Today is World Mental Health Day, and a number of celebrities and social stars are speaking out about the significance of acknowledging such a day.
Zoella is using the opportunity to speak out about her own mental health struggles — namely, anxiety.
“I wanted to share something that I hope will either make you feel reassured or offer you the equivalent of a caring hug through this post,” the British influencer writes.
“If you have a mental illness, you are not alone. Those feelings you feel where everything is SO intense and you think you couldn’t possibly cope with them any longer, there are other people who feel that way too.”
Zoella then gets real about struggling with anxiety every day, something she has spoken out about in the past.
“Having therapy for my anxiety was the best thing I ever did,” she continues. “It’s hard work, it’s long, it’s challenging & I still have days where I feel I’m taking baby steps or falling behind, but ultimately my end goal is still there. To live a life I WANT, not a life I feel I need to settle with because my mind won’t let me.”
“I’ve had days where I’ve cried for hours wishing I could just be ‘normal’, but what is normal? Everyone has something they are battling, whether big or small, whether they show it or not. We are all just human & sometimes we need that time to work on ourselves! Don’t be afraid to speak up, to share how you feel and to talk to those close to you! You are not your mental illness, you are so much more than it.”
It’s amazing that Z is being so honest about her anxiety and helping to strip away the stigma from such a common mental health issue.
