiating a disrespectful attitude of a public person. This repudiation is manifested in the form of negative comments in publications, sending aggressive messages to the personality through social networks and suspension of consumption of content produced by the celebrity.
Although cancellation can occur with people who are not famous, it is more intense for public figures, who have high visibility and whose attitudes are always being analyzed with a magnifying glass. But is cancellation really something negative?
The answer to this question is not simple. On the one hand, the cancellation shows that certain speeches and behaviors that are prejudiced or aggressive no longer have a place in modern society and should be condemned.
On the other hand, the way in which the cancellation develops is not educational and will hardly provoke a change in behavior in those who were cancelled. When thinking about the best way to educate an individual, one is sure that aggression and humiliation are not efficient methods.
So if the purpose of canceling on the internet is to make the population aware of offensive attitudes and thoughts, it needs to be done more strategically. And the reason for this is not only the deconstruction of concepts that no longer fit, but also the maintenance of mental health for all of us.
Does cancellation affect mental health?
All types of aggression, including verbal aggression, can compromise a person's mental health. This is because the way an individual feels about himself is influenced by other people to some extent.
So spreading aggressive speeches or that attack a social group, for example, directly affects the well-being of people who are the target of this type of behavior. It is with these offended individuals in mind that the cancellation begins.
Until that moment, then, we observe that the cancellation can be interpreted as an attempt to recover the mental health of those who were affected by a prejudiced position, however this is not the only perspective on the issue.
When attacks on the person who had an inappropriate attitude start to happen, he doesn't even have a chance to think about what he did and apologize. All efforts are directed towards containing damage and cleaning up the image, which can lead to an insincere stance, just to reduce the hate distilled over the internet.
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Even if apparently such a public figure is feeling good and regretting what he did, internally he may be suffering. Imagine how you would feel if, after a mistake, thousands of strangers sent you messages saying that you are a bad person and that you will never be forgiven?
In this scenario, both the person being canceled and the group they attacked can face serious mental health damage. Depression, anxiety, low self-esteem and difficulty interacting socially are some of the problems that can develop in this context.
Fight for a respectful virtual environment
During Yellow September and in all other months, it is essential to fight for the guarantee of a respectful and welcoming virtual environment. And the construction of this space will not happen if people continue to take offense, with or without reason to do so.
By understanding that the violence of words does not lead us to positive results, we recognize the importance of prioritizing dialogue, welcoming and education, after all, how many times have you made a mistake out of ignorance? And how many times have you wished someone would listen to you before judging you?
Social networks were not created to separate society, but to unite it. If we can use this space to evolve and to learn, we must adopt a more understanding and respectful attitude.
When a public figure or someone you know makes a mistake, indicate which way they should have gone. Do this in a didactic way, without using offense. In this way, the person who made a mistake will have a chance to redeem himself and change after being reprimanded.
If you are the person most likely to be canceled because you still don't understand everything about how the world is working, start studying. Research about social, ethnic, gender and sexuality issues. Make an effort to understand that not all the attitudes you learned as you grew up are acceptable.
Take care of your mental health
A person's mental health is like their physical health. If you break your arm, for example, will you try to fix it at home or with the help of friends and family? No! You will go to a healthcare professional, who knows exactly what to do to help you find a cure as quickly as possible.
If you're having trouble feeling good about who you are, your choices, or your past, seek psychological help. As much as the people who love you can comfort you at times, they are not professionals and will not be able to help you permanently and effectively.
From the link that we will provide below, you will find places to get psychological care online, free or paying a social value, which is more affordable for most families. Check out:
From the information presented, it is observed that cancellation on the internet should be one of the focuses during Yellow September. Cyber ​​attacks are so intense that they can compromise a person's well-being, even if they are famous, which goes against the principles to create a welcoming environment online. So spread the need to respect and understand all people, even virtually!
