Misha’s sister describes how her deteriorating mental health caused her a lot of distress with social media following (Pic: Instagram)
Trigger warning
Instagram content creator Misha Agarwal died by suicide last week, as confirmed by her family, due to anxiety and depression issues. The 24-year-old had garnered a significant following online, leaving her followers shocked.
While initially her cause of death was not revealed, her sister has now issued a statement confirming her passing away due to mental health issues. Misha’s sister described how her deteriorating mental health caused her a lot of distress with her social media following. “My little baby sister had built her world around Instagram and her followers, with a single goal of reaching 1 million followers and gaining loving fans. When her followers started decreasing, she became distraught and felt worthless. Since April, she had been deeply depressed, often hugging me and crying, saying, 'Jijja, what will I do if my followers decrease? My career will be over (sic)," the note read.
Misha, who was preparing for judicial services exams, was struggling to balance the pressures of online fame with her mental well-being. Her sister recounted conversations in which Misha had expressed anxiety over losing followers, and since her engagement was declining, she feared that her career would collapse.
Depression and suicide
According to Harvard Health, most people who die by suicide have a mental health issue, which can be depression or substance abuse disorder. Experts say they may feel lonely, depressed, or isolated and may have had a traumatic life experience.
Many of the warning signs of suicidal feelings are also signs of depression.
Why can symptoms of anxiety and depression lead to suicide?
Experts say even though it may be difficult to pinpoint specific causes, various studies have speculated why anxiety could be related to or even lead to someone taking their own life. It can be due to the following reasons:
Overwhelm
Many people may become overwhelmed by anxiety with feelings of “too much to bear”.
Daily suffering
According to experts, many who have anxiety issues also suffer from panic attacks and constant stress and may contemplate suicide as a way to end those feelings.
Distortions in thinking
A few people with anxiety disorders may have negative and distorted thinking patterns.
Loss of social support
Many times, those with anxiety disorders try to self-isolate or avoid their friends, family, or loved ones. Social isolation can have a big impact on a person’s mental health.
What are the warning signs of suicide contemplation you must note?
People at risk of suicide may have any of these:
- Changes in eating and sleep habits
- Loss of interest in usual activities
- Pulling away from friends and family members
- Acting out behaviors
- Running away
- Alcohol and drug use
- Not caring about personal appearance
- Excessive risk-taking
- Fixation on death and dying
- Increased physical complaints linked to emotional distress, like stomachaches, headaches, and extreme tiredness
- Loss of interest in work, school, and community
- Feelings of boredom
- Trouble concentrating
- Feelings of wanting to die
- Lack of response to praise
If a person is at risk of wanting to die by suicide, they may show a few signs:
- Give away favorite possessions and throw away important belongings
- Becomes suddenly cheerful after a period of depression
- Express bizarre thoughts
- Say, "I want to kill myself."
- Say, "I'm going to commit suicide."
- Say, "I won't be a problem much longer."
- Say, "If anything happens to me, I want you to know ...."
- Write one or more suicide notes.
- The warning signs of suicide may seem like other health problems. Always talk with a healthcare provider for a diagnosis.
How can you help?
While not taking threats of suicide lightly, experts believe that these signs should be taken as a cry for help. Make sure to take the patterns and feelings seriously and render help:
- Get in touch with counsellors and therapists
- Take the person to the nearest emergency room and contact their mental health provider
- Do not leave them alone
- Involve other people - contact friends and family members
- Express concern and listen attentively
- Ask direct questions
-
Acknowledge the person's feelings and offer support
- Make sure to keep possibly harmful objects hidden like weapons and firearms
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