The COVID-19 pandemic is having a negative impact on the well-being of many of us. Especially during the holiday season, when longing for loved ones becomes particularly painful. In this situation, the first and simplest form of help you can offer someone is a conversation.

To make it easier, Facebook, together with the We Give Children Strength Foundation and the eFkropka Foundation, initiated the #LetsTalk campaign. Its main element is a guide for adults and young people that explains how to hold a conversation with someone who may need support and how to take care of one's own mental balance: www.PorozmawiajmyFB.pl.

How does the pandemic affect young people?

Many of us are struggling with how the pandemic has changed our everyday lives. We worry about the future, about our own health and that of our loved ones, about work. The results of a study* by the We Give Children Strength Foundation (FDDS) show that between mid-March and the end of June, as many as one third of people aged 13-17 rated their mental well-being as very bad or rather bad.

- Bumping elbows in greeting is not the same as a handshake or a hug. Social distance and a lack of closeness with other people can have a very negative impact on the psyche of each of us. It is therefore worth taking care of yourself, your family, friends and acquaintances - says Joanna Krzyżanowska-Zbucka, psychiatrist, co-founder of the eFkropka Foundation.
- In this difficult time for everyone, it is worth not remaining alone with what we are experiencing. Talking about emotions allows us to name and express them. We can unburden ourselves, feel relief, and above all experience the presence of another person, which can be soothing even in the form of online contact. With a kind word and openness, we can also support others - says Marta Wojtas, psychologist at the We Give Children Strength Foundation.

However, we do not always know how to start a good and supportive conversation. Will it not be perceived as rude? Should we even reach out at all, and if we have decided to talk, how should we do it so as to give a sense of understanding and support? These questions are answered by a guide created by psychologists and psychiatrists from the We Give Children Strength Foundation and the eFkropka Foundation, who help people in mental crises on a daily basis and run helplines. In addition to tips on how to conduct a conversation, the guide also contains information about institutions and organizations that provide professional help.

The #LetsTalk initiative is supported by influencers who also believe that opening up to an honest conversation with a close, trusted person is the first step toward better mental well-being. These include Aleksandra Żebrowska, Krzysztof Gonciarz and Janina Bąk, known as Janina Daily.

- 2.5 billion people use Facebook platforms every day. That is a huge responsibility, especially at a time when our apps have become the primary tool for everyday communication and maintaining relationships with loved ones. However, we know well that nothing can replace direct relationships. Their absence affects mental balance and well-being, which is why, using our platforms, we want to promote and increase access to content that provides support and helps people cope in difficult moments. - says Jakub Turowski, head of Facebook's public policy team in Poland.

Where to look for guidance?

The guide consists of a series of tips prepared by psychologists and psychiatrists concerning, among other things:

  • How to start a conversation with a loved one going through difficulties
  • How to sustain and deepen a conversation, and which phrases to avoid
  • How to talk about difficult emotions (online and offline)
  • How to respond to an online post in which someone close to us signals that they are feeling unwell

The full content of the guide is available at www.porozmawiajmyfb.pl.

Summary

Facebook, together with the We Give Children Strength Foundation and the eFkropka Foundation, launched the #LetsTalk campaign, whose heart is a guide for adults and young people on holding supportive conversations. It was created in response to the alarming results of FDDS research — between mid-March and the end of June, as many as one third of people aged 13–17 rated their mental well-being as very bad or rather bad.

The experts emphasize that conversation allows emotions to be named and brings relief. Influencers also took part in the campaign, including Aleksandra Żebrowska and Janina Bąk. Facebook reminds us that 2.5 billion people use its platforms every day, which offers enormous opportunities to reach people with professional support. The guide can be found at PorozmawiajmyFB.pl.