The Confederación SALUD MENTAL ESPAÑA offers a free mental health information and counseling service by calling 91 507 92 48 and 672 370 187.
If there is anything we all need to learn, it is that mental health is as important as physical health. Often times, we overlook issues such as anxiety or depression because our surroundings or even ourselves do not give them the importance they deserve.
It is clear that if you break an ankle or catch the flu, no one is going to question your health. No one would tell you to cheer yourself up and try to walk or get stronger and make an effort to stop sneezing.
However, illnesses that affect our mental health, such as depression, tend to be often underestimated.
We cannot ignore that depression is the second leading cause of death among young people between the ages of 20 and 24, as the Pharma Market website documents. Or that more than two million Spaniards take anxiolytics daily or that ten people commit suicide per day (two data collected by RTVE).
For all of these reasons, we are not surprised that large companies with such influencing power, like Instagram, are starting to take action or include tools to make the importance of mental health visible and to offer support. helps people who suffer from a certain type of disease. .of that type.
You can also read our guide on Instagram.
How the Instagram tool works
To use this Instagram feature, you will need to open the Instagram app and type #depression into the search engine. You will see the following screen appear:
You will see that an option appears that does not appear if you search for another hasstag. If you only want to see posts with the hashtag #depression, press “Show results”. A screen will open asking if you need help.
If you really only want to see content related to the word “depression”, choose “see results” again. If you have mental health issues, this might not be the most recommended option. However, Instagram is very cautious and does not post content that may promote suicide.
In fact, when I choose to “see more results,” I get posts from psychology-related Instagram profiles that doactically talk about depression and other mental health issues.
Now, if you want to know more about the different forms of help you can get, choose the “Get Help” option. Three options will appear: talk to a friend, talk to a volunteer at an aid organization, or find ways to help yourself feel better.
Perhaps the option that makes you more comfortable is talking to someone close to you. If you have a healthy environment of friends and family who are aware of mental health issues, you can open up and talk to them about your issue.
Obviously, Instagram gives you the option to open a chat with the person you want to talk to, but through their app. However, you still have the option of opening another app like WhatsApp or just making a phone call.
However, the best option is often to seek professional help. Instagram has compiled a number of phone numbers and web pages that you can visit for professional help.
We remember at this point that, if going to the psychologist is sometimes very stigmatized, it is something as normal as going to a family doctor. As we explained at the start of this article, mental health is as important as physical health, so it’s always a good idea to get checked out and undergo therapy, even when you think you don’t need to. ‘help.
The last help option Instagram offers is a series of tips that can help you feel better.
If you are in the middle of a seizure, he recommends that you don’t make important decisions within 24 hours, contact someone who can distract you, or follow some breathing rules to calm your body.
Other ways to calm yourself down may be to change your surroundings: go out on the street, get out of your bedroom, take a shower, or do some relaxing activity. Obviously, we are aware that in very advanced states of crisis these tasks can be almost impossible to complete. If this is your case, dial a help number among those offered by Instagram in its second option.
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