Misha Agrawal, a popular social media influencer died by suicide just two days before her 25th birthday. Despite her follower base of over 3.5 lakh on Instagram, Misha had been suffering from mental health issues, which were further exacerbated when she lost some of her followers. She had been missing in action since the last few weeks, before she took the step of ending her life.
Why was she so unhappy?
Misha’s acquaintance has shared that she had let Instagram dictate her complete identity, with a one stop goal of reaching one million followers. This aspiration completely consumed her, upending other aspects of her life. When her follower count began to decline a few months back, Misha felt dejected, and slid further into depression. She often shared videos of her mental health struggles on social media, masking them under humor, and a sense of self-depreciation.
Lost sense of self
Her sister revealed that since April, Misha had been deeply depressed, often hugging her and crying, expressing fears that losing followers meant the end of her career. She would say things like, “Jijja, what will I do if my followers decrease? My career will be over.” This anxiety over social media, it is being reported, trapped her day and night, and she was unable to escape from it, eventually thinking that she is not worth living anymore.
Bright life, gone too soon
Despite holding a law degree and preparing for the Provincial Civil Services – Judicial (PCSJ) exams, Misha struggled to balance her online fame with her mental well-being. Her family, it is being reported, tried to remind her to distract herself from the digital world, and to concentrate on something else, and look at an alternative career. According to reports, her sister and brother-in-law encouraged her to focus on herself first. Unfortunately, Misha was unable to break free from the overwhelming pressure and the emotional toll of fluctuating follower counts.
Hidden pain
Close friends and subscribers who knew her personally have also spoken about her poor state of mind behind her cheerful and humorous social media presence. According to them, she was suffering from mental and physical downfalls that ultimately led her to take this tragic step. The contrast between her public image and private suffering brings to the fore the often unseen mental health struggles faced by influencers who depend heavily on social media validation for their sense of self.
Sparks conversation
Misha’s death has sparked an important conversation about the mental health challenges associated with social media, especially for young content creators whose lives depend solely on their online presence.