Pete Davidson says no matter what you do to him, he’s not going to kill himself.
Wait, what? Yes, exactly what you just read. Online trolls can’t bully him to death, he says. And he wonders why they’re getting away with such abusive behaviour.
“I’ve been getting online bullied and in public by people for nine months. I’ve spoken about BPD [borderline personality disorder] and being suicidal publicly only in the hopes that it will help bring awareness and help kids like myself who don’t want to be on this earth,” the ‘Saturday Night Live’ actor said bluntly Monday on Instagram.
“I just want you guys to know. No matter how hard the internet or anyone tries to make me kill myself. I won’t.”
The ‘Saturday Night Live’ actor, who has been diagnosed with borderline personality disorder, was presumably referring to his break from pop star Ariana Grande. The two met in March and became an item toward the end of May, got engaged just weeks into the relationship and then split up in October.
She has got around 137 million Instagram followers, some of whom have apparently been talking to — or at — Davidson online. He has no verified Twitter or Facebook accounts.
He said he has kept his mouth shut about the online bullying to this point and hasn’t mentioned any names — nor does he drop any names in the post.
“I’m trying to understand how when something happens to a guy the whole entire world just trashes him without any facts or frame of reference,” Davidson wrote. “Especially in today’s climate where everyone loves to be offended and upset it truly is mind boggling.”
Davidson’s missive comes on the heels of the new video for Grande’s hit song ‘thank u, next,’ whose title echoes a Twitter comment involving the actor.
The singer put Davidson’s statement and a comment of her own on her Instagram story around midnight, urging her many fans to change their behaviour.
“[I] really don’t endorse anything but forgiveness and positivity. I care deeply about pete and his health. I’m asking you to please be gentler with others, even on the internet,” Grande said, in part.
Later in the statement, she got a bit more specific.
“[P]lease let whatever point you’re trying to make go. I will always have irrevocable love for him and if you’ve gotten any other impression from my recent work, you might have missed the point,” she said.
Here’s Grande’s statement in full:
“I know u already know this but I feel I need to remind my fans to please be gentler with others. I really don’t endorse anything but forgiveness and positivity. I care deeply about pete and his health. I’m asking you to please be gentler with others, even on the internet. I’ve learnt thru my own mistakes not to be reactive on socials so I do understand. but you truly don’t know what anybody is experiencing ever. regardless of what they choose to display on social media or how they may appear in public. I can promise u that. so please let whatever point you’re trying to make go. I will always have irrevocable love for him and if you’ve gotten any other impression from my recent work, you might have missed the point.”
Borderline personality disorder is “marked by an ongoing pattern of varying moods, self-image and behaviour,” according to the National Institute of Mental Health website. Symptoms can often result in impulsive actions and relationship problems, with people experiencing intense episodes of anger, depression and anxiety that last for hours or days.
People with BPD tend to experience things as all good or all bad, and according to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, the risk of self-harming behaviour or suicide is an extreme risk.
