TikTok works to foster a safe space for people to connect with a global community and share their unique personal stories about mental health. With over 45 billion views of #MentalHealth, 28 billion views of #Selfcare and 1 billion views of #Wellbeing on our platform, we aim to continue bringing awareness around the value of mental wellness as we nurture a community that feels empowered to connect and share perspectives on mental well-being.

Understanding mental well-being perceptions in South Africa, and around the world

As we aim to continue nurturing an inclusive environment for our community, we have recently partnered with market research firm YouGov to further understand global and cross-generational perspectives and global consumer attitudes on mental well-being, including people's comfort levels in talking about their own mental health and what can help them feel more supported.

According to the survey, about 75% of people around the world feel comfortable talking about their mental well-being, with respondents from South Africa (90%), Brazil (85%) and UAE (83%) being most comfortable about this topic. Across generations, people become more comfortable talking about their mental well-being as they get older, with 18-24-year-olds the least comfortable talking about their mental well-being.

There are a few factors holding people back from discussing their own mental well-being. 42% of global consumers are afraid that their friends and family will judge them if they talk to them about this topic, and 48% are afraid that being open about their mental well-being will negatively affect their future prospects at work.

However, there are ways to help make people feel more comfortable speaking about these important topics. More than half (64%) of the respondents said they would feel comfortable speaking about their mental health with a family member. A further 59% of respondents feel that having family members who open up about their mental well-being would encourage them to do the same. All of the countries' respondents chose doctors or mental health professionals as their number 1 choice for help and advice on their mental well-being.

Making mental well-being our priority

Taking the findings of this global study into account, we believe de-stigmatizing mental well-being discussions is crucial as we continuously aim to do more to drive a deeper understanding and awareness of the importance of mental well-being, in collaboration with our global community and partners.

In honor of World Mental Health Day, we introduced our "Mental Well-being Comes First" global campaign featuring themed hashtags, tools and resources to raise awareness around mental well-being conversations and encourage our community to share their stories and experiences concerning their mental well-being. #MentalHealthMatters & #MentalHealth for discussions about personal jouneys with mental well-being and #Motivation, #SelfCare & #wedorecover for tips on how to prioritize actions that better ones mental health.

We are inspired by our creators and partners around the world who create and share content that supports those who may be struggling with their own mental well-being.

@jennifrank29 How do you actually take care of your mental health ? Let me know in the comment section 🤗. I am so glad to be one of the creators going through the #mentalhealth journey with tiktok 😍❤️. #jennifrank29 #jennites #viral ♬ Rush - Ayra Starr


@theconsciouspsychologist How do you take care of your mental health? I’d love to know! #MentalHealth #theconsciouspsychologist #tiktok #psychology #psychologist #therapy ♬ Vibez - Instrumental - Prod. Dior


@azz_iad #greenscreenvideo lets protect our mental health😍😍 #MentalHealth ♬ original sound - Azz_iad

We also continue providing our community access to information and resources around mental well-being, supporting empathetic conversations relating to different topics on mental well-being, along with elevating voices of experts and communities dedicated to promoting equal access to mental well-being like South Africa Depression and Anxiety Group (SADAG), Mentally Aware Nigeria Initiative and one2one Kenya.

Over the next month, TikTok in Africa will run an initiative aimed at bringing mental health to the fore of online conversation and to inform, empower and inspire its users. The following TikTok Live discussions will take place during this period:

TikTok 4 Peace: Grind or burnout: De-stigmatising mental health and setting Healthy boundaries in work and play

  • Date: 06 October 2022
  • Time: 12pm WAT / 1pm CAT / 2pm EAT
  • TikTok Account: @Sadg_official

Digital Wellbeing

Prioritizing the safety and well-being of our community

We prioritise the safety and well-being of our community as we look to maintain a supportive environment for people who choose to share their mental health experiences and journeys. In consultation with experts, we developed well-being guides that are accessible within the TikTok app, to help our community learn more about improving their well-being. To protect our community, we take a two-pronged approach that involves removing harmful content and connecting people to resources. Our Community Guidelines do not allow content that depicts, promotes, or normalizes activities that could lead to suicide, self-harm, or disordered eating.

At TikTok, we understand everyone has a unique story when it comes to their own mental health - and our commitment to making mental well-being a priority is an ongoing journey. Join us as we continue to bring awareness and break down stigmas through meaningful discussions around mental well-being.

Methodology

Global Consumer Attitudes on Mental Well-being is a survey conducted by YouGov among 16,000 adult consumers across 13 markets (United Kingdom, United States, Singapore, Germany, South Africa, Indonesia, Vietnam, Canada, Brazil, UAE, Saudi Arabia, Australia, and Egypt), commissioned by TikTok in September 2022.