A poll in the 2019 American Psychiatric Association says that 38% of adults feel that social media can be harmful to your mental health. The creators of Snapchat designed their app so that friends can communicate without the pressure of being judged by others. On February 11, a new mental health tool was created to connect users to mental health resources when they search for potentially triggering topics.
The Research Surrounding Snapchat’s New Tool
A study in the Journal of Social & Clinical Psychology says that social media can be linked to feelings of loneliness, depression, and anxiety. Since it is said that 2.65 billion people used social media platforms in 2018, it is important that billions of people are not suffering from these mental illnesses. You may not have control of what people post or how often they are on social media, but these social media apps do have the power to link users to resources that can help them. Snapchat is also very popular with teenagers and they are the most vulnerable to having their feelings hurt based on any harmful activity they may encounter.
Snapchat’s Here For You Feature
In the next few months when this app is available, depending on what you search will allow pop-ups of mental health resources. This can be topics related to anxiety, depression, stress, grief, suicidal thoughts, or bullying. Based on what you search, a section will come up that includes links to resources from mental health experts as well as content on Snapchat designed to help users cope with their mental health problems. For example, if a user searches up “anxiety,” the show title for the new series “Chill Pill” would pop up as well as episodes of other popular shows related to anxiety. There will also pop up Snapchat original shows that talk about issues of depression or suicide in an educational way.
Snapchat’s Support Twitter Account
Another new feature is Snapchat’s Support Twitter account which puts out several tweets about different ways to protect themselves while using the app. This can mean tips like not friending strangers, creating secure passwords, and remembering that Snaps can be screenshotted before they disappear. By social media sites offering protection to the mental health of users, it shows they care about their safety. By having Snapchat offer mental health resources, users can feel safe and have fun with this popular app again.
At Alta Loma Transformational Living, you will meet knowledgeable, compassionate professionals that understand addiction in all its forms. Alta Loma uses an integrative and holistic approach to treat addiction and mental health issues. No treatment is one-size-fits-all, where you will have a team of experts prepared to create your customized treatment plan. We offer care for your mind, body, and spirit, so that you can heal from the inside out and look forward to a lifetime of sobriety and wellness. If you are ready to take the first step in your recovery, please call us at 866-457-3843.
