Jack Sheen’s fame skyrocketed overnight. So did his concern.

For most people scrolling through their phones looking for an escape from their day, Jack Sheen spills your drink, laughs – so hard – your stomach hurts – that’s what earned him 3.2 million followers on TikTok. get

But his more ardent fans have also come to appreciate the 24-year-old’s huge numbers.

“I’ve had a really rough couple of weeks. I don’t know why,” he said on the phone from his son-in-law from Los Angeles. “It’s the summer blues, I guess. I feel like I’ve reached a breaking point, just complete transparency. You know, when you’re on the verge of breaking? I don’t know what it is. People? I want to hear it, but it’s the truth.”

the people does Want to hear it, as Shane’s videos—sometimes hurtful, sometimes hilarious—regularly get hundreds of thousands, if not millions, of views. Not to mention his podcast “Therapists” where he acts as an amateur therapist, chats with celebrity guests like Charli XCX, Joe Jonas and Sweetie, and gives advice to loyal listeners. In the process he breaks down expectations and moves into authentic conversations about mental health; He has both anxiety and obsessive-compulsive disorder.

“The stigma associated with mental health has decreased significantly over the past few decades, and I think that’s because people are talking about it, especially celebrities,” Kevin Chapman, MD, of the Center for Anxiety and Related Disorders. Kentucky Center founder and director says.

Shane embraces his new celebrity identity as best he can. “I can’t imagine doing anything else with my life. I just love to have fun.”

‘I’m just too scared to go away’

Shane, like many influencers, went viral practically overnight. He started rating and reviewing octopus a few years ago as a food critic and has since been involved in making skits where he reenacts historical events. Last year, he played the role of a founding father when John Hancock signed the Declaration of Independence (see also Isaac Newton discovering gravity). Between these and other videos, he went from 60,000 followers to 1 million within a week. Recently, his content has also included dance challenges, Taylor Swift songs and emotional wining sessions.

Speaking of washes: Lately, his brain has been going from worry to worry as his career reaches new heights. “Therapuss” is touring across the United States and Canada this fall.

“The bigger the podcast gets, the more I feel out of control of my narrative,” he says. “And it’s really scary for me, and it causes a lot of anxiety and OCD thoughts.”

He is afraid to come across as ungrateful but insists that he is not. “It’s frustrating because really, really good things are going to happen, and I’m too afraid to enjoy or be happy in a good moment, because I’m too afraid to let it go.”

‘It worries me a lot’

Shane is gay, and remembers being “very, very, very, very, very, very anxious” as a teenager. He told his parents in the fourth grade (who were fine with it) and didn’t tell anyone else until high school. Although he is comfortable in his homosexuality and promiscuity today, the gay and queer “scene” scares him.

“It worries me a lot,” he says. “Being romantic and intimate with someone makes me nervous. Going there makes me nervous. I’m still not very comfortable with my body and myself, and I think it has to do with my gayness. I don’t know. . exactly how, but I know it works.”

‘One of my favorite people on the planet’

How does Shane calm down in moments of crisis? He has a breathing alarm that, well, reminds him to breathe; He works and he puts himself in a TV show or a pop star’s discography. His latest TV hit: “Girls,” which he’s praised for portraying OCD.

He also credits his friends, including his three roommates, for being there for him. “I won’t be on the surface,” he says. “I wouldn’t be better off without them.”

Sheen has also teamed up with some celebrities who have guested on his podcast, including “Twisters” star Glenn Paul. Paul says, “Jake is one of my favorite people on the planet, and I’m so proud of the ride he’s been on. He’s obviously America’s sweetheart because he’s sassy, ​​self-deprecating and really funny.” is, but I think why people can’t get enough of him because he’s just being real.”

Singer Tate McRae says Shane is “really like that off camera. He’s also just a supportive friend and someone I really count on. He’s always one of the first people I see when I leave LA.” I’m very grateful for that.”

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‘They just want to feel validated’

You can’t help but feel like Shane’s friend when listening to his podcast, where listeners tell him stories about “what’s wrong” in their lives, whether it’s about their status How to tell your father that he smells bad. He would “prescribe” antidotes to these problems, often in the form of pop culture consumption. Is it really a cure? No, and it should not be mistaken for that.

“It’s okay if they don’t take that advice, because I don’t take advice, okay?” He says. “It’s sometimes important for someone to listen to your problem…like they just want to feel validated.”

Of course, if you are looking for valid, clinically-based answers to your problems, seek out a trained therapist. “It’s vital to normalize these discussions,” says Luis Cornejo, a licensed marriage and family therapist, “but it’s equally important to emphasize the difference between raising awareness and providing actual treatment support.”

CBT is one of the most popular therapies Here’s why—and why it might be right for you.

‘I’ve been defending all my life’

If you ask Shane “what’s wrong” with his life, you might hear him talk about the hateful comments he receives on social media. Fame creates good and bad.

“Sometimes you read a comment and it’s something someone told you 10 years ago that you know personally. And it’s shocking, because it’s like, ‘Oh my God, you are he says “And someone who knows me said the same, so I’m the one?” And it’s like, oh, my God, the worst.”

It’s reminiscent of Lorde’s verse in the remix of Charli XCX’s song “Girl, So Confused” off the album “Brat”: “Girl, you walkin’ like a b—- / When I was 10 Wm, someone said that / and that’s it. Only self-defense / until you build a weapon.”

Shane wants to tattoo the song. “I feel like I’m on defense, and I’ve been on defense all my life,” he says.

Navigating his 20s, mental health and the virus all at once? It looks like he’s having a “fat summer”.

This article originally appeared on USA Today: Who is Jack Sheen? TikTok’s influence on mental health