We all have that famous or shiny person who we look up to, right? And hearing them speak about some of their challenges and struggles which are like ours, somehow makes us feel better.
Anxiety is a persistent form of worry, even fear. It’s a condition that can affect not only older individuals, but young people too. In children, it can come in the form of anger, irritability, even isolation, which in some cases might disrupt school, home, or play activities.
Approximately 4.4 million children in the U.S. between the ages of 3-17 years have been diagnosed with anxiety. Fortunately, some of your favorite, young celebrities are also part of that group and have experienced what it feels like to live with anxiety. Using their social media accounts as platforms they have opened up about their anxiety and how it affects them day to day and in key moments. For many the aim is to erase the stigma that surrounds anxiety so that more people can benefit from making anxiety acceptable and treatable.
Here are our Top five young influencers who have the courage to talk about anxiety or their lived experience with mental health symptoms. Consider each one of them a light of hope.
Nadia Addesi (@nadiaaddesi)
The pandemic brought out creativity in several people, and Nadia didn’t miss that wave. A registered social worker based in Canada, she turned to TikTok during the pandemic as a source of entertainment and distraction. Her content on anxiety and depression had earned her a whopping 3.1million followers on TikTok.
Her impact is even more profound because she struggled with anxiety and self-doubt when starting out on Tiktok. Her primary motive is to provide helpful and accessible mental health content. She’s definitely a great influence, and her content will keep you entertained.
Zahra (@zahr)
Zahra has 2.9 million Tiktok followers and a blue tick on Instagram, and she’s not ashamed to open up about her anxiety. The influencer constantly exudes positivity on her feed. Still, in a virtual webinar for Hollister’s World Teen Mental Wellness Day, she let everyone know her life isn’t as perfect as her pictures might portray. Having battled with anxiety at several points in her life, Zahra shares her experiences at every given chance. And how she -with the help of her family – was able to uplift herself. She’s a mental health advocate and definitely someone worthy of a follow.
Zoella (@Zoella)
YouTubers have been credited for bringing social anxiety and a variety of other mental health issues into the public eye, with many of them speaking out about them. Zoella is one such YouTuber. The young Youtuber has opened up about the anxiety she faces when she’s around a big crowd.
Zoella has 11 million subscribers on YouTube and 1.1 million followers on Instagram, and she uses her channel to discuss topics like “How To Deal With Anxiety” and takes Q&A sessions about anxiety. The content she posts on her platforms is fun and very helpful. If you’re going to spend your down time watching YouTube videos, we recommend checking out her page.
Jack Harries (@jackharries)
Jack Harries is a public figure with 3.74 million subscribers on YouTube and 1.3 million followers on Instagram. That’s a large fan base. And this young influencer is passionate about mental health. He has lived experiences of anxiety and depression. Jack has a firm belief that the brain is as important an organ as the heart. And for that reason, everyone’s mental well-being should be a priority.
These days he is focusing on the environment and making the earth a healthy place, but his contribution to the growth of mental health awareness is significant and can be of help to you.
Christopher James Mitchell (@travelingmitch)
Chris is one of those people who practically shows the world what it means to make lemonade out of lemons. In Grade 2, Chris was diagnosed with ADHD -which his mom fondly called “spirited energy,” and a couple of years later with anxiety. Fast forward to these days, Chris has channeled his energy into becoming a successful travel writer, photographer, and blogger. He has been featured on Forbes and CBC and has a large audience.
Chris and his co-host Allison Green have launched the I’m Anxious About–A Humorous Anxiety Podcast to de-stigmatize anxiety through humorous and honest dialogues. If you’ve been looking for a great new podcast to listen to, this is an excellent recommendation.
