A Wild & Wise Life

Mental health is more talked about than ever, and for good reason. It’s an issue that affects millions, and shedding light on it has been a long-overdue step toward healing and understanding. But as mental health awareness has grown, so has its commodification. What was once a deeply personal, sometimes private struggle has been turned into a profitable brand on Instagram, with influencers and creators cashing in on the very vulnerability that used to be kept behind closed doors.

Mental Health as a Brand Strategy

In the age of social media, there’s a growing trend of influencers and wellness gurus who share their mental health journeys for their followers. They post about their struggles with anxiety, depression, and other challenges, often framing these personal stories as raw, vulnerable moments. While many of these posts are undoubtedly sincere, there’s a growing industry behind this “mental health content.”

Instagram has given rise to a new kind of celebrity: one who openly shares their mental health challenges, turning those experiences into brand-building content. The strategy is clear: the more open and vulnerable an influencer appears, the more relatable they become, which increases their engagement and ultimately their earnings. Vulnerability, in this sense, has become just another commodity.

Vulnerability as Content

The paradox of the digital age is that vulnerability has become performative. Sharing personal struggles on social media, from mental health issues to family problems, is no longer just about opening up — it’s about monetizing those struggles. Influencers often package their mental health journeys in a way that appeals to their audience’s emotions, resulting in likes, shares, and brand deals. What was once a private, often painful experience is now a content strategy.

Take a quick scroll through Instagram, and you’ll find countless posts that claim to share “raw” or “real” moments. From influencers talking about their battles with anxiety to celebrity wellness advocates discussing their journeys through therapy, these personal stories are now being shared with the added undertone of a call to action. More often than not, that call to action involves buying a product — whether it’s a self-care ritual, a mental health app, or an exclusive online workshop.

This isn’t to say that people shouldn’t talk about their struggles or that influencers don’t genuinely care about mental health. However, the line between genuine advocacy and content creation becomes blurry when the very platform promoting mental health struggles is simultaneously profiting from them.

Advocacy or Exploitation?

There’s a fine line between raising awareness about mental health and exploiting it for profit. While many influencers are genuinely trying to help others by sharing their journeys, the commercial side of Instagram complicates the situation. Mental health posts often come with affiliate links, paid partnerships, or advertisements for wellness products, creating a situation where authenticity and profit collide.

The more engagement a post about mental health gets, the more likely it is that influencers will be approached by brands to promote mental health-related products, or even to sell their own courses or services. This has created a market where mental health, which should be about support and healing, is packaged and sold. Influencers capitalize on the very struggle they’re sharing, turning their experience into a brand identity.

The Dangers of Commercialized Mental Health

When mental health becomes a branded product, it risks losing its depth and nuance. While it’s essential to make mental health conversations mainstream, we must ask: at what cost? The more mental health becomes commodified, the more it risks turning into a performative trend, rather than a genuine social movement for better care and understanding.

By treating mental health as content, the message becomes diluted. What was once an intimate and personal topic becomes a surface-level narrative for engagement, likes, and followers. For many people struggling with mental health issues, this creates a false sense of hope — an unrealistic portrayal of “healing” that can often feel out of reach.

This also opens the door for influencers to exploit their audience’s vulnerabilities. Some influencers may push products that claim to improve mental health, like supplements, wellness apps, or lifestyle changes, without considering whether those products are truly beneficial — or even safe. The commodification of mental health means that people in need of real support may find themselves searching for answers in the wrong places, simply because the influencer or brand appears trustworthy.

The Role of the Audience

It’s important to recognize the role that social media users play in this ecosystem. Followers who engage with mental health content may be unknowingly feeding into the commodification of these struggles. Likes, comments, and shares all contribute to the influencer’s reach and the profitability of their content. It’s a cycle that perpetuates the idea that mental health issues are something to be consumed — just another piece of branded content to be marketed.

As consumers of social media, it’s important to approach mental health content with a critical eye. While sharing experiences can be powerful and healing, we must be cautious of the performative nature of social media and consider the motivations behind it. Are influencers advocating for mental health in a genuine, helpful way, or are they using these issues to grow their brands and increase their income?

Breaking the Cycle Through Authentic Mental Health Advocacy

True mental health advocacy requires more than just sharing personal stories for likes. It involves systemic change — fighting for better access to care, educating people on mental health, and supporting communities in meaningful ways. It’s about being transparent and honest without leveraging suffering for personal gain.

The digital age offers an opportunity for mental health advocacy to reach millions, but it also demands responsibility. Advocates must consider the potential impact of their content — especially when it involves sensitive topics like mental illness. Authenticity cannot be measured in likes or sales. It’s about real conversations that support long-term healing, not just immediate clicks.

Instagram has undeniably transformed the conversation around mental health, but it’s also turned it into something that can be bought and sold. Influencers who share their struggles often walk a fine line between advocacy and exploitation, using their vulnerabilities to grow their personal brands. While this has helped raise awareness about mental health, it’s crucial to ask whether the growing commercialization of these issues does more harm than good. True mental health advocacy must go beyond the algorithm and the paycheck, encouraging real support for those who need it most.