Over the past two years, Instagram’s creative community has made it a place of inspiration as well as escape. A gateway to possibilities as well as a place to air our collective anxieties. It provided comfort and community for our mental health exactly when we really needed it.
Via @monakattan on Instagram
For this upcoming World Mental Health Day, we are taking a moment to celebrate those creators who used their platform to prioritize mental health and wellbeing. The ones who were unafraid to prevent and break taboos, the ones who educated and held our hands (virtually!), and the ones who inspired and motivated us with tenacity, positivity, and honesty.
[1]
Mona Kattan
Mona reminds us to look at the brighter side of life. This businesswoman and aesthetic IG content creator promotes positivity and kindness daily.
[2]
Noelle El Saadany
Noelle is all about self-care and self-reflection. Her Instagram is a perfect blend of realistic advice as well as encouraging content. Her tips are things that all of us could use in our day-to-day lives.
[3]
H.H. Sayyida Basma Al Said
Via @basmaalsaidofficial on Instagram
If you’re looking for ways to minimise your anxiety, H.H. Basma al Said’s IG can help out with that.
[4]
Ameni Esseibi
If you need a shot of confidence, look no further than Ameni Esseibi. A girl’s girl, the model and body positivity advocate, is all about celebrating and empowering her squad and making self-confidence, empathy, education, and authenticity the priority.
[5]
Shehata Jr
Being the face and voice of @glocal, Jr uses his formidable platform and his innate sense of humor to discuss a number of taboo topics and show his community of followers that they are not alone. He has discussed normalizing conversations about mental health and therapy as well as toxic masculinity and the importance of self-care.
[6]
Noor Al Huda
Noor hosts educational seminars as well as workshops on topics like lifestyle, health and career. Her posts on the Instagram talk about how to be productive even if working from home.
[7]
Alia Al Hazami
Al Hazami provides succor and a ray of hope for those suffering from eating disorders, offering comfort and first-person accounts of her struggles in overcoming a debilitating condition. A writer by trade and passion, Al Hazami wields the power of the written word to shed light on uncomfortable societal truths, including tackling the taboos associated with discussing anorexia and its triggers.
[8]
Nelly Attar
A former psychologist, Attar inspires with her passion for fitness, movement, and happiness. With an Instagram feed filled with positivity, action, and energy, Attar underscores the importance of exercise as a happy pill – a natural, accessible, and easy way to stay healthy, maintain focus and nurture your mental health.
[9]
Ally Salama
The Canada-based Egyptian mental health ambassador is the cheerleader friend and the sage confidant all rolled into one. A youth icon, Salama has open doors for Egyptian youth by discussing and providing regular tips and insights into depression and anxiety as well as maintaining supportive relationships with those suffering from mental illness.
[10]
Amina Diab
This one’s for the parents – author and psychologist Amina Diab is a friendly ear for mums and dads looking for counsel on how to navigate the highs and lows of raising children in the 2020s. From guides on instilling basic socio-emotional skills to virtually holding hands through back-to-school days, Diab has done it all, becoming the go-to sounding board for parents on the ‘gram.
[11]
Nevine El Guindy
Via @nivoforlife on Instagram
Nevine El Guindy is the pop of color (quite literally!) that we all need in our lives right now. The ever-smiling life coach and author drop some serious truth bombs about mental health on her aesthetically calming account, giving her community perspective as well as positivity.
[12]
Noureen Ben Halim
The therapist and teacher coaches her community through everyday anxieties by sharing her own experiences of motherhood, grief, toxic relationships to name a few, while also tackling collective emotional trauma such as the pandemic, providing a unique perspective that blends the personal with the general.
[13]
Rouhana El Hage
Rouhana El Hage has been a stern advocate for body positivity and self-confidence. He has always been outspoken about his struggle with overcoming an eating disorder. To know more about his story, click here.