Snapchat Brings 'Here for You' Feature to Address Mental Health Issues Faced by Users in India

Snapchat is rolling out updates on mental health safety and support in India through its "Here For You" section that covers a range of topics such as eating disorders, anxiety, depression, and so on. The "Here for You" feature is available for Android and iOS users in India, and it contains mental health resources provided by Mariwala Health Initiative and the Manas Foundation. The company said that the feature is part of a "concerted effort" designed to educate and empower Snapchat community "to look after themselves."

Snapchat explained in a press release that the development of the "Here For You" feature happened after a research paper last year suggested various mental health issues faced by its users.

"Snapchat found an overwhelming majority of Snapchatters experience feelings of stress and anxiety and that their friends are the first people they turn to when they need help, more than professionals... The research also revealed that many young people are deeply interested in understanding these issues, and how they can support friends who are struggling with them," Snapchat's parent company, Snap, said in the note.

Director of Mariwala Health Initiative, Raj Mariwala added that due to the coronavirus pandemic, people are "collectively" experiencing feelings of worry, stress, tension, anxiety, numbness, and sadness.

"Our videos [in the Here For You section] 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," he said.

How to access Here For You in Snapchat

Users can access the "Here For You" section by searching with keywords such as anxiety, depression, loneliness, suicide, mental health and well being. Both Android and iOS Snapchat users in India can access this feature.

"Here For You" covers topics such as ways to cope with mental health issues and how to spot signs in loved ones, as well as questions from the community, answered by clinical psychologists and mental health professionals.

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