YouTubers have created a whole new genre of entertainment. These self-produced vloggers and videographers make money sharing their lives with others. There is a consistent lifecycle that most of these creators experience though – from happiness and energy to depression and self-evaluation. Why are YouTubers prone to depression, and how do their experiences relate to the rest of ours? Let’s do a little digging to find out.
It Starts with a Fake Persona
Most YouTubers are young, excited 20-somethings that are full of life when they get on the screen. They create a fake persona for themselves that is an augmented version of reality. On camera, they appear lively and energetic because that is what the audience off wants to see. In time though, that fake persona becomes a heavyweight to bear.
More Success Brings More Pressure
As a YouTuber continues to grow in success, he or she feels the need to put out more content. This is just as stressful as getting a new job with more responsibilities. Suddenly the person feels even more pressure than he or she did before, and that pressure is eventually going to be too much.
The Implosion – “We Need to Talk”
There are countless YouTube videos out there titled “We Need to Talk” or “Time to Come Clean.” This is when the YouTuber addresses his or her audience to explain what’s going on. The dialogue usually consists of…
- I haven’t been happy for a while
- I am going to take a break to work on myself
- I don’t feel like I’ve been honest with my audience
- I’m going to fix it
- The channel will go through a rebirth
Most YouTubers do not admit that they are depressed, but that’s what this revelation suggests. The pressure they’ve put themselves under has caused depression, and now they are seeking some sort of help to overcome the depression. Some choose to return to YouTube after depression treatment, and others leave the platform for good.
YouTubers Are No Different Than the Rest of Us…
The truth is that most people go through the lifecycle of a YouTuber. The only difference is that their experiences are not documented on camera. We all create fake versions of ourselves, either at work or on social media. We feel the need to maintain this persona to remain successful, but we eventually despise what we’ve become. Thankfully, with depression treatment, anyone can learn how to shed that false image of themselves and learn to appreciate the wonder of their true form.
If you are interested in depression treatment, contact one of our therapist offices in Michigan.