#WinterABC2022: Stories of Awareness – Influencers suffer as well

This piece is inspired by a recent story read of yet another young influencer star who passed at the age of 19…he had shared with his fans of his mental health and addiction struggles and was even proposing a support community for his fans with similar struggles. Unfortunately, as fate would have it, that community didn’t get to see the light of day.

It may be ironic that the people we assume must be the happiest in the world with everything going well for them, seem to be the ones who suffer from various struggles; mostly unknown until they succumb and do something drastic.

We sometimes tend to forget that the people we call ‘the life of the party’ feel lonely, sad and get tired of life just like the rest of us. The so-called ‘influencers’ of our time who splash their timelines, statuses, and streaks with one fun activity at gorgeous locations around the world, have their own insecurities and fears. They may be gregarious, but it doesn’t mean they are physically or psychologically able to handle the various pressures that come with the fame. Remember, most of them are in their teens or early twenties. They are navigating ‘adulting’ just like the rest of us.

One can be fun and funny but inwardly be a very sad person. One can locate himself in a busy crowd but still feel very lonely. Everyone needs someone so let’s not discount the power of showing care and support to people especially those we are tempted to think need it the least.

Some people assume the role of the life of the party because in that moment, they can forget whatever is eating at them and let themselves go; hence they wish the party could go on forever. But when the party is over and everyone disperses, they are left to face their struggles by themselves and most of the time, they lose the battle.

Check on someone today, will you? The one you usually wouldn’t because he/she ‘must be okay’. You could be saving a life.