Trigger alert: If you realize that you are extremely overwhelmed, anxious, depressed or thinking about getting hurt, see your doctor, psychologist or family member and don’t forget the CVV – Life Appreciation Center (call 188).
Mel Maia, 18, used Instagram Stories to have a conversation with her followers about an issue that afflicts millions of Brazilians: anxiety, a general term for various disorders that cause nervousness, fear, apprehension and worry. The agenda is increasingly present in debates about mental health on and off screen.
“It’s a delicate subject. The Internet is a big lie and everyone already knows. I got home, I have a lot of things to do, I have my personal problems – which I don’t usually talk about and I don’t like to expose these things – but I get here in home and has anxiety,” he reported.
Mel then related how he identifies a crisis. “I start to cry, and feel overwhelmed and guilty for the things I need to do and don’t do. And if I don’t post this, everyone would think I was happy, super well”, he vented.
Respect your own body and limits to maintain balance
On air in “Vai na Fé” as the influencer Guiga, Mel, who is in therapy, stressed that taking care of mental health is as necessary as taking care of the body.
“When I say that the internet is a lie, that’s it: we always post the best moments. When we are down, we end up not posting. We have no obligation to post when we are down. But people watching think that the person is a strawberry. Everyone has problems in life, life is not amazing for everyone. But we have to respect our limits, otherwise we freak out. And my health, the health of my body, the only person can tell is me,” he said.
In December of last year, Mel was criticized on the web for having suffered an anxiety attack at work. Several people accused her of lack of professionalism because of the episode.