Too much too young?

[DavidUK]

Hi everyone, I just saw on tv Greta Thunberg addressing a meeting of world leaders at the UN in New York with tears streaming down her face saying, "we will never forgive you" to politicians who may or may not let down future generations on the subject of climate change.
While I totally applaud her drive, enthusiasm and passion for what is in my mind a very 'just cause', at the same time I cannot help but worry about whether she is receiving all the emotional and mental support that she will need in order to prevent her possibly experiencing 'burn out' if her expectation of these world leaders is not reciprocated?
(I understand she is already the target of some pretty nasty online abuse)
And I think this applies equally to every other youngster who becomes the 'poster' girl or boy for any cause, righteous or not?

😢

[Jazzy]

I think it is a dangerous possibility. Hopefully they get the support they need.

[Kizzie]

She's definitely getting some push back/abuse which is difficult for someone her age as we all know.  Fortunately she has so many supporters and has made such a difference, both of which are very strong resiliency factors.  I don't know much about her family but presumably given she is in the US they do support her.

Last year she was alone in her efforts to raise awareness about climate change & barely talked to anyone but now she has the world's ear and many caring people around the world to support her. She doesn't have to remain silent to stay safe like so many of us did/do and that's huge in terms of how she deals with backlash and stress. I do agree it's a big burden for one so young but I think not doing anything would almost be more of a burden.

[DavidUK]

I really hope that you are right Kizzie.. I've been aware of her story along with most people I guess, but until she decided to sail to the US I hadn't really paid much attention to her, rather than the cause.
Just seeing her facial expressions on the news yesterday and her emotions.. my inner voice was saying, "boundaries anyone? anyone at all? Nope I guess not.."
😢

[DavidUK]

... just looking at my own reaction to this event has been useful for me.
From my distorted world view it's ok for me to sleep outside in the rain and the snow for the best part of a decade but if I see a young girl crying it really upsets me!

Wanting to 'rescue' and put the needs of others before self has been a consistent thread throughout my life. It's been easier I have found to come up with solutions to help others because I am not so emotionally involved in their outcome, than it has to try and resolve my own situation.

And trying to be the 'peacemaker' in order to prevent another confrontational situation developing in my life, is indicative of not feeling I had the strength to stand up to bullies. Ultimately this plays into their hands as they perceive it as a weakness rather than a strength..

😊

[DavidUK]

I haven't really been following Greta's recent progress but I did take a quick look today at two articles through the 'filter' of the British press...

https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/world-news/greta-thunberg-labelled-mentally-ill-20168631.amp

https://www.google.co.uk/amp/s/www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-7501829/amp/Psychologist-says-hes-worried-mental-wellbeing-climate-change-activist-Greta-Thunberg.html

Her campaign does seem to 'polarise' people's responses but I guess the silent majority may not be represented.
Whatever 'the truth' may be about the effects on her personally of taking on this global campaign I guess we'll find out at some point in the future...

[Kizzie]

Getting into the divisiveness of climate change and reactions to this young woman is not something we want to do here, but I appreciate how you are looking at the effect she has had on you framed against your Complex PTSD.  I did the same thing with (what I see as) Trump's narcissistic behaviour (versus the political issues) and it helped a lot.

[DavidUK]

Hi Kizzie I am not at all interested in joining the climate change debate. 
I'm interested in the effect that watching the treatment of Greta on tv and in the media generally has on myself and how it makes me feel.
I'm also interested in how society globally views mental health issues. Some conditions seem to be viewed as acceptable and given a certain degree of 'protection' in the media while others seem to be perceived as not so valid and therefore 'legitimate' to ridicule or attack.
It seems like a bit of 'luck of the draw' as to how people's mental health issues are regarded.
CPTSD in the UK is very much like this in my experience, it varies widely from one healthcare professional to the next as to how the condition is regarded and therefore the amount of help available...

[Blueberry]

My impression of Greta is that she is very resilient for her age. I can't imagine having said "How dare you...?" to an adult at 16. In fact I've only just started thinking that to FOO mbrs, e.g. siblings. Not even to my parents yet. I'm about 30 years older than Greta, btw.

She also seems to take her own diagnosis in her stride, stressing the benefits of it. Recently she did show her feelings, maybe she couldn't hold them back. But that in itself is a show of courage I think. Also better out than in imho. With cptsd we've got bottled up feelings, bottled up for decades often. Greta let everything flow.

She does have support from her family; her father often travels with her. She has taken a year off school, presumably with support and agreement from her family. There are young people her age in highly competitive sports, or who work as professional actors and models, all of which can be quite strenuous at that age, but they manage - in the main anyway.

Greta also has a choice. She could decide not to do this, and she could decide to stop at any time, if it got too much for her. Whereas those of us on here with childhood-onset cptsd didn't have a choice. We carried way too much burden, way too young, and there wasn't any way out of it, till after our childhoods were over.

I admire Greta and her actions, but I'm not worried about her.