If you haven’t binge watched 13 Reason Why yet, what are you even doing?! The Netflix series produced by none other than Selena Gomez and her mum has had absolutely everyone talking.
Based on the novel with the same name by Jay Asher, it deals with depression and suicide through the eyes of a teenage girl who leaves tapes explaining why she took her own life.
It probably feels like the entire internet won’t shut up about it but it’s seriously worth the hype, and deals with some dark issues in a very head-on way.
However it seems that not everyone is backing the hit show. Former X Factor contestant Lucy Spraggan has slammed the original series “a shit show”.
She said: “13 Reasons Why is an awful, awful portrayal of mental health. Gutted young people are being told that’s how it is.
“Obsession, guilt and blame are part of many people’s mental health stories, but not positive parts. Promoting it is so odd.
“Suicide and suicidal feelings aren’t about other people, they are about you and your wellbeing. I’m ranting but meh. It’s a shit show.”
The 25-year-old performer has previously discussed battling her own demons, talking on Loose Women last year about her suicidal thoughts following a torrent of online abuse.
However, the cast of 13 Reasons Why have defended the show, with Katherine Langford and Dylan Minnette (or Hannah Baker and Clay Jensen if you’ve seen the show and cried more than you thought humanly possible) saying: “You care about Hannah so much and you're so heartbroken, I'm not worried at all about that (glamorising suicide). They found the perfect way to tell the story."
Whether or not you like the show, if it can get people talking about an issue that’s still largely stigmatised it can only be a good thing.
If you have been affected by the issues raised in this article please contact the Samaritans on 116123 for support or visit the website on www.samaritans.org.