The Hits: Remember there's a real person reading your comments

The Hits DJs Adam Green and Megan Banks. Photo / File

I won a thing this week. Well, WE won a thing. Megan did the work as campaign manager, and I did the trophy holding. The Woman's Day Hottest Media Hunk.

It was a nationwide competition where we were up against the big boys of New Zealand media, and thanks to the outstanding people of our wonderful region we took it out! So thank you, Hawke's Bay.

As it was a nationwide competition, so too did some of the images and social media posts go out to a nationwide audience, and we encountered something we don't get a lot of on our Hawke's Bay pages. Haters. Trolls. Online bullies who want to bring others down.

One of the first posts on Instagram (A cheesy shirtless pic with a "Blue Steel" pose) was quickly met with a single-word comment: "Gay". Posted by a user with the name "Beastboi52".

Now, all signs point to not interacting with people like this, but I just couldn't help but reply- "Lol. Nah I have a wife and kids. But some of my awesome gay friends at Hits HQ threw me some votes and that's much appreciated! Have a good one 'Beastboi'."

You know what happened? Beastboi deleted his pictures, changed his online name and replied: "It's only a gag soz lol".

BUT Mr Beastboi, for someone more impressionable than I, perhaps a young person struggling with their sexuality or finding a place in the world, it might not feel like it's just "a gag".

Another user commented: "I guess there must have been no competition from fit guys with muscle definition and masculine body hair. Go get him girls..."

Which, considering I am unable to grow a thick mane of body hair is to me amusing. But, again, to another person, on another day, could be just the wrong thing for them to read.

We have a huge problem in this country with mental health in general, and the words that you say online may not feel like they are being said directly to the person, but at the other end of that device, or that keyboard is a real person with real emotions.

So take care what you type out online and, for those that have been on the receiving end, remember the words of friend of the show Colin Mathura-Jeffree: "Haters are broken and they try to break winners with their unhappiness, ignore the hate, love yourself, and you've already won."

Thanks again for the votes, Hawke's Bay, and thanks for making Adam and Megan the number one music breakfast radio show in Hawke's Bay!

Don't miss Adam Green and Megan Banks on The Hits Hawke's Bay from 6am to 9am, Monday to Friday