Actionable Mental Health Tips You Can Find on Pinterest, All Psychologist-Approved

The topic of mental health is not one we can cover effectively in any one article. And while dates like R U OK? Day are wonderful for encouraging people to speak more openly about their wellbeing, one single event in a calendar is a single drop in an ocean. Conversations around mental health need to be had consistently, and access to advice and support must be far-reaching.

While things are far from perfect in this space, what we do have right now is a long list of resources that can help folks find basic guidance on managing some mental health difficulties. (If you are in urgent need of support, services like Lifeline on 13 11 14 or BeyondBlue on 1300 22 4636 are always available.)

From meditation apps to virtual psychologists appointments, to digital self-care courses, there are many ways to learn about effective mental health management tools from home – though, of course, it is always best to speak with a health professional if you’re concerned about your wellbeing.

To add to this list, Pinterest has paired up with Sydney psychology practice The Indigo Project to share a selection of tools and tips from mental health experts.

On the collaboration, Ash King, Content Creator at the Indigo Project shared that:

“Pinterest is the ideal platform to share helpful information on positive ways we can learn to talk and connect with ourselves and with other people in ways that are validating and supportive.

“Our Idea Pins aim to invite Pinterest users to prioritise their mental health and wellbeing, even just for little pockets throughout the day, with self-care and anxiety management tips. If you’re struggling with your mental health, the best resource to turn to is your GP who can help figure out where you’re at and help arrange the most appropriate support for you and your needs.”

And, unsurprisingly, people are seemingly pretty hungry for this kind of content. Pinterest data suggests that in recent weeks searches for “quotes about anxiety” have increased 5 times over, while searches for “how to support someone with depression” have doubled.

What mental health tips are available on Pinterest?

If you take a peek at the Pinterest Today Tab, you’ll see that The Indigo Project has curated and created a selection of “actionable, inspiring mental health content” on the website that will be available throughout September.

The selection of content ranges from videos regarding R U OK? Day, lengthier articles on the topic of mental health and quick tips you can use day-to-day.

Here are some of our favourite examples

4 quick ways to ground yourself when anxiety strikes:

6 affirmations to repeat when you’re feeling stressed and overwhelmed:

10 ways to deal with uncertain times:

This new offering from Pinterest comes a few years after the platform introduced emotional wellbeing activities on its app with compassionate search.

Working with experts at Brainstorm, the Stanford Lab for Mental Health Innovation, and with advice from Vibrant Emotional Health and the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline Pinterest rolled out exercises which appear (year-round) when users search for things like stress quotes or work anxiety.

If you’d like to continue reading about mental health and helpful tools, check out our pieces on breathing techniques and signs it may be time to chat with a psychologist here and here.