A counselling service has created a new film to raise awareness about the negative impact of social media.

Dying to be Famous has been produced by our member Glenda Roberts, founder of Exploring U Counselling and JustTalk2019, based in Sudbury, Suffolk, in association with former Eastenders actress Delanie Forbes.

The film aims to explore issues around trolling and bullying online, raise awareness of the impact it can have on mental health and wellbeing and to highlight how counselling can help people cope.

Real experiences

“We realised there is a problem with how social media is affecting young people. We decided to produce a short film based on people’s real experiences,” Glenda told the Suffolk Free Press.

“People do spiral out of control and there is help out there. It’s never too late. We are hoping that people can see that if they have got a problem, they can pick up the phone and get the help they need.

“We want people to take on board that things out there on social media are changing and it can be a dangerous place."

Counsellor

It follows the journey of vlogger Ruby Piper, who is trolled online and struggles to live with the negativity. Ruby thinks about taking her own life before seeking support from a counsellor to come through the other side.

The 25-minute film is being screened at the Quay Theatre in Sudbury on Thursday, 6 February and will be followed by a Q&A with qualified counsellors including Jo Holmes, our Children, Young People and Families lead.

Dying to be Famous is also available online and Glenda hopes it will be shown in schools and colleges to help people affected by issues in the film.

Glenda said: “We want this to be used as a tool to help not just young people, but anyone affected by trolling or bullying.

“My aim is to continue to make short films that focus on mental health and address many subject matters that need awareness to bring about positive change,” she added.

To find a counsellor who can help you with issues mentioned in this article, visit our Therapist directory.