A typical scroll through Instagram offers a slew of pics showing people in awe-inspiring vacation spots; celebrating perfect relationships; displaying dramatic fitness and diet makeovers. But sometimes, a good anxiety cartoon is just what you need to interrupt all the perfection for an acknowledgment of the messier side of life. These cartoonists? They got you—insecurity, anxiety, imposter syndrome and all. Here are our absolute favorite anxiety cartoons on Instagram.
20 Instagram Artists Who Do Anxiety Cartoons We Love
1. Kayden Hines (@kaydenhines)
There’s the ideal you that you strive toward, and there’s the self-sabotaging who you counts the ways you haven’t quite lived up to your expectations. Kayden burrows into that space and finds the funny in everything from unfortunate selfies to insomnia-inducing anxiety.
2. Gemma Correll (@gemmacorrell)
She’s an introvert who worries too much, thinks too much, can’t sleep for all the stuff running through her head and, oh, also adores pugs. Who can’t relate to that? Gemma illustrates every convoluted thought that runs through a worried brain, making us all feel a bit calmer knowing that we have company.
3. Holly Chisolm (@justpeachycomic)
The title of her book says it all—Just Peachy: Comics About Depression, Anxiety, Love and Finding the Humor in Being Sad. Holly captures those moments of self-doubt everyone experiences now and again, but she also nails the moments of clarity that let you forgive yourself.
4. Sarah Andersen (@sarahandersencomics)
If you think you might be a bit of an oddball, Sarah understands. Sometimes it’s a point of pride to be unique, and sometimes it means feeling disconnected from the rest of the world. Either way, you gotta laugh.
5. Mo Welch (@momowelch)
On the days when you wish other people would just shut up and leave you alone to hang out with your cat, Mo is right there with you. So ignore the texts inviting you to go out with the gang and chuckle through her cartoons about existential despair, loneliness and the joy of sweatpants instead.
6. Cee (@relatabledoodles)
Her multi-panel comics feature a sweet young lady dealing with the little things that happen on any given day—including the occasional moments of self-mortification. Just take a look at the comments and it’s clear that Cee knows how to hit a nerve (and a funny bone).
7. Dami Lee (@dami_lee)
As Dami says in one of her comics, “Growing up is hard. Like nobody tells you that all your friends will get really into rock climbing.” She’s figuring it all out in her comics, sharing the lessons and warning of the pitfalls.
8. Grace Miceli (@artbabygirl)
The bright, cheerful colors of Grace’s illustrations don’t always match her sardonic witticisms about depression or anxiety, but that’s the point. Visit for her forays into fatalism, stay for her encouraging expressions of support, smile in solidarity with both.
9. Ruby (@rubyetc_)
Ruby draws jagged black and white sketches that jump off the screen to insist you pay attention. She makes a point of including cartoons that explore mental health issues, going deep to explain what depression feels like. Since she’s also a “big silly,” her cartoon collection includes riffs on everyday absurdities too.
10. Beth Evans (@bethdrawsthings)
Beth takes on nagging self-doubt, skewers it, pokes at it, argues with it and encourages you to join her in defeating it. Not an easy job, but somebody (all somebodies) has to do it.
11. Maritso Patrinos (@maritsapatrinos)
While Maritso doesn’t focus on anxiety and depression in her multi-panel comics she doesn’t shy away from the topic either. How can she when her characters fumble through the same foibles we all do when navigating relationships, friendships, body image and life goals?
12. Christine Rai (@yeahitschill)
Did somebody actually say “don’t worry, be happy”? What’s that about? Christine struggles with that question in her comics about race, gender, personal fulfillment, mental health and, of course, dealing with a new crush.
13. Chuck (@chuckdrawsthings)
Chuck started drawing comics as a teen to deal with her anxiety and depression, coming up with a group of pigeon pals who mirrored her struggles. Now she posts her comics for 70,000 followers, proving that birds of a feather flock together.
14. Matilda (@crazyheadcomics)
She describes herself as a “Swedish girl making art and musings about mental illness. Matilda’s cartoons confront the realities of being bipolar head on, while also educating people about sensitivity and understanding for those who deal with the disorder.
15. Hi I’m Fran (@howdoyouadult)
So many questions! So few answers! Fran tries to wrap her head around this oh-so-confusing thing called adult life, only to be left screaming in frustration.
16. Meg Adams (@artbymoga)
Life as one half of a couple definitely has its odd moments. Meg dives right into the thick of it, documenting the weirdness of staking out individuality while embracing togetherness.
17. Sky Banyes (@skybanyes)
In her delicate text illustrations, Sky shares words of wisdom about self-care and mindfulness. Check in for a salient thought for the day and you might get a knowing smile in the bargain.
18. Akshora Ashok (@happyfluffcomics)
As Tammy Wynette famously sang, “Sometimes it’s hard to be a woman.” Akshora illustrates the reasons with frankly funny comics about the realities of periods, shaving, sex and eyeliner, right alongside sly digs at dealing with anxiety and doubt.
19. Liana Finck (@lianafinck)
Using spare black and white drawings and concise text illustrations, Liana aims at negative self-image with deadly precision. Some of her cartoons elicit a painful groan of sad recognition, but she mixes a good share of lighter observations and puns to bring out a grin or guffaw.
20. Christine Suggs (@csuggsillustration)
She calls herself “small, fat, queer, Latinx and a lover of all things cute” in her Insta bio. All of that makes its way into her comics which alternate between being boisterous, proud or happy and being annoyed, angry and dejected. You know, like your usual week.
21. Marzi (@introvertdoodles)
Marzi serves up a cartoon version of the Serenity Prayer, giving her 200K + followers the tools to accept the things they can not change, the courage to change the things they can and the wisdom to know the difference.
23. Libby (@libbyshappyproject)
Nothing is perfect all the time, so Libby reminds us to bask in the moments that are. Her cartoons star women who are fearlessly, beautifully naked in both their bodies and their pursuit of happiness.
23. Worry Lines (@worry_lines)
The cartoon characters of Worry Lines often look like human blobs, but their observations and advice about getting through the day couldn’t be sharper.
24. Hannah Daisy (@makedaisychains)
Hannah is a mental health advocate whose cartoons promote “boring self-care” like taking your meds, asking for help or letting yourself cry. Each cartoon offers a friendly nudge toward self-acceptance.
25. Marcela Sabia (@marcelailustra)
This illustrator from Brazil calls herself a “self love, mental health and body positive enthusiast.” Her cartoons urge us to appreciate beauty in all its forms and to breathe deeply of the good things life can offer. Check out these celebrity anxiety quotes that are all too real.
