Is anyone else struggling after going down Epstein files rabbit hole

[Strugglingafterseeing]

I feel so upset and disturbed. I didn't want to see and read the things I have but I just couldn't look away from the horror. I think part of me was hoping to come across something that says it's all fake news. It's all exaggerated and made up. But it isn't is it? It's probably not even the half of it.

Perhaps very naively, I thought the files "just" involved girls of 14/15 being trafficked among all the other corruption. I had no idea how much more there was. The horrors that have come to pass and no doubt are still are still happening while these monsters remain shielded by their money and power.

Is anyone else really struggling with what they've seen and learnt over the last few days? And any advice to try and move forwards now, because ultimately I can't change this and my mental health was already fragile (thanks menopause). I need to keep on going for my own DC. I'm angry and so, so sad that humans are capable of this.

My Instagram is meant to be funny reels about dogs and menopause but now I'm being fed more and more about Epstein. I know it's the algorithm effect because I've watched similar content but now I need it to stop. I've logged out for the time being. Might not go back. I don't think our brains are meant to able to deal with all this.

Those poor babies. How on earth can this be real

Personally, I think it is up to the women and girls (and boys and men) involved to decide what details should be released about their abuse. Not the BBC or Instagram or YouTube. Otherwise it is like they are being abused all over again.

IMHO none of us should go hunting for information unless it is clear that permission has been given by the survivors for its release.

It’s also important to remember that countries like Russia will seize on big news stories like this to propagate their own propaganda, so implicate enemies of the state, spread disinformation about state figures, etc. It’s likely that at least some of the stuff you come across on social media is AI or just old-fashioned doctored images or videos being spread by sophisticated Russian or other nation bots for their own ends.

I totally agree. People need to stop consuming this stuff on social media. You will end up traumatising yourself over stuff that might never have even happened.

Why would anyone want that in their head?

I haven't seen anything

But I am under the impression that the official files released only contain written material

Wouldn't that mean that any kind of video is likely to be fake?

I cannot imagine that anyone like him would have allowed any video to be taken.

Yes. I am not conspiracy minded AT all and I tend to take a fairly straight forward view of the world, but in this case, I think it is darker than you or I could ever actually imagine. And more of the rich, famous and powerful people than we could have thought are tied up in it. And not one of them (other than Maxwell - for now, although how long that will last, IDK. I would not be surprised if Trump pardons her and that’s why she’s being quiet currently) will be held accountable for their crimes. I have also accidentally gone down this rabbit hole over the last few weeks and I wish I hadn’t, honestly.

I don’t have much advice, other than step away from the devices, go for a walk, get fresh air and be the good you want to see in the world. Remind yourself that there are good things and good people. Reset the algorithm on SM by searching for/ viewing and liking lots of funny and cute animal videos. Idk if make up and beauty is an interest of yours but that’s always great to reset insta and TikTok algorithms because there’s so much content based around that - fitness too! That’s how I’m coping with it all.

There’s lots of photos, however the content on a lot of them has been redacted. I actually think contrary to your last statement, there’s lots of video footage/photos and Epstein was probably videoing a lot of stuff ready to use as blackmail material if necessary. Fucked up.

I think there are photos included in the files, but not sure about videos.

I've also fallen down the rabbit hole. It's all so horrifying that I'm really hoping a lot of it is fake news.

Same I’ve only seen some emails between Mandelson / Epstein / SF and one post with emails on IG which was bad enough, no videos. They might not be real op.

Was that part of the official release though? Photos and videos?

I'm not planning to go down this rabbit hole

But I'm aware that there are a lot of people IRL who are understandably incredibly upset, and at the moment I have no idea if what they are looking at is real or not.

though frankly the fact that people might be creating it for clicks is upsetting enough

editing to add - I know one person who is looking at them and she said to me that there is a huge amount of falsified material going round, including falsified written material, because people are rushing to damage the reputation of whoever they dislike.

I'm not seeing her for a couple of weeks and I'm not going to ask her any questions - I rather wish she wasn't looking at it. She's been looking for awhile and honestly she's changed - it's really too traumatic to be looking at. Her advice to me is "don't look at it" so hopefully she stopped.

Thank you, that's helpful to know about Instagram.

I'm so sorry that you've been through that

The photos and redacted emails I saw last night are included in the files.

No, I understand from news reports that there are photos and videos in the files as well.

But it's inevitable that there will be loads of fake stuff out there too.

People should think very carefully about whether they want to expose themselves to unfiltered materials in the Epstein files. If they decide that they do, then they should do it through the official US Department of Justice site. Social media is not a reliable source.

As I have already explained. I did not go looking for this. As I'm sure is the same for thousands of others. This sort of thing is EXACTLY why social media is so dangerous for children. You don't have to search for anything, it finds you.

I'm not having a go, but we all get to choose what we look at. I haven't seen anything other than what is being reported by mainstream news sources, because I don't want to.

The whole thing is making me so confused. Why is the DOJ “dropping” all these documents as if it’s a fun scandal?
Why haven’t there been any arrests? - it seems like there is sufficient evidence to want to interview hundreds of people at least.
Why are the documents released in the first place, wouldn’t this prejudice a trial?
Why are they releasing so many horrible pictures (yes like the baby one) without any context - presumably these things have been investigated? If not, why not? What have they actually done for all these years?

It shouldn’t be up to internet sleuths to decide what needs investigating and who did what and what documents are fake and what not.

"Baby one" ? Where did you see that?

@MrsBennetsPoorNervesAreBack I didn't want to either. But a reel comes up then another one, the shock can make it hard to look away. I agree with a PP that people are using this for views.

Surely we've all read about something you wish you hadn't? BBC news reports can be extremely upsetting and disturbing and so I intentionally don't open articles I know I will find hard.

Congress passed a law requiring the DOJ to make publicly all information they held related to Epstein. That's why all this information has been dumped in one go.

i think some of the photos have been released officially - like Mandleson in his pants stood next to the woman in the dressing gown and the now infamous photo of Virginia and Andrew. But I don’t know, because it genuinely is head spinningly complex - there’s fake news, denials, potential codes, redactions. I’ve kind of lost the run of everything I’ve seen online tbh!

I've met someone in the files. This disturbed me so much

I am not sure how can one really go down the whole rabbit hole because we do not have the whole time in the world for this....however i am waiting for some justice to be started to be served....praying for justice

Yes I am. As a survivor of CSA I have had to utilise the tools learnt during my recovery to work through this release. Ofc this is all real and not the worst of it these people are monsters and anyone acting like it isn’t horrendous is mad

I've not gone down the rabbit hole but I've seen things that have been released by the DoJ about nights with 'littlest girls' and 'thanks for a fun night with a 9 year old' and so on..They trafficked very young children from poor countries to abuse.

A spokesman for the US government said on TV that they were holding back anything involving violence, murder and torture.

So god only knows what else there is.

The rght wing media is already trying to silence it, saying it's getting boring, gone on too long, it's all a hysteria etc. Can't help feeling it will get swept under the carpet in the end and out of all those many, many monsters only that one woman will ever be jailed for it.

Move forward by understanding how toxic Instagram, Twitter, Facebook and SM really are and that they are best avoided completely. Delete all accounts.

People created all kinds of crap in their desperation for clicks, which is mainly what these sites are about. It's also how people on them make their money. Even the reputable news sites employ clickbait to a certain degree. Even when reading news on the BBC, The Times, The Guardian, etc I am always aware that there is an agenda, an editorial position, etc. Become a discerning reader.

Don't waste time on garbage SM sites like Instagram, Twitter, TikTok, etc.