Social media are now our everyday life - they are used by almost 28 million Poles (66% of the population), and this number is still growing. The statistical user spends 14% of his or her active day on them, i.e. 2 hours 23 minutes according to the latest research, and young people aged 16-24 even 20% of their active day.
However, the rapid growth of social media brings not only opportunities but also challenges, including increasing signs of mental health crises evident among online users. The figures leave no illusions, statistically as many as one in four of us will at some stage in our lives struggle with mental health difficulties requiring professional support.
Responding to this problem, the Healthy Progress Foundation, in collaboration with experts from various mental health fields, created the 'Social Media Sensitivity Code'.
"The Social Media Sensitivity Code" is a unique guide on how to spot the signs of crisis in online spaces, how to help in a thoughtful and empathetic way, and what responses to avoid in order not to stigmatise or trivialise the problem. The aim of the Code is to educate social media users about mental health and effective ways to support in mental health crisis, and to build sensitivity in_digital space, based on mutual support and understanding.
In it you will find answers to the questions:
- How do you recognise the symptoms of a mental health crisis online?
- How to respond in a supportive and responsible manner?
- How can a small gesture make a huge difference to a vulnerable person?
- What reactions are inadvisable?
- To whom to refer a person in mental health crisis?
You can download it from the Foundation's website: https://fundacjazdrowegopostepu.com/kodeks-wra-liwo-ci
The initiator of the 'Social Media Sensitivity Code' is the Healthy Progress Foundation. The MindHealth Mental Health Centre became the main partner of the project. Experts participating in the project included Prof. Ewa Mojs, MD, PhD, Prof. Napoleon Waszkiewicz, MD, PhD, Slawomir Murawiec, Sylwia Rozbicka, MA, Agata Lamparska, MA, Anna Grzywacz-Czarnecka, MA_Krzysztof Adamkiewicz, MA, Grzegorz Dąbrowski, MA, Bartłomiej Łepek, MA, Maja Kamińska, MA, and MA_Damian Paradowski (founders of the profile Uważne Głowy).
Patronage of the project was provided by: The Polish Psychiatric Society, the Polish Psychological Society, the Institute for Patient Rights and Health Education and the Dbam o swoje zasięg Foundation.