"I think most girls' insecurities come from their mothers!" - Stacey Norman

Alright friends, time for some #RealTalk! 

Life is hard. Every day is a struggle for so many people in this world and do you know what makes it even more unbearable sometimes?

When people choose to make life miserable for others by projecting their own insecurities onto others. 

We've all done it, so no judgment here. The important thing is to be aware when you do it.

Read more: Stacey Norman addresses hurtful body shaming Facebook comments on-air

She may be a superwoman, but Stacey Norman - believe it or not friends - is also a human being.

Over the years, Stacey has been at the forefront of cyber bullying with people shamefully targeting her about her weight and her breasts.

As the team were in conversation, the body shaming faced came up again, and it got the team thinking about where these insecurities stem from. It's strange because it tends to reappear at the most unlikely time - often triggered by a moment in our past.

Often, it stems from repressed memories that we've locked away in the deepest, darkest pits of our minds.

"I think most girls' insecurities come from their mothers and all the things your mother didn't necessarily like about herself. The there's also media, magazine covers, television shows, and everyone telling me who I should be." - Stacey Norman

"For me, it was just this thing of not believing in myself - I don't know where it came from. When I first came to East Coast Radio I said to our boss that I want to be the best radio presenter in South Africa, but somewhere down the line, I feel like a lot of people found  ways to remind me that it's not possible - but I'm not sure who. The energy people projected towards me made me feel very insecure about it." - J Sbu

Read more: Stacey Norman speaks out against cyberbullying on ‘Expresso Show’

It's hard to believe that we live in a world where people intentionally take your biggest fears and insecurities and use it as a weapon - it's cruel.

But the truth of it all is that there are so many people walking around with scars - literally and figuratively. People walk around carrying so much hurt and pain that it seems like the only way to take the spotlight away from their flaws to accentuating others the flaws in others

Of course, this is not an excuse, but it is a reality.

According to the South African Journal of Psychiatry (SAJP), "the lifetime prevalence rates of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in the general South African population has been found to be 2.3% for all ages and 1.8% for ages between 18 and 34, with the 12-month prevalence rate being 0.6% – 0.7%; sex, age and education were largely unrelated to PTSD risk."

Read more: Stacey and J Sbu chat about the devastating impact bullying has

Back in November 2020, Stacey was heartbreakingly body shamed on East Coast Radio's Facebook page.

Known for their bubbly and positive attitude, Stacey and J Sbu 's mood was a bit different on that day in November. This was because of a handful of hateful Facebook comments that were directed at Stacey Norman about her looks. 

It started when a picture of Stacey was posted on the Facebook page with a fake nose ring, asking KZN whether or not they believed that a nose ring would suit Stacey.

Read more: Stacey talks about her anxiety and mental health in special message for KZN

And then it all got very dark.

Read more: Minnie Dlamini tackles bullying on social media

Stacey & J Sbu encouraged KZN to embrace their insecurities and disempower them. 

KZN opened up about their inherited insecurities and it was so powerful.

Listen to the podcast below:

Whatever it is you're going through, just know that there is always someone you can talk to. Visit SADAG for more information 

Main image attribution: East Coast Radio