The pandemic has brought with it many challenges but none so tough as the strain it’s placed on people’s mental health and wellbeing. As the nation continues to cope with the stresses of the pandemic, suicide prevention charity CALM has created an innovative YouTube video with the help of top UK YouTuber and Gamer, DanTDM, designed to tackle the ongoing stigma surrounding mental health.

Created by Recipe and starring YouTuber DanTDM, the short video creates a cleverly placed hidden message that aims to shine a light on people bottling up their emotions. It follows CALM’s first-ever ‘Hidden Message’ YouTube video released in 2020 starring Rugby International Joe Marler, which was a first of its kind.

The film starts like any other gaming video with DanTDM talking enthusiastically about embarking on another Subnautica adventure. At first, the video seems like any other walk-through gamers and followers have seen a million times before, but audiences soon learn this video is different. DanTDM faces the camera and directly addresses the viewer, “Sounds pretty normal right? Take a second look?” encouraging the viewer to hover the cursor over the YouTube timeline preview to get the true story.  

As the viewer hovers across the timeline, the thumbnail previews reveal a hidden message. This message reveals that how someone is feeling on the inside can be very different from the image they present to the world. 

The video ends with the message; “Feeling rubbish? It can be hard to talk about it. But whatever you’re worried about, CALM can help you find the words”.

 "The last two years have been tough, particularly for younger people whose lives have been disrupted. That is why I wanted to get involved in this project and use my platform to help others who may be feeling low; to try to help them understand that it’s ok to struggle. Nobody is alone with these feelings.” said  DanTDM commenting on the campaign.

He continued; “Gaming has been a lifeline for many during the pandemic, but being able to game hasn't stopped people finding it hard to open up about how they really feel. I want to see if the gaming community and beyond, can come together to encourage players and streamers to talk and support each other, because the more we open up and talk about the way we feel, the less of a stigma there is around it.”

DanTDM has over 25.7 million subscribers; the wide reach of his platform attracts a broad  audience that includes young people, gamers and young men; the campaign aims to encourage them to talk. Mike Plumridge, creative at Recipe, explained: “DanTDM has given us a unique opportunity to get in early with young men and show them that it’s okay to not be okay, and that talking about their issues is healthy.”

With research from the Centre for Mental Health predicting that 1.5 million children and young people under 18 will need new or additional mental health support in England and 84% of men in the UK say they bottle up their emotions, with nearly half (44%) saying they suppress their emotions often or at least once a day, it is imperative that work is done to eliminate the stigma around mental health. 

At a time when people’s mental health is increasingly coming under strain, we know it’s not always easy to tell your friends or family when you’re struggling. In 2021 alone, the CALM helpline had over a million minutes of potentially life saving conversation, that’s answering a call for help every 59 seconds.” explained Simon Gunning, at CALM “With Dan’s help, we want to challenge the culture that prevents someone from opening up and seeking the help they need. This film highlights how things can easily get lost between the lines when it comes to talking about our feelings, and not to always take things at face value if you think someone close to you is feeling down.”

The pandemic has ushered in a second pandemic of mental health issues and many have been confronted by anxiety, social isolation, uncertainty about the future, and other pandemic-driven stressors. At this uniquely fragile time CALM is asking people to look out for one another and check in on those around them. Encouraging conversation and eliminating stigmas around mental health can help save lives. Find out more here.