When it comes to tackling the unprecedented mental health issues facing today’s teens and young adults, the peer support model is rapidly gaining in stature.
Accelerating peer support is a primary goal of the Biden Administration’s strategy to address the country’s mental health crisis, and a recent Mental Health America report about expanding community-driven mental health resources for youth and young adults lists several methods to change culture. Among them: Invest in training to help ensure all young people have skills to promote mental health and support their peers, and integrate mental health promotion and peer support programs wherever young people spend their time.
MTV Entertainment Studios, which pioneered the Mental Health is Health initiative in 2021, is taking action with a new campaign and new data points from its own research: Young adults are most likely to turn to a friend first when struggling with their mental health but nearly 70% do not feel prepared to provide support.
In partnership with the mental health nonprofit Active Minds and in an effort to empower its target demographic to help people in their lives through mental and emotional challenges, MTVE is launching an initiative called A.S.K. —an acronym for Acknowledge, Support, and Keep-In-Touch—on college campuses and in various communities this fall.
In keeping with a shared focus on young BIPOC and LGBTQ+ adults, MTVE and Active Minds brought together 10 young mental health advocates from diverse backgrounds to provide input on the most pressing mental health concerns and needs. Campaign elements include resources, prompts, tips, and plans for on-site training. A friendship bracelet will also begin surfacing in various cities and serve as a visual symbol of the power of peer support.
A.S.K. is launching at a pivotal time. Young adults ages 18 to 25 in the U.S. have the highest rate of experiencing mental health conditions (30.6%) among age groups, according to the National Institute of Mental Health.
“MTV Entertainment is committed to driving meaningful change in youth mental health through powerful storytelling, insights and tools that move people from awareness toward action,” says Chris McCarthy, President and CEO, Showtime/MTV Entertainment Studios and Paramount Media Networks. “We are excited to partner with Active Minds to recruit an army of peer health allies to empower young people to support their friends, families and communities.”
“Frankly, we can’t be talking about youth mental health if we aren’t talking about youth in mental health because there is no way to effectively do this work if we’re only going top down. We know from a number of data sources that youth who are struggling are turning to each other. They know what they need, they know what the barriers are, so if we can equip them with the tools, the language they need to have those conversations, then we are going to make a big difference,” says Alison Malmon, founder and executive director of Active Minds.
“MTV has the ability to significantly amplify some of the work we have been doing,” Malmon adds. “They have such an incredible connection with young adults and Gen Z and they really see mental health as a cause they want to make a change in.”
An example of that connection occurred at an A.S.K. activation at the recent MTV VMA’s Block Party in New York. While they aren’t directly affiliated with the campaign, music artists Amaarae and Alexander Stewart showed up and spent time talking with fans about their own experiences with mental health and the benefits peer support.
“It’s such an important part of life and you don’t want to wait until it’s at its worst to ask someone how they’re doing. Just having the campaign will make people feel a little less alone,” says Stewart, who was diagnosed with OCD, depression and anxiety when he was 16.
“For a long time I was almost ashamed of my diagnosis. I didn’t tell anybody, I kind-of hid and worked on myself,” says the 24-year-old artist, who’s amassed 5.5 million followers on TikTok who are drawn to his covers of popular songs, his original music and his openness in discussing his mental health.
“But as I got older I realized, What is there possibly to be ashamed about? This is the body and the brain I was born with, and so if I can help anybody, especially in the position I’m in, I’m going to do that. I got more comfortable talking about it, through therapy and talking with friends and family.”
Stewart says there are “no words to describe how happy it makes me that finally big companies are talking about this. With MTV being so influential, especially among people my age, I can see it being massively impactful for so many people who don’t know how to reach out and ask someone if they’re doing OK.”
As a music artist, Amaarae says the concept of peer support hits particularly close to home as she doesn’t see a lot of it in the industry. “Artists and professionals are often scared to speak out because the slightest thing you say that offends somebody could jeopardize an opportunity for you. We most likely avoid any difficult topics and conversations overall. ” says the “Fountain Baby” artist.
“My mental health is so crucial, and I definitely check in with friends outside of the industry, and even my collaborators. It may just be a text… but for me having that community, and prioritizing asking others and having others asking me how I’m genuinely doing is so important.”
Amaarae is particularly keen to see how MTV brings A.S.K. into marginalized communities. “This is a widespread dilemma among youth, and I look forward to seeing how MTV stretches and reaches into marginalized communities and how they apply the resources to the people who need it the most,” she says.
“Different people in different communities take things in in different ways. That’s what’s most important. Doing the research and understanding the communities that you’re dealing with and communicating with to make sure they understand.”
Other entertainers are embracing mental health peer support. Rapper Megan Thee Stallion is part of a new public service announcement from Seize the Awkward that encourages young people to check on friends and talk with them about their mental health. And peer support is at the core of Innerworld, the virtual platform co-founded last year by music artist Jewel that’s managed by trained non-professionals and steeped in cognitive behavioral tools.
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