Snapchat's in-app mental health support to help those in crisis

Snapchat collaborated with Mariwala Health Initiative and non-profit Manas Foundation.

By ET Online and Agencies | Updated: Jul 13, 2020, 06.40 PM IST

Those using Snapchat in India, can access the resources by searching for words such as ‘anxiety', ‘depression', ‘loneliness', ‘suicide', ‘mental health' and ‘wellbeing'.

The Covid-19 pandemic has sparked an important conversation around mental health across the globe. Snap Inc., the parent company of Snapchat, in collaboration with Mariwala Health Initiative and non-profit Manas Foundation, rolled our mental health support to users in India.

Users who are struggling with mental health or going through an emotional crisis can avail the help of the feature. The feature will also help those who want to learn more about these issues. The feature called "Here For You" aims to help an overwhelming majority of Snapchatters in the country who experience feelings of stress and anxiety, the company said in a statement.

"We sped up the initial launch of Here For You in February because we recognised that in the wake of coronavirus, our global community needed support. We hope that the resources we launch today better empower them to take positive steps forward when it comes to wellbeing," said Jennifer Park Stout, VP of Global Public Policy, Snap.

"Our videos discuss how to deal with stress and anxiety, how to support a loved one experiencing distress and ways to enhance mental well-being through mindfulness/grounding exercises," said Raj Mariwala, Director, Mariwala Health Initiative.

Those using Snapchat in India, can access the resources by searching for words such as ‘anxiety', ‘depression', ‘loneliness', ‘suicide', ‘mental health' and ‘wellbeing'.

"This launch is a unique opportunity for users to relate to mental health as part of their everyday life. We want to tell them that it is ok to talk about mental health and Snapchat and Manas are here for you," said Naveen Kumar, Trustee and Psychologist, Manas Foundation.

(With inputs from IANS)

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