Creators highlight psychological challenges

Despite its rapid growth, content creation poses significant psychological challenges for creators, including pressures stemming from widespread reach and constant engagement with audiences.

Speaking to WAM on the sidelines of the first day of the 1 Billion Followers Summit, which commenced its third edition in Dubai, experts and content creators highlighted the psychological challenges and pressures associated with public exposure and continuous critique on social media platforms.

They stressed the importance of adopting healthy strategies to balance professional success and mental well-being, emphasising the need for self-awareness, psychological skill development, and thoughtful planning to help creators overcome mental strain and burnout while maintaining their personal identity and avoiding complete immersion in their work.

Dr. Jana Bou Reslan, a specialist in educational psychology and the UAE representative in TikTok’s “Creating Change” programme, underscored the importance of a clear plan for content creators to prevent psychological and professional exhaustion. She emphasised the need to separate personal identity from content, reminding creators that they control the content, not the other way around.

On sharing personal aspects of their lives, Bou Resla highlighted the need for clear standards and accountability for what is shared. She noted that creators must be responsible for the content they post while maintaining a balance between genuine audience interaction and avoiding the presentation of unrealistic perfection.

Kareem Ismail, a speaker, author in the field of mental health, and positive psychology coach, addressed the pressures faced by professionals in the field.

He said the first step in managing these pressures lies in having a clear purpose, psychological preparation, and self-development. He emphasised that staying in the industry requires self-awareness and efforts to build psychological resilience.

Sarah Sabbagh, General Manager of Works180, discussed how content creators can handle criticism on social media platforms. She stressed that continuous improvement, skill enhancement, and quality content reduce the likelihood of severe criticism and help prevent burnout.

Meanwhile, participants from content creators and talent managers at the third edition of the 1 Billion Followers Summit 2025 confirmed that the summit serves as a platform for creating new partnerships and redefining the relationship between creators and talent managers, thereby driving the content industry to new heights in an increasingly competitive market.

In statements to WAM, they highlighted the growing importance of talent managers in enabling creators to succeed by managing brand contracts, expanding their business reach, and providing the necessary guidance to adapt to market developments.

Ahmed Al Nasheet, content creator and presenter, emphasised that content creators must be able to offer a diversity of topics while maintaining quality and purpose simultaneously.

He stressed the importance of continuous learning and knowledge exchange among creators to ensure sustainability and growth in this sector, with the 1 Billion Followers Summit 2025 providing the ideal environment for this.

Aydan Al Saad, content creator, pointed out the summit’s role in enhancing communication between content creators and entrepreneurs from around the world, noting that every creator eventually reaches a stage where a business partner or manager is crucial to help manage their professional growth. This, he said, significantly impacts content creators’ careers and revenue generation.

Mokhtar Al Arabi, Operations Manager at Anazala Family, remarked that the industry is constantly evolving and that the role of talent managers changes over time in line with the growth of content creation. He noted that future jobs will require different skills and knowledge, making it essential to keep up with industry changes and develop content-related capabilities.

Maya Orr, founder and CEO of BNOC Talent Management Agency, offered advice for those looking to join talent management firms, emphasising the importance of finding an agency that understands and believes in their abilities.

She pointed out that the difference between good and less effective agencies is not always immediately clear to everyone.

WAM