In this video, I’m taking a more personal, introspective look at how YouTube (and social media in general) has affected my mental health. I walk through my YouTube journey over the past two and a half years—from posting my first UX design bootcamp video during the pandemic, to taking content creation more seriously, learning the “full-time YouTuber” playbook, and even earning income through monetization, mentorship, and a few brand partnerships. On paper, things were going well. But mentally, I started noticing some red flags. I talk about the darker side that crept in: getting addicted to YouTube Studio stats, constantly thinking about making titles/thumbnails more “sexy,” comparing myself to other creators, and feeling anxious when I wasn’t posting. The biggest warning sign was me starting to question my own worth—asking if I needed to change who I am to make the channel work. What helped me get better was stepping back and asking hard questions: What was my life like before YouTube? If the channel died, what would actually change? I re-centered my identity around what was already there—family, friends, passions, exercise/dance, and my faith. Moving forward, my goal is to create what makes me happy, keep expectations low, and maintain a healthier work-life balance so this doesn’t turn into an obsession.