Psychotherapist Explains How Online Backlash, Toll Of Criticism Becomes A Breaking Point On Creatives

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In a time where every creative release is instantly met with likes, shares, memes, and harsh opinions, public feedback has become both a currency and a curse. Weeks after her latest single, Candy Shop created with her brother Tony Kakkar, drew widespread trolling and criticism online, singer Neha Kakkar has now announced that she is stepping away from the limelight for a while. In a series of cryptic Instagram stories, Neha spoke about taking a break not just from work but also from personal commitments and relationships. “Time to take a break from responsibilities, relationships, work, and everything I can think of right now. Not sure if I’ll be back or not. Thank you,” she wrote. In another story, she added a direct request to paparazzi and fans: “I request paparazzi and fans not to film me at all… No cameras, plz! I request! This is the least you all can give me for my peace.” The statement has sparked conversations about the growing mental strain celebrities and creators face when criticism turns relentless and personal.

Psychotherapist On Online Backlash

As creative expression evolves, it no longer ends at creation. Today, it is immediately followed by public judgment. For musicians, performers, writers, and artists, feedback isn’t limited to critics or peers anymore. Everyone has an opinion, and it arrives instantly, unfiltered, and often cruel. What is usually dismissed as “part of the job” can quietly build into stress until it becomes overwhelming. Weighing in on this, Dr. Chandni Tugnait, MD (A.M), Psychotherapist, Life Alchemist, Coach & Healer, Founder & Director, Gateway of Healing, explains how backlash can gradually turn into a breaking point. According to Dr. Tugnait, vulnerability is deeply tied to creativity because creative work comes from emotions rather than emotional distance. “When criticism attacks the creator rather than the creation, it strikes at that person’s vulnerabilities,” she highlights, adding that it becomes difficult to detach personal self-worth from public reaction. She also points out that online criticism lacks emotional intelligence. Unlike constructive feedback, trolling on social media has no context, no boundaries, and no pause. The continuous exposure keeps creators in a state of alertness, which can increase anxiety and emotional fatigue. Another important factor is that public scrutiny doesn’t allow recovery. Creators rarely get time to process one experience before judgment arrives on the next. Without recovery time, stress multiplies, leading to burnout instead of growth. Dr. Tugnait further stresses that when artists withdraw to protect their mental health, silence is often mistaken for weakness or labelled as being ungrateful. This dismisses healthy self-regulation and feeds the harmful expectation that public figures must always be accessible. Over time, repeated backlash can also create an internal crisis where identity becomes entwined with approval. Criticism stops feeling situational and starts feeling existential. Ultimately, online criticism becomes dangerous when empathy disappears entirely. If creativity continues to be consumed without respecting the human behind it, backlash will keep turning into breaking points. Normalizing pauses, boundaries, and emotional honesty, Dr. Tugnait notes, is not indulgence but psychological necessity.

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