The pressure we feel from social media is real and Solenn Heussaff gets it. In her latest blog post she opened up about the toxic side of it. “I think it’s easy to think that ‘celebrities’ have perfect lives because we’re seen like with perfect makeup and perfect hair and perfect clothes a lot, but that isn’t even our real life.”
She also added that since we all have a platform to share in real-time, we start to compare ourselves and our lives with someone else’s. “I still remember a time when it wasn’t this way, but this is the reality that kids today are growing up with. It’s easier to second guess yourself when everyone seems to have a perfect life. It’s easier to fall into anxiety and depression.” Solenn also opened up about her own experience with dealing with anxiety last year. “During the days I would have work, some people on set would tell me I was getting bigger. Even though they were saying it jokingly, it still affected me. So I went on a crazy overdrive. I worked out and dieted to the extreme, tried to get as much work as I could.” However, because she was putting so much pressure on herself, she couldn’t take it. “Because of the stress I was putting on myself, I got an anxiety attack at work. I still remember that during the attack, my face looked like it was melting and I had to go to the hospital.”
After the incident she was ashamed to talk to her family or friends about it because it didn’t seem like a big problem. “I was still struggling mentally and emotionally, but at the same time, I didn’t think I had valid reasons to be struggling.” What worked for her was talking to someone at Theta Healing.
Aside from the blog post, Solenn also posted a video. This one was lighter but what she wanted to show was how much work goes into a “perfect” photo on Instagram. It’s not easy. You will see her put in hair extensions, do her makeup, put a waist trainer, and edit the photo on her phone.
So, let this be a reminder for everyone to not take social media too seriously and take a break once in a while.
Photo courtesy of Solenn Heussaff’s Instagram account
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