Right folks, so this may be my first actual rant. If you thought those other chapters were angry/rude/offensive, for the love of all things good and holy, DON'T READ THIS. It gets into some dark stuff. You have been warned.
You know what's something everyone hates?
Angst.
Angsty angst angst. And nothing but angst (a little angst is fine, but I'm talking about the full-on angst-only, no-happiness-allowed stuff).
And it's everywhere on Wattpad.
Now, I realize that the average age on Wattpad is in the early teens (get out of my way ya whipper-snappers), but for God's sake people! No one is as depressed as you make them sound. The only people who are quite so angsty are self-centered pigs. Yup, I said it.
Listen, I have been clinically depressed just like about 70% of young adults (totally throwing numbers out of my ass though I do know that it is a majority of youths especially in higher education (Something like 1 in 5 men in universities commit suicide). It's consequently leading to the over-prescription of antidepressants which are a bad idea, by the way, because they tend to screw you up more -- notably making people more depressed, completely messing up the natural brain chemistry resulting in everything from seizures to a loss of personality (the zinc-based and serotonin receptor ones are so bad for you) and where was I?).
Hell, I think that most young adults go through what I like to call "the suicide-is-seriously-on-the-tables phase". But as someone who has gone through that shit and works with people in a beeping hospital so that they don't self-harm, all you writers need to calm down. Not everyone in this word is as angsty as you are. In fact, most have gone through worse shit than you and you need to realize that.
Here's some numbers that I actually didn't make up; In the US alone there are about 100,000 10-17 year olds who are child prostitutes. 3 of out 4 are sold online. 1 in 3 women will be raped/physically abused -- in men it's about a 1 in 20 chance. 1 out of 6 kids has stunted growth from malnutrition (and yes, that includes "industrialized" nations). I'm not even going to go into the death statistics on this one because it's way too depressing. There's thought to be about 300,000 child soldiers -- that doesn't include all the suicide bombers who are "given the choice" to die. Chances are, you're better off than these kids. You've got a home to go to, food to eat, and someone who (though they may not understand you, whatever that means) loves you.
Honestly people, there are wars and conflicts going on right now (easy to forget, isn't it? Afghanistan, Somalia, Nigeria, Pakistan, Egypt, Mexico, Ukraine, Syria... shall I continue?). People are dying cruelly all the time. Homes are being bombed, kids are being tortured in unspeakable ways, and people just like you are being mutilated for fun. And yet, they are still able to smile (I should know. I know a few of these people. And they are too amazing for words).
Every person has something that lights up their world. Be it singing, dancing, music, or just looking at that beautiful glowing orb outside their window. It's there and everyone has it. And you people need to stop saying that life is too depressing to live, that there's nothing to live for, and that the sun don't shine. Because it does. Every. Damn. Day. If you're too blind to see it, realize that even the blind can feel the sun. If you can't feel it, you're too wrapped up in yourself. Stop wearing your ass as a hat and look around you.
So I'm sorry if I don't find your story about some kid whose parents just don't "get" them (yet they return home every night? WTF?) to be particularly touching.
I don't give a good God damn about how little Suzy is so depressed that her boyfriend is cheating on her and spends all day moping around instead of going and doing something to make herself feel better. And I'm sorry that she can't find the will to live because she has been dumped. Though I'm much more sorry for her family and friends who have to put up with her whining instead of kicking her in the butt and telling her that she's abusing their relationship with her to make herself feel better. Because if little Suzy doesn't have the will to live that's her issue.
Maybe she'd change her mind if she was staring down a steel barrel, took her head out of her saggy butt, or started thinking about others for a change.
Finally, writing is a window into the soul and the mind. If you are feeling like the angst-riddled characters you are writing about, please for the love of all things good and holy, get help. Feeling that awful is a seriuos problem. And not help from your fellow Waddpaddets (though we can be a stepping stone. We are, after all, just a click away). Go get professional help because that is a serious problem and while I'd love to help, I'm not qualified. Kid's Help Phone is always there and their number is a candy wrapper away.
We can help but remember the saying "The only person who can make you happy is yourself".
Bring on the hate mail. I'm ready.
