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Self-care has become more and more prevalent over the past few years. While there’s value in staying away from social media for the sake of mental health, there are also ways to use social media to improve mental health, and one of them is following mental health influencers who positively promote the topic.
Many celebrities use social media platforms to amplify their voice about causes important to them, making them influencers in their own right. The influencers listed below are strong advocates of causes directly relating to mental health. If you’re looking for rays of positivity, uplifting stories, ways to live life to its fullest, or simply an account to follow that makes you feel better about the world, check out these 10 mental health influencers on social media.
Michelle Obama
- Instagram: @michelleobama – 36.8M followers
- Facebook: @michelleobama – 17M followers
- Twitter: @michelleobama –14.4M followers
The former First Lady may not be the first person to come to mind when you hear “mental health influencer,” but the magnitude of Michelle Obama’s audience and the kinds of content she shares across social media platforms makes her hard to ignore. And you wouldn’t want to! Mrs. Obama is a huge proponent of empowering young women, and she shares encouraging messages to all audiences about embracing the journey you’re on and knowing that it leads to growth. Michelle’s one of the top mental health influencers and positively impacts her devoted audiences.
Jonathan Van Ness
- Instagram: @jvn – 4.9M followers
- YouTube: Jonathan Van Ness – 14.8K subscribers
- Facebook: Jonathan Van Ness – 161K followers
- Twitter: @jvn – 818K followers
You’ve probably seen him work some gorgeous hair magic as one of the “fab five” in Netflix’s Queer Eye, but Jonathan Van Ness has also graced the social media world as a mental health influencer. An icon for the LGBTQ+ community, JVN has used his voice on social media to be a role model for queer youth and has helped normalize nonconformity. But JVN appeals to all walks of life, posting content that promotes self-care, being kind to others, the importance of meditation, being true to yourself, and more. With 4.9 million Instagram followers, JVN is one of the top mental health influencers out there.
Ashley Graham
- Instagram: @ashleygraham – 10.5M followers
- YouTube: Ashley Graham – 188K subscribers
- Facebook: Ashley Graham – 4.2M followers
- Twitter: @ashleygraham – 331K followers
Renowned plus-sized model Ashley Graham has changed the way beauty is seen throughout the world using social media. Shifting the conversation to #beautybeyondsize, Ashley is a strong advocate for loving yourself and one another for more than what meets the eye. And her deeply personal posts with uplifting messages make her a top mental health influencer.
Dr. Nicole LePera
- Instagram: @the.holistic.psychologist – 1.8M followers
- YouTube: The Holistic Psychologist – 105K subscribers
- Facebook: The Holistic Psychologist – 56.2K followers
One of the top mental health influencers on social media is psychologist, Dr. Nicole LePera. As her handle, The Holistic Psychologist, suggests, Dr. LePera believes in looking at emotional and physical health holistically in order to help people. From posts about setting emotional boundaries to tips on how to work through trying relationships, Dr. LePera shares content to touch audiences of all walks of life.
Kevin Love
- Instagram: @kevinlove – 3.2M followers
- Facebook: Kevin Love – 1.8M followers
- Twitter: @kevinlove – 3.2M followers
A professional basketball player on the Cleveland Cavaliers, Kevin Love uses his platform to promote the importance of mental health – especially with the next generation. Devoted to making mental health treatment accessible for everyone, Kevin promotes messaging from his foundation, the Kevin Love Fund. With content encouraging people to reach out to check in on their friends or to not be afraid to express emotions, Kevin’s audience of basketball fans is reminded of the importance of mental health.
Laverne Cox
- Instagram: @lavernecox – 4M followers
- Facebook: Laverne Cox – 1.2M followers
- Twitter: @lavernecox – 687K followers
You probably know her from her breakout role of Sophia Burset in Orange Is the New Black, Laverne Cox is an openly transgender actress and an activist for equal rights. Laverne uses her voice to empower others to live authentically and look beyond gender expectations. A powerful force among mental health influencers, her social media accounts are full of positive messaging.
Tyson Fury
- Instagram: @gypsyking101 – 3.5M followers
- Facebook: Tyson Fury – 563K followers
- Twitter: @tyson_fury – 1.4M followers
It’s hard to believe that someone by the name of Tyson Fury could be categorized as a mental health influencer, but it’s even harder to believe that someone in that category is a two-time heavyweight world professional boxer. After battling with depression and suicidal thoughts for years, Tyson sought medical help and attention to improve his life. With professional help and training, he was able to regain his health and succeed in his boxing career. Now he shares his story with a global audience on social media. Messages about prioritizing mental health and uplifting words surely touch his millions of followers.
John Green
- Instagram: @johngreenwritesbooks – 1.9M followers
- YouTube: vlogbrothers – 3.3M subscribers
- Facebook: John Green – 2.9M followers
- Twitter: @johngreen – 4.9M followers
John Green first shook the social media world back in 2015 when he tweeted about destigmatizing mental health medication, and since then he’s used social media – primarily YouTube – to share his battle with anxiety and obsessive-compulsive disorder. A famous young adult fiction author, John advocates for the importance of mental health on his social media platforms.
Karamo Brown
- Instagram: @karamo – 2.7M followers
- Facebook: Karamo Brown Page – 30.2K followers
- Twitter: @karamo – 456K followers
Another one of the “fab five” from Netflix’s Queer Eye, Karamo Brown is one of the top mental health influencers on social media, and he comes from the background of being a social worker. On the hit show, you can see Karamo work his magic by helping people improve their mental health for the better, and if you follow him on social media, you get to see the same kind of content!
Rachel Hollis
- Instagram: @msrachelhollis – 1.9M followers
- YouTube: Rachel Hollis – 157K subscribers
- Facebook: Rachel Hollis – 1.7M followers
- Twitter: @msrachelhollis – 68.8K followers
Rachel Hollis’s first self-help book, Girl Wash Your Face, gained worldwide recognition. Her popularity on social media came to be when she shared a photo celebrating her stretchmarks. Ever since, her social media presence has provided her followers with daily inspiration for personal growth, well-being, and emotional health. Rachel is definitely one of the top mental health influencers.