If you are the person who is feeling sad or angry or bullied, talk to someone. If you don’t have an adult or a peer you feel comfortable with, there are a number of organisations that can offer you one-to-one support.
Support and counselling services
Childline’s For Me App is also available to give you easy access to services via your smartphone.
Everyone has some bad days, but if you notice someone exhibiting any of the above behaviours repeatedly, the tips below can help you figure out what to do.
A phone call, text or DM telling someone that you care about them can mean a lot. You don’t have to have all the answers—just letting them know that they aren’t alone and that you care about them is a kind thing to do.
It’s best to keep it casual. Try things like, “I’ve noticed you posting a lot of sad memes lately, are you OK?” or “I’m checking in on you because you seemed really upset the other day, how are you?”
Avoid offering advice or talking about yourself—keep the focus on the other person and how they are feeling. Asking questions like “Have you talked to anyone else about this?” can be ways to see if they have support in the other parts of their life. Childline has some good guidelines for this.
If you believe that someone may be thinking about hurting themselves, report this to Instagram so they can help connect them to information and resources. There are teams all over the world working 24 hours a day, seven days a week to review these reports. The poster will not know who made the report, but they will get help the next time they open the app.
To make a report, tap the three dots above the post, then tap Report. Select “It’s Inappropriate > Self injury.”
You might think that a person has a lot of other friends or that you don’t know them well enough to talk to—but you never really know.. It’s likely better to check in and find out they’re fine than to ignore something that’s worrying you.
Sometimes we can get so caught up in our feelings that we don’t see a way out. You can suggest that your friend talks to their parents or another responsible adult or share resources like the Shout.
If the person you’ve reached out to doesn’t show any signs of feeling better, if you start feeling uncomfortable with what you are asked to keep secret, or if their behaviour gets more extreme, talk to an adult or a friend you trust about next steps.
Got a question on how to any Instagram features? Visit the help centre for more support.
See these Safer Internet Day tips to help you explore and express your online identity safely.
See more advice and resources to help your child stay safe online.
