Posted by 13 Reasons Why is a show which tackles very difficult issues. And I can’t stop watching it. It is filled with triggering scenes addressing and depicting rape, gun violence, drug use, and suicide. It is not meant for young audiences and can cause mental distress. Some people are very much against the show and do not believe it should be aired. However, I can also see the other side of it. Our society needs to address these issues and not be afraid to talk about them. I also think the show could be therapeutic in many ways and help people work through their issues. Help people feel less alone and less misunderstood. Help people find a community of others who may be going through similar things, but were to afraid to reach out for help before.
It is a very complex show addressing very complex issues. And for some this show can be too much to handle and cause more anxiety and depressed feelings. However, does that mean the show is entirely bad? Does the show help some people? And is the show starting a conversation that is too often avoided?
Personally, I cry when I watch the show. I go through many emotional ups and downs while watching it. It causes me to feel anxious, but I also can’t look away. I very much so need to see what happens and need to see how things resolve. I need to see how the issues are dealt with. I tend to feel anxious for a bit after watching too, but it also allows me to look at my own life and emotions differently. It makes me think about how my actions change the lives of others. It reminds me that I’m normal. Everyone goes through rough shit. Sometimes I actually feel better after watching the show because it allows me to face some of the emotions I’d been hiding. It gives me a different view of tough issues.
Everyone’s experience watching the show is different because everyone experiences life, deals with emotions, and faces problems differently. But that may also be the beauty behind the show. It is not for everyone, but for some this show may open the door to a conversation which may otherwise not have happened. It may make them feel less alone. It may give them confidence to reach out for help and to speak their truth.
Art is meant to mirror life and create controversy. And for this reason I am not opposed to the show. It is art. And it is doing what art should do. It is making people talk. It is disrupting society and making people think. Whether you like the show or not. It doesn’t really change the fact that you are taking about it and therefore it is making you more aware of the issues the show addresses.
Olivia Bohrer 