The digital age brings with it many pressures, particularly for the first digitally native generation. In 2021, teens spent eight hours and 39 minutes per day on average on screens, increasing by over an hour compared to 2019. According to a 2021 Facebook report, 4,000 out of 22,000 people surveyed felt that social media had negatively affected their mental health and how they view themself. In fact, one in four Gen Z users says social media has frequently made them feel anxious.

TikTok, Gen Z’s biggest social media fixation, has tackled teen mental health since 2023. The platform launched the Mental Health Education Fund, helping mental health organizations gain more than 173 million impressions on their content and more than 600,000 new followers.

“TikTok has had a transformative impact on The Alliance’s reach and effectiveness. Through the platform, we connected with over 44 million people, creating an unprecedented level of awareness around eating disorders,” said Johanna S. Kandel, founder and CEO of National Alliance for Eating Disorders, in a TikTok press release. “This visibility directly translated into real-world support: allowing us to connect more individuals and families with the life-saving resources they need."

TikTok announced significant enhancements to its mental health initiative, focusing on digital well-being and expanding support for global mental health organizations. The platform donated $2.3 million in ad credits to 31 mental health organizations in 22 countries around the world as part of its Mental Health Education Fund. This allows these organizations to create more informative and engaging mental health content for audiences globally.

American mental health nonprofit organizations benefitting from these mental well-being improvements include: Alliance for Eating Disorders (an organization providing education, referrals, and support for those suffering from eating disorders); Koko (focused on providing young people free, evidence-based, digital mental health interventions on apps they already frequent); Crisis Text Line (an organization providing free, 24/7 mental health support); Peer Health Exchange (a provider of support, resources, and education to young people about making healthy decisions); and Active Minds (the largest nonprofit in the United States mobilizing youth and young adults to transform mental health norms across society).

"At Active Minds, we plan to leverage the TikTok ad credits to run a diverse mix of evergreen ads focused on mental health, including promoting the importance of mental health breaks and raising awareness for our core resource,” said Jessica Mayorga, Chief Marketing Officer at Active Minds, in a TikTok press release. “We’re also excited to spotlight our programs and initiatives that empower young people to prioritize their well-being. This approach will allow us to engage and educate audiences on TikTok, while aligning with our mission to champion a new era of mental health."

Additionally, the platform is launching in-app guided meditation exercises for the TikTok community. TikTok will act to improve sleep quality in users under 18 by adding the default Meditation in Sleep Hours feature. This will interrupt teens’ For You Page with a guided meditation exercise, aiming to help them wind down for the night. If the teen chooses to continue scrolling, another harder-to-dismiss, full-screen prompt will appear.

TikTok partnered with creator and child psychiatrist Dr. Willough Jenkins (@drwilloughjenkins) to showcase the new meditation feature and demonstrate healthy digital habits and the importance in young people. The feature’s test saw that 98% of teens kept the meditation experience switched on. This feature is not limited to teens; adults can switch on the feature manually. In behavioral change theory, the feature aims to provide positive nudges towards a more balanced digital usage pattern.

TikTok is actively promoting and encouraging healthier digital habits among teens—a promising step toward reshaping how young people interact with their phones. It’s a strong example of how social media and technology companies can take greater responsibility in addressing the mental health challenges that arise from constant connectivity and online pressure. By setting these kinds of standards, platforms can help foster a more mindful, balanced relationship between young users and their digital lives.