Mental health continues to be a growing concern for Africa and increasingly, amongst young people in particular. That said, a lot can happen to you online or offline and no one can ever really understand what you are going through. These issues could lead you to want to end it all and as much as it might sound like the answer, that’s not the right way to go about it. That’s why Twitter is initiating a new suicide prevention feature that will try to help you through those tough times.

Twitter Works Towards Suicide Prevention

Starting today, to mark World Suicide Prevention Day, when someone searches for terms associated with suicide or self-harm on Twitter in Kenya, the top search result will be a prompt encouraging them to reach out for help.

The notification includes the contact details of a local non-profit organisation. In this case, it is Amref Health Africa in Kenya. The NGO will provide critical mental health resources to people in need.

Start off your week with tech news recap and trending conversations in your inbox

Enter valid email-id

Subscribe

I prefer it on Telegram

Dr. Githinji Gitahi, the Group CEO of Amref Health Africa had this to say;

Many young people will experience psychological problems. Especially as they fail to realise their ambitions and trod through the pandemic. Some will turn to substance misuse as a means of alleviating their frustration. Increased attention to mental health by governments, researchers, and journals is therefore essential,” says

Emmanuel Lubanzadio, Head of Public Policy for Sub-Saharan Africa, Twitter says;

“The open Twitter community can be an important source of real-time support for anyone struggling with thoughts of self-harm or suicide. Addressing mental health requires collaboration between all stakeholders  – public, private and not-for-profit. We’re pleased to partner with Amref Health Africa to encourage people in need to reach out for help.”

Threatening Suicide Reporting Forum

Twitter has a dedicated reporting form for people threatening suicide or self-harm. A specialised team reviews these reports and keep in direct contact with the individual. They do this to let them know that there is someone who cares about them.

From here, Twitter will provide online and hotline resources and encourage them to seek help. Twitter also shares information on their Help Centre both for people who may be experiencing thoughts of suicide and self-harm or concerned about others on Twitter.

Special Emoji

In its continued partnership with the International Association for Suicide Prevention (IASP), Twitter is launching a special emoji in the shape of an orange ribbon. This is the international symbol for World Suicide Prevention Day. The emoji will appear when people Tweet with the hashtags

• #WorldSuicidePreventionDay
• #WSPD
• #WSPD2020
• #SuicidePrevention through September 25 and is activated in 23 languages.