Back mental health, social networks told

SOCIAL media companies should run free mental health advertising on their platforms because they are driving “ill health” in young people, a report found.

Facebook and Instagram users tended to seek advice from friends and unmoderated sources, and not professional help, the Royal Society for the Encouragement of Arts, Manufactures and Commerce (RSA) said.

Forums such as the Student Room were also often used by young people seeking support, but researchers for the RSA found impartial advice was hard to come by.

To be more proactive in starting conversations about mental health online, health bodies and social media companies should to work together, said the report. It suggested social platforms could give free advertising for mental health services.

Tom Harrison, of the RSA, said: “Our study estimates that 134,000 young people looked online for mental health support last year … but social media is not only a platform for people to access mental health services – increasingly it appears to be a driver of ill health in itself.

“This puts a moral duty on it to help cash-strapped mental health providers reach those who will benefit most from professional help.”