Dietitian Abbey Sharp addresses 'pill shaming' and mental health: 'This is not OK'

Abbey Sharp is working to end the stigma around treating mental illness.

On Thursday, the Canadian dietitian took to Instagram with a black and white portrait of herself, accompanied by a reflection on her mental health journey.

She began by acknowledging the upcoming World Mental Health Day on Oct. 10 and sharing the lessons her struggle with mental health has taught her throughout the years.

"Throughout my lifelong struggle with mental health, I've learned valuable lessons, such as resilience, compassion, and self-grace," she penned. "My commitment to an anti-diet mission through Abbey's Kitchen stems from my years of battling an eating disorder."

Sharp addressed a recent incident involving influencer Liz Seibert, who allegedly criticized her openly for taking antidepressants.

The incident began when Seibert shared a TikTok detailing her intermittent fasting routine and the various supplements she consumes to meet her daily nutritional needs. In response, Sharp stitched Seibert's video with a reaction video, where she expressed concerns about the healthiness of Seibert's dietary and supplement choices.

Seibert, in turn, stitched another TikTok video to address Sharp's critique. She began by acknowledging her previous appreciation for Sharp's openness, which she found relatable and empowering for many. However, she shared some concerns about Sharp's transparency regarding her use of antidepressants and reliance on pharmaceutical drugs for daily functioning, raising questions about their long-term effectiveness and side effects.

"You talk very openly about your use of anti-depressants and your dependence on pharmaceutical drugs just to sleep and get through the day," Seibert said.

Seibert revealed she, too, had relied on medication for mental health but decided to pursue an alternative approach. "That's when I found my nutritionist who cured herself of chronic illness just through diet," she said. "For that reason, I decided to stop watching your videos and stop taking your advice."

In Thursday's post on mental health, Sharp addressed the controversy saying, "This is not OK. Some of us require medication to manage our mental health. Not everyone can find relief from mental illness through a keto raw milk diet."

She continued: "I will always advocate for mental wellbeing, so today I'm sitting down to discuss my mental health journey, including topics like medication and therapy, and why pill shaming should never be condoned."

Sharp's message was met with compassionate and supportive comments from fans, many thanking her for helping raise awareness.

"Your transparency is inspiring. There should be no shaming when it comes to mental health," an Instagram user shared.

"Bless you for being so vulnerable, and so awesome," another added.

"Love how you are breaking the stigma and raising awareness," someone else wrote, while one fan penned: "Thank you for being so real."

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