Meme aside, I feel like this is an overall positive thing, finding a character you relate to at that level seems more likely to help people struggling in the long run, especially if it’s handled tactfully and not romanticised. Even if it’s a tragic or unfortunate character, it can still be something that unifies fans, gets them talking, and that can lead to seeking help or feeling better.
I’d also say that seeing someone you relate to (fictional or not) can give you some distance / objectivity to see the situation in a different way. Like, what’s the fanfic alternate universe where the character doesn’t kill themselves look like?
Yes exactly, I originally put something about self-reflection but it didn’t feel quite right, but you worded it so eloquently.
aw thx~ great minds thinking alike