TikTok and the World Health Organization (WHO) have launched a year-long collaboration aimed at promoting mental health education, leveraging content created by healthcare professionals, including Oxford University’s Dr. Kirren Schnack.
This partnership seeks to provide reliable mental wellbeing content and combat misinformation through WHO’s Fides Network, a group of healthcare professionals who are also TikTok creators from various countries, including the UK, US, France, Japan, Korea, Indonesia, Mexico, and Brazil. They will produce evidence-based content on mental health topics.
In support of this initiative, TikTok is donating approximately £2 million to assist WHO’s global efforts in destigmatizing mental health issues and fostering an informed online community.
Dr. Schnack, a clinical psychologist with over 20 years of experience, is part of this initiative and shares insights on mental health with her 588,000 followers on TikTok. Her content addresses issues such as anxiety and loneliness.
Expressing her enthusiasm for the collaboration, Dr. Schnack stated, “It’s empowering to bring together healthcare professionals to create mental health content. This demonstrates TikTok’s potential to positively impact public health and mental wellbeing globally.”
The partnership will feature various campaigns focusing on topics such as loneliness, depression, and suicide. Dr. Schnack acknowledged the dual nature of social media, noting that while it can be beneficial, excessive use may lead to mental health challenges.
Dr. Schnack is also an Associate Fellow of the British Psychological Society, recognizing her significant contributions to the field of Clinical Psychology.
