In this blog we present to you a list of youtubers with depression.

We will also breifly discuss why youtubers are prone to depression, and how someone who is a social media influencer or youtuber can manage their mental health.

7 Youtubers with depression

Here is a list of youtubers who have been open about their experiences with depression:

John Green

John Green, author and youtuber, has always been open nabout his struggles with mental health.

John struggles with obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD), which can cause anxiety and depression.

He has been widely discussing his issues with his diagnosis not only in his youtbe channel but also his books.

He doesn’t shy away from talking about the somewhat embarrassing issues that his OCD can create and has made immsense struges to destigmatize mental disorders.

Cameron Dallas

Cameron Dallas, a famous influencer has opened up about his mental health struggles and has been very candid about his addiction on his social media platforms.

Dallas first opened up about his battle with depression in 2016 on his youtube channel explaining that:

“People get depressed over different things. One of the things for me was because I was alone too much and had too much social anxiety to talk to people so I felt all alone that made me depressed.”

(Jason Sheeler, People)

He has been open about his social anxiety in spite of his fame, often citing loneliness as one of the major reasons why he was depressed.

Marina Watanabe

Marinashutup is a lesser-known YouTuber who has been a major advocate for mental health issues- particualr depression.

Teh youthber has been honest and opne about her own experiences with depression, she has opened a space for people to talk about their own experiences as well as for people who has loved ones who have depression.

H3H3

H3H3Productions Ethan Klien has opened up about his battle with depression in a return video uploaded onto the channel after their 3 month hiatus.

The duo had taken a hiatus in the earlier half of 2018 and had returned back to the platform YouTube in September 2018.

The husband and wife duo broke their hiatus after a three month break, and in his first youtube video back Ethan Klien described his battle with depression, anxiety.

His partner Hilda also opened up about how the death of her father had affected her during this time and their struggle together during this difficult time.

Thomas James Ridgewell

Tomska, widely known for the asdf movies and several other hilarious animations, has also offered a refreshingly optimistic take on depression based on his own experinces.

From his videos that centre around mental health and depression, we can understadn that depression and emntal health is a large part of his daily life.

In his animated videos, he has made immense effort to educate and discourage viewers from being their own doctors and diagnosing themselves, which can be dangerous.

Mark Fischbach

Markiplier with his substantial fanbase who are dedicated to his gaming videos has recently made a personal video where he has openly discussed his feelings, his experiences and his life.

In one of his videos he has also been open about hsi own struggle with mental health problems. While he did not mention exactly whether he was dealing wih depression or not, he has been an honest and supportive member of the youtube community who has advocated for mental health issues.

Zoella

Famed British youtuber Zoella, adored and loved by fans all over the world for her blogs and her adorable relationship with her partner has opened up about her expeinfces with not just depression but also anxiety.

In her video she explained:

“I get anxious around big crowds, I feel like I’m being smothered when I feel panicky. Get outside, go to a public toilet. I know that doesn’t sound great but it’s really quiet and it’s just you.

Pewdiepie

During a candid Question and answer session with his subscribers he discussed his career and his future along with other topics including a brief discussion about his rise to fame both on youtube and mainstream media.

During this session he mentioned about the exhaustion that he felt in the last couple of months. He has described something akin to burn out that most creators tend to face when he added:

“I just think I realised that I enjoy making videos , I don’t enjoy making all this spectacle all the time…it doesn’t necessarily affect me that much but it’s a thing where if it keeps going for a long time , it just gets kinda exhausting I would say. “

It is not clearly known whether Pewdiepie has been formally diagnosed with depression or not, however, it does appear that he has had some issues when it comes to his mental health due to which he has decided to take a break from youtube.

Why are so many Youtubers depressed?

One of the major reasons as to why youtubers often get depressed and burned out is because social media influencers are constantly on the chase for fame, build a connection with their fans and gain advertisements and sponsorships.

This means that they are constantly staying on track with trends, keeping track with the number of followers, seeing what’s garnering more attention and figuring out how it would help them gain more attention and interacting with the fans or followers at every given moment.

Constantly being on the grind to make their mark in social media is very time consuming, and physically and mentally draining. Influencers have put their whole lives on social media for the world to see.

It is also possible that in the chase for fame, social media influencers tend to isolate themselves from others and lose a lot of relationships in the process as social media influencing has no fixed work times and is a 24-hour commitment.

Youtubers are faced with a lot of scrutiny, hate and toxicity from the people who are consuming their content as well as cyberbullying by consumers and other people who come across them

Careers for youtubers and other social media influencers have no such financial security, this can cause immense stress and anxiety for youtubers who are just starting out.

It has to be mentioned that Social media influencing and careers as a youtuber is a highly competitive field and is a source of a lot of pressure and stress and they face a lot of pressure from those companies to advertise their products in a particular way which adds onto the pressure they already face as social media influences.

How can Youtubers cope with depression and manage their mental health?

Some of the ways by which Youtubers and social media influencers can cope with depression are:

Take breaks

It is important that they take a social media break when required. Putting their mental health as risk in order to avoid the consequences of taking a break is not worth it. the effects of taking a break is temporary, but mental heath takes a toll in the long run.

Set boundaries

They should set clear boundaries between their work and personal life. They should draw a line when it comes to how much of their personal life will be mixed into their influencer job.

Constantly scrolling through social media makes them stressed and anxious as they see how other influencers are doing better then them or are coming close to their reach and audience.

Prioritze self care

Influencers must prioritize self-care, and convince their followers to do the same. Being backed by the community they built is a big moral booster and helps them grow a more sensitive and understanding community.

Build positive relationships

Apart from making online friendships and connections, they should also focus on their offline life and make connections there. Seeking out healthy relationships is one of the best ways you can build meaning. This means cutting out people that hurt you emotionally, physically.

It means building healthy boundaries between you and your loved ones so that your sense of self flourishes.

Building individualism in the midst of healthy relationships can help you redefine who you are as a person and who you can be by being mindful of your strengths and the limitations of human existence.

Seek professional help

Seek out professional consultations starting with their GP who can refer them to specialists in the field. Taking time to find a doctor who can help them with estimating the right dosage of medication and the right medical treatment can make the quality of their journey to recovery drastically different.

Conclusion

In this blog we presented to you a list of youtubers with depression.

We have also breifly discussed why youtubers are prone to depression, and how someone who is a social media influencer or youtuber can manage their mental health.

FAQ related to youtubers with depression

Are YouTubers lonely?

This kind of lifestyle can leave them isolated, and their inability to manage their realtioknships can often lead to failed relationships and friendships leading to loneliness.

What is YouTuber burnout?

Youtuber burnout refers to a feeling of exhaustion and lack of pride in the content youtubers make where they feel like they are no longer relevant nor do they feel like they find meaning in the work they are doing.

Is YouTube a hard job?

Yes, youtube is a difficult job. It has to be mentioned that Social media influencing and careers as a youtuber is a highly competitive field and is a source of a lot of pressure and stress and they face a lot of pressure from those companies to advertise their products in a particular way which adds onto the pressure they already face as social media influences.

References

5 Popular YouTubers Who Understand What It’s Like To Be Depressed. Your Tango. Retrieved on 30th April 2022. https://www.yourtango.com/2019322320/popular-youtube-celebrities-influencers-talk-about-depression-mental-health

‘Social Media Affects Influencers’ Mental Health’ Psychology Today. Retrieved on 30th April 2022.

https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/talking-about-trauma/202110/social-media-affects-influencers-mental-health

‘Does Social Media Use Cause Depression?’ Child Mind. Retrieved on 30th April 2022.

https://childmind.org/article/is-social-media-use-causing-depression/

‘Young Creators Are Burning Out and Breaking Down’ New York Times. Retrieved on 30th April 2022. https://www.nytimes.com/2021/06/08/style/creator-burnout-social-media.html

‘The Positive and Negative Effects of Fame and Being a Celebrity’ New York Times. Retrieved on 30th April 2022.

https://www.nytimes.com/2021/06/08/style/creator-burnout-social-media.html

7 YouTubers with depression