Mihlali Ndamase on why content creators need support groups

Mihlali Ndamase hosted a masterclass. Picture: Supplied.

Mihlali Ndamase hosted a masterclass. Picture: Supplied.

Published Sep 9, 2021

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Being online 24/7 can be exhausting.

More digital creators and influencers are admitting to the dark side of content creation and the pressure that comes with it.

A universal challenge all influencers now deal with is online harassment and trolling.

Because they share most of their lives on these platforms, social media people feel the need to constantly say something- bad or good.

Mihle Ndamase, influencer and content creator recently admitted to the effects of content creation on mental health.

“We need some sort of support group for content creators in this country, a safe space for our mental health and overall well-being.

“This job takes so much from you, and not a lot of people speak about that,” she tweeted.

Soon many others followed and agreed with her.

One user said, “reason why I took a break”.

“I want to get back into it but I don’t even know where to start now.

“Perhaps when I finally get my own home I’ll be able to get back into things, set it up how I like and be comfortable.”

Even new content curators were facing trouble: “Literally had to make my vlogs private because I got so anxious about letting people into my personal space and I was just starting out,” said the other one.

Others sympathised with the Ndamase, saying, “funny enough”.

“I was watching videos on YouTube yesterday, and was like this too much.

“Letting the world in your personal space and sharing every little thing you do.”

This is not the first time people who spend most time on these platforms agreed to the negative impact of it.

Speaking to Hindu, the Delhi-based influencer, popular for his short funny videos and for creating characters like DIY Babita and Pankaj, says: “If your daily mood starts depending on the number of likes and views on your posts, that is when you realise something is not right.

“When I decided to become an influencer I had 10 000 followers and my aim was to reach 100 000.

“But now that I have three times that, I am not happy.

“My day depends on how many people are talking about my post.

“The constant need for validation is not healthy.”

Live streamer and twitter personality, Rora Pickles, describes her relationship with Twitter as stress-inducing and yet incredibly helpful.

“I feel too tied to it at times, worried if I’m not active enough I will lose engagement, or I’ll find myself glued to a negative interaction if it’s stressing me out.

“… But I gain a huge satisfaction when people laugh at me or my content, it helps mental health in some ways too.”

In terms of finding a solution to the issue, Rora added: “I just try my best to keep emotionally detached and have a logic/emotional balance when using it, which tends to help me keep a healthier relationship with it.”

Related Topics:

BullyingMindfulness