Model and former Real Housewives of Beverly Hills star Bella Hadid got candid on her Instagram account when she opened up about her struggles with anxiety to her 47.2 million followers. In January, Bella took a quick Instagram break, explaining that she needed time to heal and learn to love herself. She shared that in her time away from the social media platform; she’d been reading self-help books by the fire, exploring the metaphysical world of crystals, spending time with friends, and horseback riding. The star is a huge horse lover and often speaks about her love for the animal. Bella even did a 73 questions with Vogue interview at her family’s horse stable.
The model has been criticized in the past for denying reported plastic surgery procedures, and for glamorizing her life, even though it’s normal for celebs to do both things. However, Bella has also used her platform for good. During the 2020 Black Lives Matter protests, Bella advocated via her Instagram page, sharing photos for both George Floyd and Breonna Taylor. She also has used her social media to raise awareness for transgender visibility and freedom for Palestine.
Recently, Bella has taken to her Instagram to prove anyone who believes she has the perfect life wrong. The model shared a video of singer Willow Smith talking about her own struggles with mental health along with a lengthy caption and several other photos of herself red-faced and teary-eyed. The images aren’t what followers would typically expect from the 25-year old star who once walked in the Victoria’s Secret fashion show and has a brand deal with Dior Beauty. However, that’s precisely the message Bella was trying to convey. In the video, Willow explains, “that feeling of not thinking that you’re good enough or being insecure about your art is natural, but at the same time, I feel like it’s taught.“
Bella expressed how much she related to the quote in the caption of her post. She wrote, “social media is not real. For anyone struggling, please remember that.” The star also admitted that the nine photos she shared of herself in a very vulnerable state are what she typically looks like every day and night for the last few years. The last photo she shared showcased the young model with an IV in her arm, most likely due to her ongoing Lyme disease, which she’s spoken publicly about on several occasions. Bella also let her followers know that they are not alone in their own mental health battles, and if they continue to work on themselves, they will better learn how to handle it. She concluded her caption with, “thank you for seeing me and thank you for listening. I love you.“
Though Bella’s honest post may have seemed out of left field for some of her followers, her bravery is sure to help her large following cope with their own mental health. While Instagram models and influencers might seem like they have it all together in their posts, it’s clear that no one really does. Everyone is dealing with something, and when stars get honest with their fans, it dissolves the illusion that anyone’s life is perfect and prevents people from feeling like they’re alone. The former RHOBH‘ star’s post was a raw and much-needed interruption from Instagram’s typical highlight reels, and hopefully, she continues to stay honest with her fans.
