But when it comes to our own mental health, for some reason it’s not an issue. Dialogues Clin Neurosci. Kate also includes quick tips for dealing with mental health issues, like counting in 10-second increments to deal with anxiety., Bianca’s struggles with depression, anxiety and alcoholism led her on a path to help others with their mental health journeys. Alyssa has struggled with anxiety throughout her adult life, and during her first pregnancy, it worsened to debilitating prenatal anxiety. After giving birth, she dealt with postpartum depression for almost a year before she realized that her suffering wasn’t normal. Instagram’s full impact on mental health, report having been bullied on social media, AI that scans texts and photos for community guideline violations. “When I say I am sober today, I don’t just mean I am not drunk or high. Read our, 53 Social Media Stars Who Promote Appreciation for Your Body, Episode 40: Bestselling Author Lori Gottlieb, Episode 54: Therapist Nedra Glover Tawwab, 10 Celebrities Who Have Opened Up About Depression. "Trauma therapy and anti-depressants were the building blocks of my new life, and in combination with sacrifices, great friends and hard work my life changed," she writes on Instagram. She also schedules "me-time" each week to ensure self-care remains a priority. “And I am also a Boston Marathon bombing survivor living with PTSD.” She lived with debilitating symptoms for three years before she was voluntarily hospitalized and diagnosed with PTSD. “Give yourself permission to be human and make mistakes,” she tells Verywell. Beth learned from personal experience how much therapy can help with anxiety, which inspired her to pursue a career in psychology. J Am Pharm Assoc (2003). The LETS TALK Foundation champions the successful community-focused, early intervention approach to mental illness. “It's not a luxury, it’s a basic human right. Children, teens and young adults can have mental health problems, too. If seeing dogs on your Insta feed brightens your day, give Kate Speer a follow. 2019;8(2) doi:10.3390/jcm8020153, Gautam S, Jain A, Gautam M, Vahia VN, Grover S. Clinical Practice Guidelines for the management of Depression. The harm done by cyberbullying is very real, but it’s an example of how people using the app can cause damage, rather than a problem intrinsic to the platform. Ann Gen Psychiatry. Her account has created a community that holds her accountable in a positive way. But behind the glitz and glamour of influencers’ feeds, there are thriving communities on Instagram filled with people supporting one another through their mental health journeys. But she found a community through her blog, which has been the best part of sharing her story. The app is known for glamorous depictions of life that often fail to reflect reality, and the pressure to live an Insta-worthy life has given it a reputation for harming mental health.. She focuses on the spiritual side of mental health, in order to “teach people how to connect with and harness their intuition to become the fullest most badass version of themselves.”, Through her Instagram account, she has found a community of like minded souls around the world. Post-traumatic stress disorder: a state-of-the-art review of evidence and challenges. Let’s Talk About Mental Health added a new weekly show on YouTube starting in January 2021 called Let’s Talk About Mental Health TV. Later, she was diagnosed with PTSD after she and a friend experienced a violent robbery. Please call 1-833-456-4566 toll free (In QC: 1-866-277-3553), 24/7 or visit www.crisisservicescanada.ca. Sarah started her Instagram account around six months ago to share her inspiring story. My emotions are present and real. Indian J Psychiatry. “[W]hen you look at someone’s amazing holiday pictures, for instance, this is supposed to make you feel worse about yourself because you compare upwards unfavorably and envy what the other person has,” he tells Bustle. 2017;20(5):663-672. doi:10.1007/s00737-017-0746-5, Anokye R, Acheampong E, Budu-ainooson A, Obeng EI, Akwasi AG. When her depression was at its worst, she decided to start sharing her story on Instagram. Jennifer’s account is primarily focused on home and decorating, with photos of her beautiful home and DIY projects, but she keeps it real by sharing her struggles with mental health. Now, she is the director of a youth treatment center and advocates in the state government for those suffering from addiction and mental health issues. Joanna tries to anticipate challenges she may have throughout the week so she can be prepared with a self-care plan. Sometimes, laughter is the best form of self-care. Christina started her Instagram back in 2013 as a comedy account. It really held me captive for 3 years,” she says. Let's Talk is an immersive journey through the lives of five members of the U.S. bleeding disorders community, as they open their hearts and lives to show how we can gain strength through struggle, and that perhaps we aren't so different after all. Gardening is beneficial for health: A meta-analysis. Here’s what we can do: • Do not be afraid to talk about mental health. The Let's TALK team has more than 200 volunteers comprising of highly qualified psychologists, psychotherapists and well trained volunteers. At first, she was surprised to learn that many members of the plant community of Instagram also suffer from mental health issues. Finding the best lighting for a photo shoot, choosing the right filter for your feed, coming up with the perfect caption—for many, a simple Instagram post requires careful curation. Now, it makes sense to her—caring for plants can be therapeutic., “Just like me, many people find joy and calmness in plants,” she tells Verywell. The study of 385 people found that even when they were scrolling passively, users felt inspired by posts that engendered the latter feeling. For Friends and Family Members. She knows that social media can be filled with negativity, but she says the community she’s found through Instagram is stronger than the individuals who criticize and try to bring others down. Your body has what it takes to create the kind of changes, motivation, relief, freedom, bliss or whatever else you are desperately wanting.”, Sara-Jayne grew up in a Catholic household where talking about mental illness was taboo. CEO of The Dogist, Kate often shares photos of her psychiatric service dog Waffle, snapshots of the Vermont landscape she calls home, and honest portrayals of her life with depression. Soga M, Gaston KJ, Yamaura Y. This form of information-sharing, she says, is critical to the mental and physical health of Black Americans. Learn the best ways to manage stress and negativity in your life. Let’s Talk About It and make it a normal part of life to get help and heal. People across Canada are encouraged to have honest conversations about mental health today during Bell Let's Talk. “My hope is that I can be a helpful voice heard in the midst of life’s chaos,” she tells Verywell. With a quick glance at Jera's Instagram feed, she might seem like a typical influencer with a glamorous life. Acta Psychiatr Scand. She says that working with her nervous system is what sparked her radical journey with healing, and she wants to teach her followers how they can utilize the same approach. When she shared the humor she found in her mental health struggles, her followers told her how much it helped them, and she knew she had to continue to share those experiences. “I always think of the 'worst case scenario' in terms of who is watching what I post. There’s no better example of this than how Instagram has been critical for the Black Lives Matter movement, says Allissa Richardson, PhD, an assistant professor of journalism at the University of Southern California. 2014;47(8):878-83. doi:10.1002/eat.22289, Resmark G, Herpertz S, Herpertz-dahlmann B, Zeeck A. Let’s Talk About Mental Health Alexandra writes that we need to normalise conversations around bipolar disorder, put simply we need to talk more openly about mental health. A recent WHO-led study estimated that every US$1 invested in common mental health disorder treatment, brings a US$4 return in improved health and productivity. My purpose is being realized.”, Nine years ago, Sarah almost lost her life to a suicide attempt. "It's so easy to create an image of a life that isn't real on these platforms," she tells Verywell. "We cannot undermine the power of sheer love. “I felt alone and ashamed. When Lesley-Ann’s father passed away and her mental health began to deteriorate, she decided to open up to her Instagram followers about her PTSD. ... To be a person of color on Instagram during that period of time was hard. “It has probably helped me more than any of my followers,” she says. "It sounds 'healthy' but it was the furthest from it mentally," she tells Verywell. Current academic research on social media assumes that passively consuming social media is bad for your mental health because it invites social comparison. ABOUT THE FILM. Now a Licensed Professional Counselor, she specializes in treating disorders like anxiety, OCD, and body-focused repetitive behaviors. Her biggest piece of mental health advice? “It felt lonely to only post about things that were going well.”. “My goal is not to be perfect but to be RELATABLE,” she says. Now, it makes sense to her—caring for plants can be therapeutic. “I would like people to think of Instagram as a place to do more than share selfies or stories,” says Richardson. She wants to make social media a place of support and honesty, rather than a toxic space for mental health. “Superficially, I had it together,” she tells Verywell. File Photo. Let’s Talk About Mental Health I make no secret of the fact that I am affected by mental health issues, specifically anxiety and depression. “When Instagram Stories debuted a few years ago, African Americans could live stream their protests to a more select audience of their close friends. As healthcare professionals, it’s not like we are unaware of mental health conditions and issues, so we know how important it is. “Nothing seemed more terrifying to me than being the topic of those harsh whispers.” This fear and obsession with food gradually took over her life, which eventually led her to seek help from an inpatient program for her eating disorder., She started her recovery account almost two years ago when she felt she had hit rock bottom. Later, her eating disorder shifted to a cycle of binging and restricting food. “That is a hamster wheel cycle that carries a lot of shame and guilt. “I will often receive messages thanking me, or saying something along the lines of ‘because of your post this morning I ate breakfast,’” she tells Verywell. Deal of the day : Realme 7 Pro available at discounted price. She posts mental health tips, nutrition advice, and encouraging quotes. “It’s been an onion-like journey of uncovering layers of myself, taking a few steps forward and a few steps back,” she tells Verywell. How a Phone Call Can Help Offset Pandemic Loneliness and Depression, Mentally Strong Person of the Week: Maffio, 10 Black Mental Health Influencers You Should Know About, Mentally Strong Person of the Week: Nora McInerny, Mentally Strong Person of the Week: Amy Chan, Author of Breakup Bootcamp, Mentally Strong Person of the Week: Andrea Bonior, Mentally Strong Person of the Week: Confidence Expert Heather Monahan, 13 Mental Health Professionals Using TikTok to Help Others, Bulimia and the Dangers of the Teatox Found on Instagram, Daily Tips for a Healthy Mind to Your Inbox. It’s very liberating,” she tells Verywell. 2019;18(3):259-269. doi:10.1002/wps.20656, Yim J. Arch Womens Ment Health. Get tips for starting the conversation. If you do not have a health professional who is able to assist you, use these resources to find help for yourself, your friends, your family, or your students. Instagram and Snapchat are the worst social media networks for mental health, according to a new survey of teenagers and young adults. Elran-barak R, Accurso EC, Goldschmidt AB, Sztainer M, Byrne C, Le grange D. Eating patterns in youth with restricting and binge eating/purging type anorexia nervosa. “It made me more confident to speak out about my PTSD and helped me to stop feeling ashamed of what happened to me.”. “I had been journaling non-stop since my hospitalization and I just kept feeling a push to share it,” she says. By literally drawing people’s most difficult thoughts on their faces, photographer Charlie Clift and lettering artist Kate Forrester hope to inspire others to open up about their own mental health. “When I post about my struggles, they are out there and not stuck in my head anymore. “Receiving comments and messages from other people like me made me feel less alone than ever,” she tells Verywell.