New Mental Health Instagram Campaign Is Just What Our Smart Phones Need
We’ll definitely give a “heart” ღ for this.
There is a trendy conversation going around schools, whether it be in cafeterias, buses, hallways, text messaging, about Depression and #MentalHealth. There are new apps coming out all the time. Help is here, you just have to find it, look for it. It’s all on social media, a huge life saver! ღ To increase the conversation around mental health as part of #MentalHealthAwarenessMonth.
~Lindsay, Depression Forums Administrator
Here’s one way to use #socialmedia as a force for good.
Instagram launched a new campaign this week, called #HereForYou!
By Lindsay Holmes
The #hashtag asks people to share their own photos along with their experiences with conditions like anxiety or eating disorders.
The social media platform kicked off the initiative by telling the stories of three people living with mental health disorders, all of whom used Instagram as a way to cope with their own conditions.
Elyse Fox, one of the advocates featured in the campaign’s video, said that she hopes the initiative sends the message to users that they don’t have to suffer in silence.
“This campaign can put you in touch with millions of people all over the world with the touch of a button,” Fox said. “You never know how your story can affect someone in a positive way or make them feel like they’re not alone.”
Fox, who created the Instagram account Sad Girls Club as a way to talk about her own mental health journey, first started experiencing depression when she was a child.
She felt as though she had to keep what she was going through quiet and didn’t seek help until she was in college. Her goal is to share her story through #HereForYou so others don’t wait so long to get support. She also wants the campaign to help erase the feelings of shame that often come with a mental health issues.
“You can definitely get a support system by being more open on social media,” she said. “It’s been nothing but a positive experience for me and I encourage others to do the same.”
“Pretty Little Liars” star Troian Bellisario also joined the charge by using the hashtag on her own account. She also praised the social media app for creating a space where people can talk about their mental health.
“No one should suffer in silence,” she wrote. “There is no shame in asking for help. Take this moment to let someone know we are #hereforyou.”
