This Irishman didn't expect his emotional video confession to go viral.
Doug Leddin had a secret to share.
For more than a decade, he had kept it under wraps, but the depths of his shame had become too great to bear. He was embarrassed not only of the secret itself, but also the fact that he had hidden it from his friends and loved ones for so long.
"I wanted to let my friends know, I wanted to let everyone know, all at once. To lift a massive weight off my shoulders," Doug told Upworthy over email. "It was easier for me to share all at once than to sit down and tell everyone individually."
All GIFs via Doug Leddin/Facebook.
On April 13, the 27-year-old digital marketing professional posted a moving video confession:
Experiencing mental health struggles is nothing to be ashamed of, of course. But for many people, it often feels that way.
"Depression isn’t about just being sad or down momentarily because of something going wrong or you had a bad day in work," he explained to Upworthy. "Depression is when [you're] sad when everything in your life seems to be going right but you can’t see or feel that. "
"This feeling after 10 years becomes normal, you become numb to it, this abnormal feeling becomes so so normal."
It wasn't just Doug's friends and family who heard his message. Within a week, 1.5 million other people across the globe had heard it too.
After years of suffering in silence, Doug's depression turned him into a viral sensation. Suddenly he was making radio and television appearances throughout his native Ireland, and media outlets as far away as Australia had picked up on his story.
None of this made his confession any less terrifying. But, well, that was also kind of the point.
"The amazing response has just been so heartwarming and kind, truly uplifting," he told Upworthy.
The truth is that there's nothing rational about depression. And there's no cure for it either. You can talk about it and you can treat the symptoms, but the battle never ends. And that's why Doug came forward with his struggle.
Ireland has an incredibly high suicide rate. It's estimated that approximately 1 in 10 Irish citizens has suffered from depression, and in recent years, anywhere from 475 to 550 people died by suicide per year. But while the country actively promotes road safety — 196 people died in automobile accidents in 2014 — there's no comparable campaign for people living with mental illness.
"We need to speak up as sufferers. We need to shatter this silence," Doug said.
Although Doug did find tremendous relief by sharing his colossal burden with the world, the depression is still a part of his life. He will continue to suffer, but at least he doesn't have to do it alone — and, thanks to his powerful message, he hopes that others find the support they need as well.
"Depression for everyone is so different, but I want people to know it doesn't change the person that's affected," he said. "They are still the amazing person you know and love."
"If you're going through some bad spells, and you are feeling dark, alone, and scared, remember that you can talk, that it is OK, that things can and will get better over time. Seek professional help, talk to your doctor or family, and be brave take courage and open up."
"Now your fishes will be warmed."
"To have one’s eyes lined with ham."
"To lay your head in water."
"Repetition teaches the donkey."
"I only understand train station."
"To speak directly from the liver."
"Horse horse, tiger tiger."
Beaver in water. Photo by 
An actual beaver dam on the now-thriving Price River
Medusa image of giant squid in Gulf of Mexico off of Mississippi Gulf CoastPhoto credit: 
Sign warning against feeding alligators next to alligator in Mississippi marshlandsCourtesy of Jacalyn Wetzel
Mississippi Gulf Coast beach in BiloxiCourtesy of Jacalyn Wetzel
2009 photo of giant squid caught in Gulf of Mexico near Mississippi GulfPhoto credit: 
Thank goodness this story has a happy ending.
There's a reason why some people can perfectly copy accents, and others can't
Turns out, there's a neurodivergent link.
A woman in black long sleeve shirt stands in front of mirror.
Have you ever had that friend who goes on vacation for four days to London and comes back with a full-on Queen's English posh accent? "Oooh I left my brolly in the loo," they say, and you respond, "But you're from Colorado!" Well, there are reasons they (and many of us) do that, and usually it's on a pretty subconscious level.
It's called "accent mirroring," and it's actually quite common with people who are neurodivergent, particularly those with ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder). According Neurolaunch, the self-described "Free Mental Health Library," "Accent mirroring, also known as accent adaptation or phonetic convergence, is the tendency to unconsciously adopt the accent or speech patterns of those around us. This linguistic chameleon effect is not unique to individuals with ADHD, but it appears to be more pronounced and frequent in this population."
Essentially, when people have conversations, we're constantly "scanning" for information—not just the words we're absorbing, but the inflection and tone. "When we hear an accent, our brains automatically analyze and categorize the phonetic features, prosody, and intonation patterns," writes Neurolaunch. For most, this does result in copying the accent of the person with whom we're speaking. But those with ADHD might be more sensitive to auditory cues. This, "coupled with a reduced ability to filter out or inhibit the impulse to mimic…could potentially explain the increased tendency for accent mirroring."
While the article explains further research is needed, they distinctly state that, "Accent mirroring in individuals with ADHD often manifests as an unconscious mimicry of accents in social situations. This can range from subtle shifts in pronunciation to more noticeable changes in intonation and speech rhythm. For example, a person with ADHD might find themselves unconsciously adopting a Southern drawl when conversing with someone from Texas, even if they’ve never lived in the South themselves."
People are having their say online. On the subreddit r/ADHDWomen, a thread began: "Taking on accents is an ADHD thing?" The OP shares, "My whole life, I've picked up accents. I, myself, never noticed, but everyone around me would be like, 'Why are you talking like that??' It could be after I watched a show or movie with an accent or after I've traveled somewhere with a different accent than my 'normal.'
They continue, "Apparently, I pick it up fast, but it fades out slowly. Today... I'm scrolling Instagram, I watch a reel from a comedian couple (Darcy and Jeremy. IYKYK) about how Darcy (ADHD) picks up accents everywhere they go. It's called ADHD Mirroring??? And it's another way of masking."
(The OP is referring to Darcy Michaels and his husband Jeremy Baer, who are both touring comedians based in Canada.)
Hundreds of people on the Reddit thread alone seem to relate. One comments, "Omfg I've done this my whole life; I'll even pick up on the pauses/spaces when I'm talking to someone who is ESL—but English is my first language lol."
Sometimes, it can be a real issue for those around the chameleon. "I accidentally mimicked a waitress's weird laugh one time. As soon as she was out of earshot, my family started to reprimand me, but I was already like 'oh my god I don’t know why I did that, I feel so bad.'"
Many commenters on TikTok were shocked to find out this can be a sign of ADHD. One jokes, "Omg, yes, at a store the cashier was talking to me and she was French. She's like 'Oh are you French too? No, I'm not lol. I'm very east coast Canada."
And some people just embrace it and make it work for them. "I mirror their words or phrase! I’m 30. I realized I start calling everyone sweetie cause my manager does & I work at coffee shop."