YouTube star Lilly Singh is taking a breather.
Singh, who’s lovingly known to her fans as “Superwoman,” announced in a video on Monday that she’ll be taking a hiatus from the video platform, saying she’s not at her “optimal happiness” and could be “mentally healthier.”
“I am mentally, physically, emotionally and spiritually exhausted,” she told viewers in a raw, honest clip, explaining that she’s been tirelessly making videos for 8 years. “I think there’s a lot going on up here that I need to address that I’m not able to, constantly pumping out content.”
The YouTuber added that she hasn’t been happy with “a lot of the content I’ve created.”
“You know, the thing about YouTube is that in all of its glory, it kind of is a machine, and it makes creators believe that we have to pump out content consistently even at the cost of our life and our mental health and our happiness, because if you don’t, then you’ll become irrelevant,” she said. “But I’ve always said that happiness is the most important thing that you will ever fight for. Relevance is not.”
Singh’s fans took the message well, reacting with a flood of supportive messages.
Singh tweeted she was touched by the kind words.
The YouTuber, who started making videos on the platform back in 2010, has been an outspoken advocate for mental health awareness. She told Time that she actually discovered YouTube while she was dealing with depression.
“I started YouTube because I was sad and because I wanted to make myself happy,” she said. “In turn, other people were also were cheered up by my videos so there was this beautiful ... community being created that was supportive of me and I was supportive of them.”
Singh joins several other YouTubers who’ve had to take breaks from the video platform. Popular YouTuber Elle Mills went on a hiatus earlier this year, explaining that she was burned out and struggling with mental health issues.
“My life just changed so fast,” Mills said in a video she posted just ahead of her break. “My anxiety and depression keeps getting worse and worse. I’m literally just waiting for me to hit my breaking point.”
“Superwoman” thanked those on YouTube who’ve had the strength to take breaks and inspired her to do the same.
“Straight up, I was too scared to do this, and I’ve been living vicariously through creators like this who have taken breaks, and I’ve been like, oh, they’re so brave,” she said in the video. “And their content has really helped me make this video, so shout-outs to all of you for prioritizing your mental health. You are a great example, for not only myself, but everyone else.”
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