One of the things that's not obvious about social media. It allows people to emote at you without experiencing any of the usual barriers that might stop them from doing that. We are dealing with people's emotional reactions a whole lot more on the internet then we do in person.
The thing to keep in mind is that, barring shitty people and trolls, the emotions are probably real. But the lack of social cues to regulate reaction *changes* the way people behave. What I find is that people on here are way more likely to ask me to carry their emotions.
It's one of the things that has always been difficult for me. Contrary to what you might see of me on here, I tend to pick up people's emotions pretty easily. It's something I have to actively find ways to block or it can be pretty draining for me.
As I started to piece all this together, I realized if I let people create a dynamic where I was responsible for their feelings, this place was going to overwhelm me. It would've probably turned me into a person I didn't want to be.
If you've ever tried to tell people on here that you're not responsible for the way they feel, you'll see what I mean. It will be interpreted as a rude response 100% of the time. They will proceed to explain to you why it's okay for them to emote all over your mentions.
It's a sticky problem. I believe in being open to hearing people if there's a problem with what I'm saying. There's a fine line between that and you just being in your feelings about it. I don't care about that second thing.
The only advice I can give today is to try to be mindful whether you're actually trying to engage with someone or whether you're just having an reaction and you want them to feel what you feel. And maybe consider that other people's mentions aren't a dumping ground for emotions.
