In honor of Mental Health Awareness Month, Instagram co-launched a powerful campaign to help raise awareness on social media.
The #RealConvo Campaign — spearheaded by both Instagram and the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention (AFSP,) an organization that helps those affected by suicide — encourages people to use the hashtag to share their own personal mental health experiences and speak more openly about their struggles.
On Thursday, the AFSP Instagram account introduced the campaign with the help of nine people who are challenging the idea that Instagram is exclusively a place for sharing positive moments, filtered photos, and superficial glimpses at seemingly-perfect lifestyles.
Each of the nine leaders, actresses, activists, entrepreneurs, writers, and more created a video in the hopes of inspiring others to use the platform to engage in authentic conversations around mental health.
Among the group of contributors is Sasha Pieterse, a 23-year-old actress best known for her role in the show, Pretty Little Liars. In her #RealConvo video, Pieterse explained how she often compared herself to other people's Instagram posts, until one day she decided to let her guard down and share a not-so-glamorous glimpse at her reality.
"A while ago I wasn't sure what was going on with my health so I put out a post that said 'I'm under construction,'" she said. "I'm so glad I did because it was the first real convo that I had on Instagram and it was basically saying that nobody's perfect, everybody goes through things in their life."
Elyse Fox & Kelvin Hamilton — founders of @SadGirlsClub, a non-profit that aims to reduce stigma around mental health and provide mental health services to those who lack access to treatment, and @SadBoysOrg, a resource for men within the mental health community — also created a video. Together, they discussed the importance of being vulnerable and creating healthy dialogues around mental health disorders like depression.
Jari Jones, a black transgender activist, actress, and model used her #RealConvo video to discuss why she made the decision to be more transparent and honest on Instagram. "I think the more we have conversations about mental health the less stigmatized it becomes and the more people are willing to talk," she explained.
Dancers Donte Colley and Sydney Magruder, writer Vivian Nunez, food truck owner Chef Roro, student and magazine founder Jazmine Alcon, and entrepreneur Gabby Frost are also participating in the campaign, urging Instagram users to share genuine, personal experiences.
Mental health organizations, such as the JED Foundation and the Born This Way Foundation have joined the AFSP's online movement, as well.
The importance of opening up
Opening up on social media and using a simple hashtag might not seem like a huge step to some, but Dr. Christine Moutier, Chief Medical Officer for the AFSP, stressed that every conversation, no matter how small, encourages progress. And suicide remains one of the leading causes of death in the United States, so we must do everything we can to prevent it.
"In person and online, when we take the risk to share something deeper about our life — even exposing our 'blemishes' or imperfections, it lets other people know they’re not alone," Moutier explained in a statement over email. "Greater authenticity creates a new cultural norm where shame and stigma are removed from the conversation and people are freed up to talk about their own experiences or distress. When we talk about our painful experiences or suffering, and when it’s met with caring support, we open up a path of healing, strength and resilience."
"The truth is that everyone struggles at times. Pretending that we don't sets up unrealistic expectations of ourselves and others," she continued. "We each have a path of growing, learning and sharing that will help grow the muscle of resilience."
Over the years, significant efforts have been made to normalize conversation on mental health, and celebrities like Selena Gomez, Michael B. Jordan, Perrie Edwards, and Sophie Turner, to name a few, have shared their own mental health experiences to help raise awareness.
Oprah and Prince Harry also announced they're making a mental health documentary series for Apple, set to launch in 2020, but we still have a ways to go before everyone feels comfortable taking part in these public discussions.
Additional AFSP efforts
Along with the Instagram campaign, the AFSP and Instagram will be hosting a #RealConvo panel with SELF and Teen Vogue on May 9, which will be livestreamed on the publications' Facebook pages for all to see.
On May 22, AFSP will also moderate a Twitter conversation on "How to Have a #RealConvo About Mental Health." The online chat, which will take place from 2 p.m. to 3 p.m. ET, will be co-hosted by the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline, the JED Foundation, Active Minds, Born This Way Foundation, Mental Health America, and the Crisis Text Line.
For those interested in learning more about how to raise mental health awareness or access helpful resources, AFSP has posted an online toolkit for the #RealConvo campaign.
The campaign's ultimate goal is for people to engage in vital conversations about mental health year-round, but this Mental Health Awareness Month is the perfect time to start making the topic less taboo.
If you want to talk to someone or are experiencing suicidal thoughts, text the Crisis Text Line at 741-741 or call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-8255. For international resources, this list is a good place to start.
Topics Activism Instagram Social Good Social Media
