This blog post will answer the question “was Taeyeon depressed?” and also discuss the importance of an excellent support system when battling depression. We will also cover topics like the relationship between cyberbullying and depression and factors that can aggravate depression.

Was Taeyeon depressed?

Yes, Taeyeon went through a depressive phase. She admitted it to her Instagram followers after asking her followers to ask her questions on her Instagram stories. Before discussing ‌her depressive phase and the causes, let us look at who Taeyeon is.

Who is Taeyeon?

Kim Taeyeon is a South Korean singer. March 9, 1989, was the day she was born. She is the lead and main vocalist in the girl group Girls’ Generation. She is among the most famous female vocalists in South Korea.

She is also the first member of Girls’ Generation to do a solo tour in Asia. She debuted as a solo musician in 2015 and was ranked second on the Gaon Album chart of South Korea. Her single sold over one million copies.

Apart from her fame as a musician, Taeyeon has had a fair share of personal challenges in her career. On June 19, 2019, she took to her Instagram page and revealed that she was battling depression and was on medication. She had an informal Q&A forum where she revealed the news to her fans who were concerned about her social media absence for over two weeks.

She also called out a fan who asked condescendingly if she was suffering from bipolar. She answered she was having depression and asked the fan not to disrespect people with mental issues as they are suffering. She appreciated her fans saying that their warm wishes gave her strength.

Taeyeon previously has also been a victim of cyberbullying back in 2014 for dating a younger man from EXO (a large boy band group back then). She was slut-shamed for being older than him in hierarchy and age and also accused of depression. More of this will be discussed in the topic “why cyberbullying can cause depression” below.

How cyberbullying can cause depression

The cases of suicide and depression among famous people, especially musicians, have been on the rise. Cyberbullying has been linked as a major cause of depression and suicide in celebrities.

The lives of celebrities are in the open for everyone to see and scrutinize. They can hardly go shopping or on holiday without paparazzi or fans following them around and taking pictures. They are judged on how they wear, what they do, and who they interact with. Like any normal human, this kind of scrutiny and judgment influences them.

Taeyeon has lost two close friends to suicide because of depression. Korean fans are known for their commitment to supporting K-pop artists. The commitment can be inspiring, especially when they come together to support a worthy cause.

They can also tarnish a celebrity’s career through cyberbullying. They put a lot of unrealistic expectations on their idols, i.e., how they carry themselves, their personas, how they dress and who they date! Taeyeon received a lot of hate from fans for dating a man younger than her in age and hierarchy (she debuted her music career earlier than him).

She was accused of faking her depression and emotions when she expressed her feelings publicly. She was called manipulative and shameless. She lost weight because of this ordeal and had to retreat from the public eye. Eventually, she broke up with her boyfriend and again the internet broke with hate and accusations that she caused the breakup.

All this happened when Korea was widely known for stigmatizing people with mental illnesses. This is just an example of how social media can be a platform for spreading hate and causing/aggravating feelings of depression. Globally, many celebrities have deleted their social media accounts from cyberbullying as they try to protect their mental health.

Just like Taeyeon, many who go through depression are ridiculed for it. They are mocked for their changes in body weight, marriage problems and other flaws without considering their feelings. Some take it further and send threatening messages, making appearances at their homes and sending threatening packages.

We will look at celebrities who have been bullied online.

List of celebrities who have been bullied online

Taeyeon is not the only celebrity that has come out to admit that she was suffering from depression. The following celebrities have gone through online bullying:

Miley Cyrus was bullied a lot when she was in school and at the beginning of her career. She has been to rehab because of bulimia, and self-harm and has been diagnosed with bipolar. She is now an advocate for mental health.

Iggy Azalea had to delete her Twitter account because of people body-shaming her.

Demi Lovato has received criticism for her eating disorder. She has, however, used it to empower girls to appreciate their bodies. Her song, skyscraper, talks about people trying to bring her down, but she is still standing strong.

Zyne Malik was cyberbullied for his race. He was called a terrorist, and it affected him when it started upsetting his mother and other family members.

Selena Gomez explained that even with a flow of positive feedback, she could get fixated on the negative ones and they affected her. She had to deactivate her account at least once a week to avoid the negative comments.

Factors that can aggravate depression

Taeyeon’s depression was aggravated by cyberbullying and the loss of close friends. Other factors that aggravate depression include:

Poor sleep patterns
Rumination (getting stuck on negative thoughts)
Grief and loss
Financial problems
Life transitions (positive or negative)
Drug and substance abuse
Terminal illnesses
Stress
Rejection
Social isolation
Poor diet
Inactivity

5 ways an excellent support system is important when battling depression

Taeyeon thanked her fans for their overwhelming support and said that they gave her the strength to hold on. A good support system goes a long way in supporting people battling depression. Below are the top 7 ways a support system is important;

Helps you to remain active

One major symptom of depression is inactivity and loss of interest in activities. This leads to hopelessness and isolation, which worsens the symptoms of depression. This is seen from Taeyeon’s story when she withdraws from social media due to her illness. A support system will help you find helpful activities that, when combined with medication, will improve your mood faster.

Going for walks, rides, knitting and running will ease the feeling of being alone.

Help you achieve your goals

Lack of understanding and judgment from people worsens the symptoms of depression. Depression causes inactivity and lack of motivation. Having coworkers, a good boss or understanding fellow students who will help with work and studies when you get stuck will ease the feeling of feeling useless.

An emotional support animal will give you a sense of responsibility

Taeyeon got a dog named Zero that accompanied her everywhere and seemed to give her a lot of comfort and peace. People perceive that depressed people get emotional support from animals because they make them feel good. The truth is they are emotional animals because they need to be taken care of.

They help you get out of bed and take them for a walk, feed them or bathe them because those tasks have to be done. They act as a distraction, as they are demanding creatures and need to be taken care of. When we take care of the animals, we end up taking care of ourselves.

A support group gives you a space for free association

Taeyeon, Yoona and Leeteuk started a special MILK (Made In Love Kin) club for ‘depressed souls’. The group was made for idol stars who were going through depression and to keep each other’s mutual support. The group aimed at giving each other support in overcoming loneliness.

You can join support groups in your region or find people going through depression. This will be a safe space to talk freely as there will be no judgment as all of you relate to the feelings each of you is going through. You will ‌help each other overcome feelings of helplessness and loneliness.

It will help you stay alive

Isolating from others will make you entertain thoughts of committing suicide. This feeling intensifies when you feel useless, unwanted, and a burden to other people. A good support system will help you reach out when you have suicidal thoughts.

Taeyeon used her fans as a source of strength for her to battle depression. A support group or emotional animal also helps you feel wanted and gives you a reason to live another day. You can also call a close friend/family who makes you feel better when the suicidal thoughts come even in the middle of the night.

Conclusion

This blog post addressed the question “was Taeyeon depressed?”. We also explained in detail how cyberbullying can cause depression and listed some celebrities who have suffered cyberbullying.

We also listed factors that aggravate depression and explained five ways how a support system is useful when battling depression. Please comment on the content or ask questions in the comments section below.

Frequently asked questions: Was Taeyeon depressed?

When did Taeyeon go solo?

Taeyeon made her solo debut on October 7, 2015.

Is cyberbullying a major cause of depression?

Yes, cyberbullying is a major cause of depression, especially among youth and celebrities. We have witnessed many celebrities deactivating their social media pages due to a lot of hate from people all over the world. Most of them have opened up about the effect cyberbullying has had on their mental health.

What are Taeyeon’s fans called?

The fandoms of Taeyeon are called Taeganger and their fandom colour is pastel Rose.

What are the social effects of cyberbullying?

Research has shown that cyberbullying can cause anxiety, depression, loneliness, low self-esteem and social phobias.

What is a support system?

A support system is a group of people who provide people with practical, emotional, and social support when going through any problem. Pets have also been classified as animals that can help with symptoms of depression.

Citations

C. Hong., (2019. June 16). Girls’ Generation’s Taeyeon Shares Recent Struggles With Depression. Retrieved from https://www.soompi.com/article/1332470wpp/girls-generations-taeyeon-shares-recent-struggles-with-depression

K. Giaae., (2021, May 12). Dear Taeyeon, It’s Okay Not to Be Okay. retrieved from https://catapult.co/stories/giaae-kwon-kpop-column-taeyeon-mental-health-depression-emotional-support-animals

123 helpme, Essay on bullying and celebrities. Retrieved from https://www.123helpme.com/essay/Essay-On-Bullying-And-Celebrities-660558

BBC Radio 1, 7 stars who have personal experiences of online bullying. Retrieved from https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/articles/3QcD9W13Dr0bxmt4CMWVkGk/7-stars-who-have-personal-experiences-of-online-bullying

Anne M. Russel., (2021, September 10). 7 Ways To Support A Depressed Friend. Retrieved from https://www.forbes.com/health/mind/ways-to-support-a-depressed-friend/

Was Taeyeon depressed?