\u201cIf you want to improve your mental health, spend more time on social media.\u201d Said no one ever.<\/p>\n
Since our feeds are filled with picture-perfect content, we\u2019re often told we should stay off social media to tend to our mental wellbeing.<\/p>\n
But deleting your social apps isn’t the only solution; there is a new community of Instagram illustrators who are using social media to support\u00a0<\/em>mental health. Through their art, they talk about self-care and share their work with their followers.<\/p>\n How do these illustrators help? If you see your struggle unpacked in a cartoon or comic, you\u2019ll remember you\u2019re not alone. Every time someone likes, comments on, or shares these cartoons, it says, \u201cI feel this, too. I\u2019m here.\u201d And it builds a community.<\/p>\n Sometimes, it’s difficult to explain what we’re going through when dealing with stress or sadness, which can make us feel more isolated. Drawing can help Instagrammers communicate problems without verbalizing them, and reminds their followers they’re not alone in their struggles:<\/p>\n \u201cOn Instagram, you can see something in an image that doesn’t belong in words. If there were more materials out there that people could latch on to, people\u00a0would be able to share these images more freely.\u201d – Georgia, creator of @georgia.turner.art<\/em><\/p><\/blockquote>\n Not only that, but these artists can help change the way we talk about these issues by being real on social media. When they take the risk to share something they\u2019ve buried, a trauma, or just a bad day, it normalizes what could otherwise be a really tough time.<\/p>\n Elyse Fox, founder of the online community ‘The Sad Girls Club,’ says:<\/p>\n \u201cWe give social media so much shit, but ultimately it was created to connect people. I want to change the narrative of a picture-perfect life and show people how we can actually put out positive things that are kind of imperfect. <\/span>We\u2019re responsible for what we put out there.\u201d<\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n When met with support, these displays of authenticity can help clear out stigma and create space for deeper conversations<\/a>\u00a0and connections, both online and in real life. The dialogue around mental health can become more mainstream, and grants the comfort of community.<\/p>\n Here are our favorite Instagram illustrators who are making a difference in their communities:<\/p>\n 1. @drawingsofdogs<\/strong><\/p>\nThe art of self-care<\/h3>\n
Our top feel-good artists<\/h3>\n
\n