Tinder India has come up with a new initiative in collaboration with VisitHealth, to offer free mental health resources to all its members.
The initiative will give access to therapy sessions in June and July to existing and new members. They will have free access to emotional wellness content curated by VisitHealth including guided meditations, fitness videos, and more via the dating app. Along with this, users can avail up to two free sessions with licensed therapists and continued support at discounted rates for sessions after that. Therapists will be available across all major Indian languages.
“The pandemic has put things in perspective for all of us. Covid-19 has been hard on mental health, especially for our young members who are dealing with a new normal. The last couple of months have been particularly hard with nearly everyone dealing with heightened levels of grief, stress, anxiety, and loss. We recognise that every once in a while, one needs to pause and check-in and hope that with this initiative, our members find comfort in the fact that now support is just a click away on Tinder,” Taru Kapoor, general manager of Tinder and Match Group, India, said in a statement.
Most Tinder members are between 18 and 25 years of age. The loss, longing, and loneliness created by the pandemic have made them resort to dating apps to find companionship and support. According to the press release, mentions of ‘anxious’ have increased by 20 per cent and ‘normalise’ by 11 per cent in Tinder bios in India since the start of the pandemic.
“As an integrated digital healthcare platform, our mission is to make quality care available to all and also destigmatise mental health. Through our partnership with Tinder, we wish to provide a safe space for young adults and support their emotional and social well-being. We believe empathy is the key during these challenging times, and our coaches understand that and customise care to each individual’s needs,” Dhruva Kalra, head of strategy and growth, Visit Health, added.
The pandemic has affected everyone and many young people are facing mental health issues. Some are feeling lonely in their own homes since the freedom to go out and spend time with friends has been curbed.
“The feeling of time slipping away is present and they are grieving for missed opportunities, for friendships, dating, or even the ability to be out and about in the world. This increased loneliness, frustration, along with privacy concerns, have added to the anxiety the young are experiencing today. At a time like this, reaching out and addressing emotional concerns can be the first step towards one’s own well-being,” Sonali Gupta, Mumbai-based clinical psychologist, said.
Source: indianexpress.com
