They’re content creators with thousands of adoring fans – so why do they feel so terrible?

Recent research finds that becoming too psychologically entangled with your followers can make success feel like a trap.

By: Julianna Pillemer, New York University, The Conversation

Outlets: The Conversation

Published: August 18, 2026

Words: 1,381

Last Updated: 5 hours, 19 minutes ago

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By Julianna Pillemer, New York University

If given the chance to gain thousands of admirers for your work, would you take it?

The artists who my colleagues and I interviewed as part of our research on content creators did – and many went on to question whether it was worth it.

Mark, an illustrator with millions of followers, revealed a deep sense of dread about what was once his dream: to make a living …

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