Katie Piper has warned young people are under “incredible scrutiny” due to social media and has spoken about being open with her young daughters regarding mental health.
The writer and campaigner said many youngsters don’t have the space to “find out who they are” away from the glare of the internet.
Piper, 39, who has daughters Belle, nine, and Penelope, five, with husband Richard Sutton, praised their school for “talking about mental health” with pupils.
But she said she was also aware of keeping an open conversation at home — and telling them their emotions “matter because it matters to you”.
Speaking to the Standard about AXA UK’s Mind Health campaign, of which she is an ambassador, she said: “Young people now are under incredible scrutiny… People like me, we were born in the Eighties… All my mistakes were documented on a disposable camera and thankfully binned. When you are young, your life is documented on the internet… I think that’s incredibly difficult.”
Piper continued: “I have two daughters (and their) school is really good — they have mindfulness chats, they talk about mental health.
“Years ago, a way of comforting someone would be to tell them not to worry. I think it is important to say — in particular to a child — it does matter, because it matters to you and how you feel is real.”
The AXA study found that young people aged 18 to 24 have the highest prevalence of mental ill health of any age group, with one in two reporting a mental health condition. Meanwhile, one in three 18 to 24-year-olds said technology had a negative impact on their wellbeing.
Piper, an acid attack survivor, said more openness was lessening the “stigma” attached to having mental health problems.
“Maybe the stigma has lessened also due to lockdown as we all spoke about it more… That gives me hope.”
For more information on AXA UK’s Mind Health campaign, search “AXA helping minds flourish”.
