Lend an ear for mental health

A simple question from a furry Muppet character on social media opened up the floodgates by exposing mental health struggles and desperate need, among users, for a safe space to vent.

On Jan 29, Elmo, a character in the children’s television series Sesame Street, asked a seemingly normal question on X (formerly Twitter), “Elmo is just checking in! How is everybody doing?”.

Elmo got so much more than he had bargained for as the answers that followed were anything but normal.

The Internet went into a frenzy, with thousands from every corner of the world “trauma dumping” and sharing their existential dread with the beloved Muppet.

While some of the responses were funny, witty and light-hearted, others were dark and worrying.

The comments saw users talking about depression, anxiety, being laid off, divorce, relationships, war, politics, financial struggles and honest admissions of being tired of life and having reached the limit.

The overwhelming response led the official Sesame Street’s X account providing links to mental health resources and support.

X users, too, showed support by posting mental health support and suicide helplines to some of the more concerning comments.

As of press time, Elmo’s post attracted 214 million views, 164,000 likes, 61,000 retweets, 20,000 comments, and that is on X alone.

The post is on other social media platforms too.

Elmo’s question has not only sparked an important question on mental health but showed just how many are seeking a place to share their feelings without being judged.

A screenshot of the tweet posted on Elmo’s X account that was met with an overwhelming response.

Through a friend, I later learned that social media platforms such as Reddit, too, have been providing an avenue for people to vent.

My friend recently found out that she has attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and was prescribed medication to help manage her symptoms alongside therapy.

She claimed that there was a global shortage of ADHD medication and in her quest to find help, turned to Reddit.

Her search led her to Reddit where she stumbled upon people sharing personal mental health struggles anonymously.

She shared her discovery with me, which led me to check it out.

I found Reddit users sharing about childhood trauma, life crisis, study and work stress, family problems, and many other issues.

The fact that people are turning to such platforms to air their feelings is sad and shows that we still have a long way to go concerning mental health awareness.

Raising awareness alone is not enough as we also need to learn to care because awareness does not equate to caring.

A screenshot of a follow-up tweet on Sesame Street and Elmo’s X accounts after the responses the initial tweet received.

I spoke to Befrienders Johor Baru president Danny Loo who told me that mental health awareness had dwindled after the Covid-19 pandemic as life returned to normalcy.

During the pandemic, there was heightened sense of care and mental health awareness among the masses.

We were more aware of our mental health struggles as well as those around us and asked for help when needed.

He said people were back to their busy lives and did not have time to deal with issues, let alone those concerning others.

Johor Baru Befrienders received an average of about 1,400 calls a month in the first six months of the Covid-19 pandemic.

But now it is back to normal, averaging 600 to 700 calls a month.

Befrienders volunteers do not give advice but lend an ear to those seeking someone to speak to.

So, maybe we should all be a bit like Elmo and ask the simple “how are you?” question from time to time.

The response might be “I’m okay” but what if it is more than just that?

You will never know the kind of answer a simple “how are you?” might elicit but it could relate to a life-and-death issue.

Last year, I lost a friend who took her own life.

It was heartbreaking, but the worst part is wondering if a simple phone call could have prevented it.

I had three missed calls from her a few months before her passing, calls that I had failed to return.

I wonder if it would have made a difference if I had called her back or texted her.

Would she have changed her mind if someone asked her how she was that day.

Of course, this is an extreme circumstance but it can happen to anyone.

Those facing problems or mental health issues can reach out to Mental Health Psychosocial Support Service (03-2935 9935 or 014-322 3392); Talian Kasih (15999 or WhatsApp [phone]); Jakim’s Family, Social and Community care centre (WhatsApp [phone]); and Befrienders Kuala Lumpur (03-7627 2929, Johor Baru Befrienders at 07-2670707 or go to www.befrienders.org.my/centre-in-malaysia for a full list of numbers and operating hours).