Spend much time in any corner of the Internet where strangers don’t exchange names, and you’ll start seeing some dark shit. People will confess all sorts of things under the cover of anonymity—abuse, depression, suicidal thoughts. And one app is attempting to do its part.
Recode reports that the cofounders of anonymous secret-sharing app Whisper are putting a million dollars into YourVoice, the company’s affiliated (but separate) mental-health nonprofit. YourVoice is also launching an It-Gets-Better-style testimonial site where people can share their own stories publicly, as well as providing resources on everything from stress to sexual abuse. Their thinking is pretty obvious: All told, so far, Whisper has referred 40,000 users to suicide hotlines.
YourVoice is run by Nicole Brooks, a licensed therapist who’s married to cofounder Brad Brooks. According to TechCrunch:
The new platform will let individuals upload video testimonials about their struggles with a host of issues, including anxiety, depression, suicide, stress management, body image, eating disorders, sexuality, bullying and sexual abuse.
Mental illness is a big problem, and it takes more than “raising awareness” with a pretty digital platform. But if Whisper can encourage some individual users to get the help they need, that’s a good thing.