The ongoing coronavirus pandemic situation has taken a toll on the mental health of a significant number of people across the globe, and Snapchat wants to help. After announcing in February this year, Snapchat has started rolling out its tool focused on mental health ‘Here For You’ in India.
The feature, according to Snapchat, will show users safety resources when they search for topics such as anxiety, depression, stress, grief, suicidal thoughts, and bullying. Snapchat users can access the feature by typing ‘Here for You’ or relevant keywords in the search bar.
“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, in a statement.
Snapchat says ‘Here for You’ will not only offer support for Snapchatters who may be experiencing mental health or emotional crisis, but also will help users who are curious to learn more about these issues to offer a supporting hand to friends.
The company has partnered with mental health institutes in India such as Mariwala Health Initiative and Manas Foundation to create resources around anxiety, depression, loneliness, suicide, and general mental health.
“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.
