Did I commit slander/defamation?

[milkyway512]

I was 17 at the time (24 now). Anxiety is eating me away after I saw an Instagram post about people who commit libel should face consequences. What if I’m one of those people?

basically when I was at sixth form this girl was behaving badly towards me because she had a mental illness. I thought she was trying to come in between me and this guy I liked so I told him this hoping it would sort of make him see the kind of person she is. But I shouldn’t have done that and I had no place to do that, I know that now. Basically he told the group what I said and they excluded her from the group.

ive felt guilty for ages and am dealing with it in my own way. However, did I commit a crime? Did I commit slander?

thank you

Slander or libel isn't a crime. It's not a criminal matter, it's a civil matter and cases are pursued for damages not for a criminal conviction.

When you said you told your friends, do you mean the bit about her having a mental illness or about trying to get with your boyfriend??

Although, either way it isn't an issue. No one is going to take you to court over teenage relationship squabbles.

If what you said was true then it's neither slander or libel.

Slander or libel is when you say/write something negative which isn't true. And when these things do go to court I think the other person has to show that they have been damaged by what was said. An example would be losing out on work because of reputational damage.
It's not telling your boyfriend that another girl is trying to come between you or that she is mentally unwell (if that was true).
I think you need to get some help for your anxiety because it's not normal to be worrying about this years later. No one is going to take you to court after all this time.

If you think you were nasty to her for no reason, that's a separate thing and you should feel sorry for it and be mindful in future. But remember that 17 year olds are still kids and often do things that they wouldn't do as adults. It's how we learn and grow as people.