Bella Hadid followed her 23rd birthday festivities with a more serious message for her followers: remember to take care of yourself. 

The supermodel thanked fans for their birthday wishes in an Instagram post on Friday and used her own experience to stress the importance of speaking up if you’re feeling down. 

“Yesterday was mental health awareness day. A struggle that I know a majority of us have dealt with in the past or dealing with currently,” she wrote. “And if not, you probably know someone who is.. something that I have been dealing with for a few years but finally at a point where it doesn’t consume me as much as before.

Bella added that she still has “bad days along with the good, but grateful and proud of myself to be in the place that I am today, going into my 23rd year of life.”

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I wanted to say thank you so much for all the birthday wishes. You have no idea how much it means to me reading each message.? Yesterday was mental health awareness day. A struggle that I know a majority of us have dealt with in the past or dealing with currently. And if not, you probably know someone who is.. something that I have been dealing with for a few years but finally at a point where it doesn’t consume me as much as before. still have bad days along with the good, but grateful and proud of myself to be in the place that I am today, going into my 23rd year of life. with that being said , I would like to add that everything you see online or through social media is not always what it seems..the happiness we create online while being sad in real life makes no sense, but sometimes it just seems easier to live within your sadness rather than talk about it. if it wasn’t for the people closest to me, I probably would have still been in that place, and for that, I am forever thankful to them…don’t feel pressured by things online…if you don’t want to get out of bed, don’t. If you want to cancel plans, cancel them. Being kind and protective to yourself and your energy is something I’ve learned to be helpful. When the world feels like it is collapsing around you, you are allowed to ask for help… you do not have to deal w/ your mental state alone. We need to spread love and allow love in. Be kind ! To the people around you! strangers! everyone!.be aware! the moments that we have are singular and you will never know the struggle or the pain of another person until you are in their shoes. so reach out n ask. We all need love&support and if you can be the one to bring somebody happiness or a calmness that they can't find in themselves, please be that person..You never know how much your words or just a smile can change someone’s day n even yours as well.If you are reading this and feel like there’s no light at the end of the tunnel… there is … and I see you ! You are strong , you are good enough and you DESERVE to be happy!!I am going to write a new morning mantra right now and you should too! I love all of you out there so much! Sending a big virtual hug

A post shared by ? (@bellahadid) on Oct 11, 2019 at 11:27am PDT

 

Last year, Bella revealed her fight with social anxiety on her mom’s show, Making a Model with Yolanda Hadid, and in her recent post, the model shared that it was those closest to her who helped her through the tough times in her life.   

“Sometimes it just seems easier to live within your sadness rather than talk about it. if it wasn’t for the people closest to me, I probably would have still been in that place, and for that, I am forever thankful to them,” she added. 

Bella has over 26 million followers on Instagram, but she cautioned fans to be realistic when they look at images online, reminding them that social media can be misleading. 

“The happiness we create online while being sad in real life makes no sense,” she shared. 

This isn’t the first time the supermodel has been candid about her health. She shared with Vogue last December that her fight with Lyme disease had impacted her both physically and mentally.

She isn’t the only one in her family getting candid about the topic of mental health — Gigi Hadid has also spoken out about the importance of a healthy mindset. She stepped out with a phone case in 2018 that read, “social media seriously harms your mental health.” 

To close out her message to fans, Bella ended on a positive note. 

“You never know how much your words or just a smile can change someone’s day … If you are reading this and feel like there’s no light at the end of the tunnel… there is … and I see you !” Bella added. “You are strong , you are good enough and you DESERVE to be happy!!”

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