Teenage anxiety seems to be a growing problem with more students saying they are stressed than ever before. Fear not if you’ve been struggling with these issues because you’re not alone and we’ve got solutions here for you. We turned to someone you might know to find out what she did to regain control of her life. Read on to find out more…
In this new world of social media celebrity success, it can be all too easy to believe that a high profile person has it all. Fame, money and possessions can come at a cost, though. Internet superstar vlogger Zoe Sugg, a.k.a. Zoella, knows how misleading this inaccurate image can be.
This beautiful life
To millennials and anyone who’s grown up in the digital decades, there are few ‘real’ YouTube stars as well known as Zoella. Her life and products have dominated the modern era and created an online life template for hundreds of others to follow. At times it was hard to remember that her blog and the life it depicts was a carefully edited version of her reality. Travel, beautiful presents and a lovely home were hers at a time in her life when most can only dream of such a lifestyle.
Trouble beneath the gloss
Then, in 2011, Zoe surfaced from the fictional dream to share the reality. Her subscribers heard how her life was actually blighted by anxiety and panic attacks. They are common enough issues but Zoe felt the problem was all too often swept under the carpet. “I hadn’t seen anyone else talking about their experiences with anxiety openly and although it scared me to do it I wanted to help others and to share my experience,” she explained.
Anxiety was the main reason Zoe had chosen not to take the university route but her new career hadn’t helped her situation. Her wonderful life had taken her from an ordinary and sheltered life in the sleepy English countryside and thrust her into a busy, demanding urban existence. The change had taken its toll on a person who was not only slight in stature but also, despite her day job, actually quite shy.
Moving on
In 2013, Zoe started to work on addressing her anxiety. The response has been almost completely positive, not least because her followers are happy to let her know that they’re in the same place and benefitting from her actions. She said, “I know just how isolating it can feel to experience severe anxiety. However, the overwhelming response I’ve received every time I’ve spoken out online, shows just how many young people confront it every day.”
In 2016, Zoe reported that she had experienced an enormous improvement in reducing her anxiety. Amongst her helpful insights is the acceptance that you’re unlikely to fix everything overnight. “A decade of anxiety is never going to be resolved in the click of a finger. It’s something you have to work bloody hard at. You have to push yourself, you have to know when something is too much and you have to give yourself a massive pat on the back when it’s going right, even when that’s baby steps.”
Zoella gives back to her followers
Zoe Sugg now has 7.5 million YouTube followers and has published three novels. Perhaps her proudest role, however, has been that of first Digital Ambassador for Mind, the mental health charity. Zoella is aimed at teenagers and they’re the ones she is reaching most with her main message: “I am passionate about the need for everyone to feel ok to speak out, to talk to friends and family about what they’re going through, to ask for help.”
Find out more about Mind and what they can do to help teenagers struggling with mental health issues by clicking here.
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Image: Mind