Meghan Markle opens up about her “almost unsurvivable” experience with trolls

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex have always championed speaking out about mental wellbeing– and in honour of World Mental Health Day, the royal couple sat down with the hosts of the Teenager Therapy podcast inside their Santa Barbara home to discuss the negative ramifications of online trolling. First launched in 2018 by five best friends from Loara High School in Anaheim, California, the series aims to provide a “lifeline” for vulnerable teenagers across the United States by frankly discussing everything from acne to bullying.

“I can speak personally because I’m told that in 2019 I was the most trolled person in the entire world, male or female,” Meghan reflected. “Now eight months of that I wasn’t even visible. I was on maternity leave or with a baby—but what was able to just be manufactured and churned out… It’s almost unsurvivable.” And while she admitted that her story was “so big” most people “can’t even think of what that feels like”, she also stressed that the pain that comes with being “isolated or othered” is universal. “If people are saying things about you that aren’t true, what that does to your mental and emotional health is so damaging.”

Also of note from the podcast recording? Meghan’s candidness about her interview with journalist Tom Bradby during the Sussexes’ 2019 tour of Africa, in which she admitted that “not many people have asked if I’m OK”. “Man, I was tired,” she reflected. “I was just about to give Archie a bath... I was exhausted... Between every official engagement I was running back to make sure our son was fed... And I didn’t realise that my answer would receive such interest from around the world.”

Fortunately, both Harry and Meghan also revealed their preferred methods for coping with mental health struggles. While for the Duke, “meditation is key”, the Duchess also relies on writing a diary to keep her grounded. “I think journaling is a really powerful thing,” she shared. “It allows me to reflect on where I’ve come from, and with that comes a lot of perspective.” Also vital in the couple’s eyes? Speaking out. “At a certain point you have to be comfortable in your own skin,” Meghan said. “And in those moments when you say, ‘Is it better to not say anything?’–What’s the alternative? Internalise it? If you sit in silence that can be a lot worse for your health.

This article originally appeared on Vogue.co.uk

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