TikTok has recently conducted a global survey in partnership with market research firm YouGov consisting of responses from more than 16,000 consumers interviewed in 13 markets. The research aims to explore cross-generational and global consumer attitudes on mental well-being and to understand further people’s comfort levels in talking about these issues with families, friends and others.
According to local data from Australia, consisting of over 1000 respondents, YouGov found:
• 75% of respondents feel comfortable talking about their mental well-being and nearly the same (69%) of respondents believe their mental well-being is just as important as their physical well-being.
• Nearly 1 in 4 (23%) Australians feel that mental well-being is even more important than physical well-being.
• More than 1 in 5 (21%) respondents would feel more comfortable talking about their mental well-being if they saw someone on social media be open about their mental well-being.
• Over half of the respondents would comfortable if their friends were open about it (52%) or their family was open about it (51%).
• 56% of Gen Z respondents (age: 18-24) would feel more comfortable talking about their mental well-being if they were encouraged to talk about it from a young age.
• 50% of Millennial respondents (age: 25-34) would feel more comfortable talking about their mental well-being if they had access to free mental well-being tools and resources on their favourite social media platforms.
• Millennials are the age group that would feel the most comfortable with someone on an online social media community talking to them about their mental well-being, with 57% of those aged 25-34 feeling comfortable and 58% of those aged 35-44.
As a result of the findings from the research, TikTok believes de-stigmatising mental well-being discussions is crucial to decreasing fears about judgement. TikTok state they want to do more to drive a deeper understanding and awareness of the importance of mental well-being in collaboration with its global community and partners.
Their plans include providing access to information and resources around mental well-being, supporting empathetic conversations relating to different topics on mental well-being, and elevating the voices of experts and communities dedicated to promoting equal access to mental well-being.
TikTok has launched a mental health hub that includes themed hashtags, advocates from the community and access to organisations that provide essential resources.
They will also be hosting mental well-being workshops to empower creators by helping them build a better understanding and confidence when creating sensitive content around mental well-being.
Last year, TikTok developed well-being guides that are accessible within the app in consultation with experts that contain tips on how people can think more thoughtfully about what they share. Their main goal in this initiative is to maintain a supportive environment for people who choose to share their experiences with their well-being.