Influencer Birds Papaya opens up about taking medication 'to stay alive'

Sarah Nicole Landry is opening up about her mental health.

In an Instagram post on Thursday, the body-confidence advocate — known on social media as The Birds Papaya — revealed she's been taking medication as part of her mental health treatment.

Landry shared a carousel of selfies, story screenshots, a poetry snippet and other content relating to her well-being.

"This Barbie takes Lexapro," read one of the photos in the trendy Barbie-font, revealing her escitalopram prescription — the medication used to treat depression and generalized anxiety disorder.

One of the snaps was a screenshot of her story, in which she talked about the stigma around medication.

"I never understood medication shame until I was prescribed it myself and had this initial feeling of failure or no longer being OK on my own (silly)," Landry wrote in on-screen text over the photo of her holding a pill.

Landry added she realized it's OK to need to support when a few months back, many people were sharing photos of their "supportive medicine in their hands)."

The 38-year-old then thanked "everyone who has destigmatized medications," and revealed it was her first time on medication.

Another post in the carousel showed Landry posing in a mirror selfie with on-screen text reading, "weird and wonderful and working and also mentally ill and finding love and joy and also feeling sad and like it's all OK."

She paired the post with a candid caption on her mental health.

"Hi. I take medication to stay alive," the Canadian influencer wrote.

"Thank you to every single person who has been open about their mental health," she said, adding she's especially grateful to those speaking out about premenstrual dysphoric disorder — a hormonal problem that causes mood and behavioral distress. Landry herself was diagnosed earlier this year.

"Even as someone raised around openness about mental health — it's real hard when you go through it yourself. The fear of it making me seem weak, incapable or eternally a sad drain made me quiet," she admitted in the caption.

She then added she wants to show that she's struggling, and that "it doesn't end there."

Fellow Canadian influencers praised Landry for her vulnerability and shared their own experience with mental health and stigma.

I wish when I was 16 and struggling with depression for the first time, the people that I followed then would have been this transparent and honest," penned Halifax-based influencer Alicia Mccarvell.

"I'm so glad that one, you're here and you're fighting for that joy, and two that you've chosen to share this with your community," she commented. "I love you immensely for so many reasons, but the fact that you choose to bare it all, even when it's scary is probably number one. You make me a better creator, and person."

Canadian television personality and content creator Tanya Kim, also thanked Landry for sharing.

"Mental illness is nothing to be ashamed of (I know). And what a beautiful gift to yourself to be able to finally release 'the hiding' of it… Breathe," she wrote.

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