In a new interview with UK Cosmopolitan (she's on the cover looking AMAZING too FYI) Zoella opens up about how traumatic the hate was:
"It was horrible. I worked really hard on the book and it was all me – the characters, the story. I felt like I was being attacked and I was like, 'I'm going to shut my laptop, and I can't be bothered with this.' It knocked my confidence massively. When it came round to the second book, I felt I couldn't and that it had all been ruined. It took a lot for me to put that behind me and move forward."
The worst part is it made her struggle with anxiety even worse: "I have had anxiety since before I started doing this," she explains.
"It was horrible. I worked really hard on the book and it was all me – the characters, the story. I felt like I was being attacked and I was like, 'I'm going to shut my laptop, and I can't be bothered with this.' It knocked my confidence massively. When it came round to the second book, I felt I couldn't and that it had all been ruined. It took a lot for me to put that behind me and move forward."
The worst part is it made her struggle with anxiety even worse: "I have had anxiety since before I started doing this," she explains.
But there is a silver lining! Zoe says this negative experience taught her to really look after her mental health like she would her body: "I think it changes and adapts with your life. I have a therapist who I speak to every week without fail and that's been the biggest help because I'm now doing things that I never thought I'd be able to do. I'm one of those people who thinks everyone should have a therapist. People go to the gym, they eat healthily and visit the hairdressers but no one really looks after their mind."
If you or a friend is struggling with similar feelings, there is help at hand. You can speak confidentially to a trained counsellor 24 hours a day at headspace.org.au or Kids Helpline: 1800 55 1800.
If you or a friend is struggling with similar feelings, there is help at hand. You can speak confidentially to a trained counsellor 24 hours a day at headspace.org.au or Kids Helpline: 1800 55 1800.