Culture

Everybody Is Dunking On This YouTuber Who Believes He Just Cured Anxiety

"I can’t believe I’m paying $200 an hour for therapy when I could just remind myself to be happy."

by Michelle Rennex  18 February 2020
jake paul anxiety

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Apparently the only way to cure anxiety is by chilling out and going for a walk.

Well, at least, that’s what social media personality Jake Paul tweeted out today. If you don’t know Jake Paul, he’s a YouTuber with almost 20 million subscribers and 13 million followers on Instagram. If that doesn’t ring any bells, Jake is also the brother of Logan Paul — the vlogger who famously filmed a dead body in Japan’s Suicide Forest.

Now Jake is in his own hot water, facing backlash for his claims that anxiety is self-created and can be cured with happy thoughts. “Remember anxiety is created by you,” Jake tweeted earlier today. “Sometimes you gotta let life play out and remind yourself to be happy and that the answers will come.”

To give even more terrible advice, Jake continued: “Chill your mind out. Go for a walk. Talk to a friend.”

Honestly, wow! Who would’ve thought that curing anxiety would be SO easy! Turns out this whole time anti-anxiety medication and therapy weren’t the answers at all. As expected, Dr Jake’s advice was not received well, with fellow YouTubers and people online calling his stance dangerous and just flat-out incorrect.

A big problem with Jake Paul tweeting out something so wildly inaccurate is that many young children watch and follow the social media star online. Propagating such unfounded claims might very well cause young Jake Paul fans to start thinking that something is “wrong” with them feeling anxious.

Moreover, the mere idea that “anxiety is created by you” ignores the evidence of chemical imbalances in the brain causing some anxiety disorders.

To claim that anxiety is something that someone chooses to have implies that disorders like asthma arise because an active choice to not breathe has been made. Or that people with eczema have skin issues because they don’t think positively enough to have clear skin.

So, not only are Jake Paul’s anxiety claims dangerous, they’re also just really, really stupid.

If you need support, both Lifeline on 13 11 14 and the Kids Helpline on 1800 55 1800 offer 24-hour assistance. For further information about youth mental health, both Headspace and Reach Out can provide guidance. You can also talk to a medical professional or someone you trust.