Instagram is typically seen as a platform for posting photos of smiling people and beautiful oceanside views. But with May being Mental Health Awareness Month, Instagram is harnessing the power of social media to become a platform where people can also be painfully honest and true to themselves—all while being supported by a vast, online community.
Instagram partnered with the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention (AFSP), an organization focused on suicide education, awareness, research, and advocacy, to create a public awareness campaign. This campaign is called #RealConvo and “aims to inspire people to share their personal mental health experiences and find supportive communities—both on and offline,” the foundation explained.
This campaign applauds celebrities and advocates alike who have been using their Instagram accounts to showcase their real moments and authentic conversations. These individuals, like actress Sasha Pieterse, were interviewed about their mental health and personal struggles to prove to the world that mental health is an ongoing battle for many despite one’s walk of life. The interviews were posted on the @AFSPnational account and created an empowering “grid takeover,” encouraging people around the world to feel more comfortable speaking about their personal mental health.
The month of May will be jam packed with educational and empowering online events to encourage viewers around the world to learn more about AFSP and the importance of mental health. From online panels hosted by AFSP, Instagram, SELF, and Teen Vogue to monitored Twitter chats about how to have that tough conversation about mental health, there has never been a more versatile or more interactive way to learn about and improve your mental health.
Social media is powerful, but so are you. And it’s important to stay on top of the changing trends and important conversations. Follow @AFSP to find out how you can improve your personal mental health and learn about tactics from professionals throughout the month!
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