[krinsi]

Hi everybody. OK, has anybody ever experienced ... this may be a complete new one ... internet psychosis? I was surrounded on the internet, texts, and phone by anonymous people ... people who had read really personal information about me (written when I was way naive about the net). It was outed in my community and became a free for all! I NEVER meant for my community to see it. It was a year's worth of writing about serious depression, anger, loneliness, financial concerns, sexual issues, and a terrible terrible argument where people were seriously hurt. Some people wrote me to help and tried so hard to work me through those issues ... but others were extremely abusive ... extremely. Cyberbullying, sexual threats and physical threats to me and my family... horrifying scary at times. I hadn't been on the net in years and had been depressed and socially isolated, so I didn't understand what was happening. It went on for three years, did ok handling it at first ... BUT AS TIME WENT ON I TRULY LOST ALL SENSE OF REALITY ON THE NET. In the real world I became more and more paranoid, angry, and socially avoidant ... but still compos mentis and oriented x 4. However, I would have to say my behavior on the net mimicked "psychotic." No sense of what was happening, no sense of social relationships or the consequences of my words ... I have a friend who has schizophrenia, and it was almost like her descriptions of auditory hallucinations. People you don't know hurling abuse at you that you can't stop ... that scrambles your mind. (I handled it horribly btw and damaged so many relationships, which I regret. Yet it helped me by pushing me through issues and fears I never would have confronted any other way). Wanted to get the word out somewhere it's possible (maybe stress disorder + dissociation to handle it?) And see if ANYONE else in the world has experienced it. I hope not, but let's see ... thanks.

[pegasus]

Hello krinsi, welcome!

I don't know about it being psychosis but certainly it can affect us emotionally online just as in real life. There can be some nasty people on the internet that really don't care how it affects others because of that screen between you and other people. Yes it can feel surreal at times but being mindful of what you say and how it can really affect others is the key. PC is a good place because there are moderators that keep an eye out for the safety of the community and trolls don't last long here! Keep safe.