Conversations highlight mental health challenges during the holiday season
The cost of mental health care and false claims about trans identities also appeared in posts.
The cost of mental health care and false claims about trans identities also appeared in posts.
This past week, several posts mentioned experiencing depression, stress, and other mental health challenges during the holiday season. Plus, other posts bemoaned the cost of mental health care and suggested that a potential school health clinic could “influence” students to be transgender.
In response, communicators may share tips for coping with stress and family conflict ahead of holiday gatherings, share financial resources for people seeking mental health care, and recirculate information about trans identities and gender-affirming care.
Insights brought to you by the reporters and science writers of Public Good News (PGN), a nonprofit newsroom dedicated to improving community health.
What’s trending nationally in conversations about mental health
Several recent posts disclosed struggling with depression and stress during the holiday season, with some receiving hundreds of thousands of views and thousands of likes. Posts discussed feeling “overwhelmed,” “drained,” and “exhausted,” citing financial stress, conflict with family members, and busy schedules. Most comments shared the original posts’ sentiments and offered words of support.
On December 6, an X user asked others to “send me your healthcare industry horror story” and shared his own story about receiving a $7,000 bill after his brother died by suicide two days after being discharged from a mental health clinic. The initial post received approximately 9.6 million views, 25,000 likes, 3,300 reposts, and 520 comments as of December 11. Several comments lamented financial barriers to mental health care for themselves and loved ones.
Recent news programs and articles discussed a health center that may open at a Maine high school. The center, which is awaiting school board approval, would aim to remove barriers to physical and mental health care for youth by offering services like annual physicals, vaccinations, and mental health care on school property. However, since Maine allows health care providers to offer some confidential services to minors, parents have expressed concern that this clinic would facilitate minors making health decisions that they are “not mature enough” to make without parental support. An X post sharing a news clip about the health center accused the school board of “ramming through a vote” on the health center, receiving approximately 568,000 views, 10,000 likes, 4,900 reposts, and 550 comments as of December 11. While most comments expressed outrage that youth could potentially receive vaccines without parental consent, some suggested that the health center would influence youth to be trans by providing gender-affirming mental health care and pushing “transgender drugs.”
Recommendations brought to you by the health communication experts behind Infodemiology.com.
Recommendations for public health professionals
Each week, the Infodemiology.com team will provide messaging recommendations in response to some of the trending narratives outlined above. These helpful tips can be used when creating content, updating web and FAQ pages, and developing strategy for messaging about mental health.
Posts about mental health challenges during the holiday season provide an opportunity for communicators to share tips for managing mental health and setting boundaries with family members. Recirculating general mental health resources is recommended.
In light of concerns about financial barriers to mental health care, communicators may share free or low-cost mental health resources, such as sliding scale therapy, support groups, community mental health centers, and mental health hotlines like the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline. Communicators may also want to share assistance programs that help people pay for mental health care and tips for shopping for and obtaining insurance coverage.
As false claims that youth can be “influenced” to be trans are persistent, messaging may emphasize that this myth is not supported by research. Messaging may also explain that health care providers in most states require parental consent in order to provide gender-affirming care to youth. In Maine, 16- and 17-year-olds can only receive gender-affirming hormone therapy without parental consent if they have received counseling and have been determined to be experiencing harm from not receiving this care. Sharing information about the mental health benefits of gender-affirming care and mental health resources geared toward trans people is recommended. Resources include directories where people can search for trans-informed therapists and support groups, the Trans Lifeline, the Trevor Project’s hotline for LGBTQ+ youth, and the LGBT National Help Center.