5 Instagram accounts by psychologists and therapists to follow if you have anxiety

If you’ve ever had to type in “symptoms of anxiety attack” or “how to treat or stop anxiety” in your Google Search bar, this article is for you.

We don’t seem to talk about anxiety very often in Singapore. In fact, we tend to use the term ‘anxiety’ to brush off the butterflies we get in our stomach right before a project or client presentation. Is that you being anxious or a sign that you have an anxiety problem?

There are two types of anxiety in general. According to Understood.org, there’s the usual type of anxiousness that we all get from stressful situations such as visiting the dentist, presenting before a large audience, and public speaking etc. However, you may need to take a serious look at your if you find yourself with intense feelings that sprout suddenly for no reason and are extended over a longer period of time.

That’s not all – women are more likely to get anxiety issues, states the US Office of Women’s Health.

So, if you think you’re struggling with the latter, do not brush it off. Take some positive steps daily to resolve the anxiety issue that you may have on hand.

Here, five Instagram accounts to follow if you have anxiety issues for daily doses of self-help:

@theanxietyhealer

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Founded by a US-based licensed anxiety therapist, Alison Seponara, @theanxietyhealer is one of the most accessible and beginner-friendly Instagram accounts on all things anxiety. You will find posts that help you identify the many symptoms of anxiety – many of which could seem very trivial and be easily overlooked.

@doodledwellness

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If you assume a supporting role in your family as a mother taking care of your children, husband, elderly parents, elderly in-laws, along with your colleagues and bosses, this one is for you. @doodledwellness is the brainchild of Amy Tran who has an M.A. in psychology. Her posts are so brutally honest and relevant to our day-to-day lives such as:

• People pleasers: Saying ‘yes’ and ‘ya’ to everyone. Learn to say ‘maybe’ and ‘I’ll think about it’ instead to draw boundaries
• Compassion fatigue: People who take care of others tend to experience burnout. You need to drop your responsibilities and start taking care of yourself first
• Chronic emotional invalidation: When people dismiss your feelings in a manipulative attempt
• Relationship with Food
• Depression
• Rest and Sleep

Tran’s posts are often pastel coloured, with cute doodles and fonts – making it easy for anyone to digest. If you identify with any of the above, do scroll through Tran’s posts and follow her simple steps for some self-care.

@ablackfemaletherapist

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For those of us who prefer straightforward wake up calls, pay @ablackfemaletherapist a visit. The lady behind the Instagram handle is a therapist called Brittney. Her posts are simple – plain text on a coloured background. And they are often honest, frank, and demand you to read and recognise the hard truths of the situation that you may be facing. Expect clarity such as:

• Debunking myths about anger: “If I’m angry with you, I can’t love you anymore.”
• Differences between a genuine growth mindset versus comparison and competition with others
• Moving away from shame that you may have about past behaviour, and shifting that to a feeling of empowerment and self-compassion

ALSO READ: Have high-functioning anxiety? Here's how to stop it from affecting your life

@innerglowtherapy 

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If you’re vaguely aware of the possibly causes of your anxiety attacks – are they related to a traumatic episode that you have experienced or witnessed in your childhood or adult life? If the answer is yes, your anxiety may be related to a traumatic event but you’re not sure where to start reading up or coming to terms with it, try scrolling through the Instagram feed of @innerglowtherapy.

Fronted by a female trauma psychotherapist named Lauren Baird, her posts are bite-sized facts, tips, and nuggets of information that are beautifully illustrated to exude a sense of accessibility and calm. The tips that Baird offer are pretty specific to trauma survivors, such as:

• Dissociation
• Memories
• PTSD nightmares
• Bodily memories of trauma
• Fear of relationships
• Hypoarousal (overwhelming trauma triggers causing you to freeze and shut down)

@the.holistic.psychologist 

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Finally, @the.holistic.psychologist by psychologist Dr. Nicole LePera is an all-encompassing, comprehensive Instagram feed for a wide variety of anxiety, mental health, and emotional wellbeing topics and issues helpful for daily life such as:

• Relationship rules
• Drawing healthy boundaries between you and your partner, parents, and siblings
• Mental wellness
• Emotional maturity
• Self betrayal

ALSO READ: 7 relaxing yoga poses to relieve stress, anxiety and worry

This article was first published in The Singapore Women's Weekly.