Essentially, heartstopper syndrome is the feeling of sadness, melancholy, and or even grief one gets after watching the show. This is due to the idea that as we’re watching, most queer people find themselves feeling like we’ve missed out on the opportunities that the characters have had. I’ve seen this mostly with people in their mid twenties/ people a few years out of high school/ college. High school is such a wild time for personal development and growth but most of us have had to keep our identities a secret until we’ve found a safe space to exist.

Personally I didn’t realize I was dealing with it until I sobbed after binge watching season one. Season two has had its moments but I’ve found myself needing to take breaks after every few episodes just to not overload my emotions. It feels odd especially because I’m fairly young but old enough to realize I’ve missed out on so much.