What if I told you that with just a click of a button, you could access tips that can significantly improve your emotional well-being? The U-Report Chatbot is an efficient yet confidential platform that has helped me build self-acceptance, address stereotypes, and recommended steps for dealing with my mental health struggles.
During one of my episodes of self-doubt, beating myself up and thinking to myself, ‘What is my life worth?’ I discovered the U-Report Mental Health Chatbot through a Twitter post I saw on the U-Report page, I sent "TIPS" to the U-Report WhatsApp number, and I was impressed by the chatbot's ability to provide support and information about mental health!
But if I may be honest with you? Talking about mental health had never been easy for me as a young man, even now I find it hard to share details with anyone. Yes, I have posted about mental health on my socials, Twitter to be exact, but it's usually never about me or what I am going through. It's usually a call to everyone who might be going through mental health struggles to open up about it and get help.
From personal experience though, before I discovered the U-Report chatbot I thought I was losing my mind, in fact, I very nearly did! I asked for help through a tweet but no one came through. So after dealing with my struggles by myself, I was convinced no one cared. I found the chatbot helpful in that I was reminded that Mental health challenges can affect anyone regardless of gender or background.
Considering my recent struggle with mental health, I have learned to accept myself more, especially in times when I am at my lowest despite the stereotypes around mental health struggles;
"Men don't ask for help."
"Tough it up."
"Man up."
All those are statements I got from whoever and wherever I asked for help!
Having learned about stereotypes revolving around mental health, I decided to educate myself on the topic, and the chatbot quenched this thirst for information. I learned that speaking out against mental health stereotypes when you hear them being used can be a difficult but important thing to do, I found out that it is important to not believe those stereotypes and stand up for those who suffer from mental illness.
I invite everyone that is reading this to try out the U-Report Mental Health chatbot, it may be the tool that saves you from your mental health challenges especially if they are worsened by stereotypes.
The chatbot is free and easy to use, you just need to send the word "TIPS" on your preferred U-Report channel to start. Give it a try! Here are the steps on some of its available platforms:
On Facebook Messenger:
1. Visit m.me/UReportGlobal
2. Send the message: TIPS
On Viber:
1. Follow ‘U-Report’ Public Account on Viber (Go to Discover)
2. Send the message: TIPS
On Instagram:
1. Go to @ureportglobal, open the Instagram chat.
2. Send the message: TIPS
Written by: Joshua Opolot, U-Reporter from Uganda
