For World Mental Health Day on October 10, we’re launching new mental health resources, tools and programming across our apps. We’re working with mental health experts and organizations around the world to connect people with the support they need, and we’re launching new content and tools to encourage people to start conversations about mental health.
Access New Resources
We’ve worked with mental health experts to develop new guides and tools in the Emotional Health resource center on Facebook, including:
- Resource Cards provided by the World Health Organization and other global health organizations focused on tips for creating positive mental health, managing personal crises and rising above challenging moments (Updated on October 7, 2021 at 1:30 PM to reflect an additional partner.)
- Resource guides developed for BIPOC Mental Health Month to provide equitable access to mental health support:
- Black Communities and Mental Wellness by The Association of Black Psychologists
- Mental Health for Latinx Communities by National Latinx Psychological, Association
- Mental Health for Asian Communities by Asians for Mental Health
- Mental Health for American Indian/Native American/Alaska Native Communities by Indigenous Wellness Research Institute
Get Tips and Support
With support from WhatsApp, UNICEF is launching a new Global Mental Health chatbot to offer tips for communicating what’s on your mind, breaking down stigmas and starting a conversation with someone you’re concerned about. Mental health and wellbeing resources like exercises to help reduce stress can also be found through the WHO’s Health Alert chatbot on WhatsApp. Regional helplines, including a Loneliness Advice chatbot developed by the Connection Coalition in the UK, are also available. On Messenger, we worked with WHO and acclaimed illustrator Caleb Boyles to develop the “I Care For You” sticker pack to help kick start conversations when the words are hard to find. (Updated on October 7, 2021 at 1:30 PM to reflect an additional partner.)
“On World Mental Health Day and beyond, WHO is working with partners to raise awareness about the importance of mental health care, as well as to encourage people to open up, seek help, or offer support to those loved ones who may need it” – Gabriella Stern, WHO Director of Communications
We also recently introduced new suicide prevention resources, developed in partnership with Samaritans UK and 10 of our global suicide crisis response partners. The Responding to Suicide Challenges toolkit has resources for parents, educators, youth and media on how to safely discuss suicide challenges. You can also find resources for yourself or a friend on our suicide prevention hub.
Find Comfort From an Online Community
Hearing others’ experiences can also provide solace during challenging times. 15 million people around the world are members of a Facebook group dedicated to supporting mental health. Black Girl’s Healing House provides wellness and mental health resources for Black women from Black women. With more than 59,000 members, Subtle Asian Mental Health offers a safe space for the Asian community to share their thoughts and feelings and remind each other that no one is alone in their struggles or experiences. With more than 361,000 members, Egyptian group Msh L’Wahdak (which translates to “you are not alone” in English) encourages members to share their struggles with a community that will listen and offer support. In the UK, Parenting Mental Health provides a community of support and advice for adults caring for children with depression, anxiety or other mental health challenges.
Experts and writers featured on Bulletin, our recently launched platform for independent writers, are also addressing mental health and wellness, including:
- Amanda Stern’s How to Live: A newsletter about psychology and mental health by a critically acclaimed writer with a lifelong panic disorder whose insights on suffering encourage us to face our fears.
- Nedra Tawwab’s Nedra Nuggets: Licensed Therapist, NYT Bestselling Author, and Content Creator Nedra Glover Tawwab writes weekly about mental health and maintaining healthy relationships with self and others.
- Dr. Laurie Santos’ The Science of Wellbeing: Yale psychology professor Dr Laurie Santos explores the latest scientific research on happiness and offers practical tips so you can lead a happier life.
Watch Candid Conversations
On October 11, a new season of Peace of Mind with Taraji premieres on Facebook Watch. Hosted by Golden Globe-winning actress Taraji P. Henson, each episode features interviews with celebrities, experts and everyday people about mental health topics with a focus on the Black community. And in case you missed it, the recent finale of Simone vs Herself on Facebook Watch features Olympic gymnast Simone Biles opening up about mental health issues she faced in Tokyo this summer.
See the Weight of Mental Illness
Goliath: Playing with Reality is a free virtual reality experience on Oculus Quest that provides an up-close look at the weight of schizophrenia. Goliath: Playing with Reality, produced by Anagram in conjunction with Floréal Films and the Oculus VR for Good program, explores the true story of Jon, a man diagnosed with paranoid schizophrenia, through immersive VR and artful narration by Academy Award-winning actress Tilda Swinton. This experience is designed to promote empathy and encourage conversations about mental health.