Tackling the stigma associated with mental illness and hoping to encourage those struggling with mental health issues to seek the help they need, One Mind Media has been producing and distributing video content designed to break down some of the barriers that stand in the way.

One Mind engaged City Square Associates to conduct research designed to understand how people experiencing mental health challenges look for and use resources for support and information. To that end, we conducted a national survey of nearly 2,000 persons between the ages of 13 and 64 who said they had recently conducted an online search for any one of 30 different mental health conditions, topics, or challenges in the previous six months.

The research confirmed the pervasiveness of mental health challenges in the population and the extent to which people are afraid to open up to others about their condition—whether that be depression, anxiety, or ADHD. Equally striking was the extent to which people are utilizing digital resources to educate themselves about mental health, with 1 in 3 using YouTube specifically as a mental health resource. Equipped with these research insights, One Mind has doubled down on its YouTube strategy, enlisting celebrities and influencers in the effort to encourage people to reach out for the support they need. Preliminary indications are that exposure to this digital content is in fact moving the meter.