Top Mental Health Influencers 2024
Did you know that 43.8 million adults experience mental illness in a given year and 1 in 5 adults in America experience a mental illness? That is a huge eye-opening number and for years social media did not help with this, in fact for many people their mental health got exponentially worse due to social media. This is not to say that this is no longer true, but there is a group of influencers that are using their platforms to advocate for change while discussing the realness of mental health.
These influencers rose during the time of the pandemic and continue to share their experiences/stories today. During the worldwide pandemic, there was no doubt that many people were struggling mentally with being stuck inside their homes, so these influencers decided to step up and share their raw mental health issues as well as healthy coping to the internet.
What is a Mental Health Influencer?
A mental health influencer is anyone using their social media platform to discuss mental health, self-care, or emotional wellness. These people can be anyone from a therapist, psychiatrist, or just someone who has struggled themselves and chooses to discuss it with their followers.
Sharing stories and experiences can help spread awareness about mental health as well as educate more people about the symptoms of different illnesses, and even advocate for therapy and healthy coping services.
Mental health influencers have made a big difference for many people and they deserve some recognition. Let’s explore some mental health influencers that are making a difference today.
Mental Health Influencers to Know in 2024
There are so many mental health influencers that are making a difference in so many people’s lives. You can find them on just about any social media platform but mostly on Instagram and TikTok.
Mental Health Influencers on Instagram
Brené Brown
Brené Brown is a professor, author, and podcast host to her podcast titled Unblocking Us. On this podcast, she hosts conversations that unlock the deeply human part of who we are to be the best versions of ourselves. She is most well known for her research on shame. She came up with the Shame Resilience Theory. She defines shame as “Shame is the intensely painful feeling or experience of believing that we are flawed and therefore unworthy of love, belonging, and connection.” Her goal was to dictate what causes this feeling and came to the conclusion that it is the result of unrealistic expectations. She also hosted a TedTalk titled “The Power of Vulnerability”. She now makes use of the expertise and research she has done to educate and inspire her followers on social media.
Beth Evans
Beth is known as Beth Draws Things on Instagram where she draws adorable little illustrations of quotes that brighten your day. For example, her last post says “Wishing you a little luck, a little joy, a little of whatever you need today. You deserve wonderful things!” Although she is very popular on social media, you would not be able to recognize her on the streets because she only posts her drawings which makes her extremely unique.
Dennis Simsek
Dennis is a very well-known life coach who is most known for his popular podcast titled The Anxiety Guy. This podcast dives deep into generalized anxiety disorder, hypochondria, and depression. He takes you along the journey of a former tennis player who went through all the hardships of anxiety and depression in hopes of teaching and inspiring his listeners to learn from these mistakes and unhealthy coping mechanisms. He was also nominated for best anxiety blog, which is also titled The Anxiety Guy. He posts frequently to update his followers on new ways to cope with anxiety, new supplements he recommends, and more.
Hannah Blum
Hannah is a very well-known mental health advocate, writer, and guest contributor to PsyCom. PsyCom is a platform that seeks to inspire patients and or their caregivers to better understand their mental health conditions and to take an active role in their own care. Her content is very similar to the influencer we mentioned above, Beth Evans, in the fact that her content consists of wonderful quotes and illustrations.
Dr. Joy Harden Bradford
Dr. Harden is a licensed psychologist and host of a very popular podcast titled Therapy for Black Girls. Her goal is to make mental health topics more relevant and accessible for Black women and girls. She also is the author of a book titled Sisterhood Heals. This is a great book about sisterhood, building, creating, and maintaining that bond in a friendship. If you want to feel empowered, heard, and seen, a visit to her profile is a great start.
Cally Tate
Cally is a digital creator who has chosen to use her own mental health struggles to educate and inspire her followers. She is not a professional in the mental health field, but she reminds her followers that you don’t have to be an expert in order to help advocate against the stigma of mental illness, and through storytelling, she can help her followers feel less alone.
Mental Health Influencers on TikTok
Dr. Julie Smith
Dr. Smith has over a decade of experience as a psychologist and was the first professional to take their experience and knowledge to TikTok. Her goal is to give her followers insights on therapy. After running her own practice she took her expertise to TikTok where she makes her depth of knowledge accessible to all. She also recently published a book titled, Why Hasn’t Anyone Told Me This Before? She provides her readers with an inside scoop on how minds work, advice, and how to effectively manage emotions.
David Puder
David is a Psychiatrist, Physician, and Podcast host of Psychiatry & Psychotherapy. In his podcast, he teaches people how to read emotions and develop deeper emotional connections. He also uses his TikTok to answer follower’s questions regarding mental health as well as myths about mental health and psychiatry.
Elle Malana
Elle is a registered medical technologist, a 4th-year med student, and a wonderful advocate for mental health. She gives a unique point of view as an influencer. She gives her followers an inside scoop of being in school and shares her learnings with her followers. She constantly is going through hardships while balancing life and inspires her followers to keep pushing.
Lindsay Fleming
Lindsay is not only a licensed therapist, but she also takes her expertise to TikTok. On this platform, she helps her followers manage their anxiety and depression while also raising awareness about mental health. She helps people understand the depth of mental health and how it can easily be compared to physical health in hopes that it inspires her followers to receive help when needed.
All of these influencers and so many more help people every day by educating, advocating, and inspiring people who need it. If you or anyone you know struggles with mental health, it is a good idea to seek assistance from a mental health influencer.
These are just a few of the wonderful influencers who are making a huge difference. Let us know your favorite influencers!
A similarity that many of these influencers have in common is being a host of a podcast. If you are interested in finding new podcasts, be sure to check out the blog below:
