App finds teens in need of mental health help

Almost 20% of Thai teenagers are in danger of self-harm, the Department of Mental Health (DMH) says.
The disclosure highlights the need to give mental health issues among the young special attention, observers say.
DMH director Dr Kittisak Aksornwong said on Friday hat 503,884 teenagers aged 18 and under registered on its Mental Health Check-in application from Feb 12, 2022, to Oct 14 this year.
The app is a tool for self-assessing essential mental health and screening for risk of mental health problems, with a channel for users to seek advice from experts online.
Of those, 51,789 users, or 10.28%, could be at risk of depression, and 87,718, or 17.4%, are at risk of self-harm, he said.
“These figures not only reflect the urgent need for mental health care among teenagers but also serve as a warning sign that we all need to work together to solve this problem,” said Dr Kittisak.
However, solving mental health problems, especially in this digital age, cannot be done by the government alone.
It requires cooperation from all sectors, including the government, private sector, and civil society, he said.
He cited TikTok as an example of an influential platform among teenagers, for whom technology and social media play an essential role in daily life.
“Creating a safe online space that is responsible and promotes good mental health is a challenge that we all must work together to achieve,” he said.
The DMH partnered with TikTok Thailand to launch the TikTok Mindful Makers campaign and the new “Sati” app, which was developed to provide access to safe, confidential, anonymous and on-demand listening services offered by trained listeners.
The TikTok Mindful Makers campaign is working with the World Health Organization and the Mental Health Trust Network Programme to spread information about mental health and build an online community of support and understanding, and a more compassionate and understanding society, he said.
Chanida Klyphun, head of public policy for TikTok Thailand, said Mindful Makers has over 13 billion views worldwide.
Making the platform a safe area for everyone is essential for it to become a creative space, she said.