Shout: Providing mental health during the pandemic
Credence is proud to support Shout 8528, a charity who provide vital mental health support via text message. Yesterday, Shout released a report detailing the fantastic work they have been doing throughout the pandemic, providing support through over half a million conversations at a time when it is most needed. You can read the full report here.
Their press release states:
More than a third (38%) of people who are seeking mental health support over text message have never opened up to anyone about how they’re feeling, and Covid-19 has played a key factor in texters, particularly children and young people, reaching out for
support for the first time, a new landmark report by Shout 85258 into the power of text as a digital intervention has revealed.
This only serves to further emphasise the crucial work they are performing, and we would urge you to support the UK’s only free, 24/7 text messaging support.
Key findings from the report:
Volunteers at Shout 85528 have taken half a million conversations via text with people struggling to cope, particularly during the pandemic as digital intervention has provided in the moment support when other services might not be available.
● More than a third (38%) of people who texted Shout have never asked for help elsewhere, highlighting how an anonymous text service can help lower the barriers for people seeking mental health support.
● 65% of our texters are under 25 and 7% are aged 13 or under, showing the
importance of text support for a digitally native demographic. Those aged 13 and under were most likely to discuss self-harm (24% of conversations) and bullying (7% of conversations) with us.
● While the service was used by mainly people aged 25 and under (65%), older texters were the most likely to talk to us about Covid-19 and the impact it is having on them.
● Suicidal thoughts are the main reason people contacted the service, representing 34% of our conversations.
● 80% of Shout texters identified as female, in line with patterns in society reflecting both mental health needs and a willingness to seek support among this gender.
● Women were twice as likely to mention eating disorders and body image than men and discussed self-harm in nearly 1 in 4 conversations.
● We also see particular demographics, including autistic people (7% of our texters) and the LGBTQ+ community (35% of our texters) overrepresented in Shout usage
● The Covid-19 pandemic has undoubtedly taken a toll on mental health, which, along with an increased awareness of Shout has prompted a huge increase in conversations. From around 750 per day pre-pandemic to an average of 1,400 in early 2021. ● The news agenda and social media plays a huge role in driving demand for the service, reflecting an ‘in the moment’ demand for mental health support.
● We know we have work to do to reach underrepresented audiences and are embarking on projects to ensure we are a place to go for anyone struggling to cope.