Elmo's Wake-Up Call: How A Tweet Sparked A National Conversation On Mental Health

The Context

          In my June 2024 blog, I discussed a tweet from Elmo, the popular character on Sesame Street.  Elmo tweeted, "Elmo is just checking in.  How is everyone doing?".  This tweet on X got 200 million views and tens of thousands of responses. 

          Elmo and the rest of the Sesame Street organization were unprepared for the massive response to this seemingly innocent tweet.  While many responses were neutral or positive, a huge number were quite negative, emphasizing acute feelings of depression and anxiety. 

         Some examples of replies to Elmo's tweet included;

"Every morning, I cannot wait to go back to sleep.  Every Monday, I cannot wait for Friday to come.  Every single day and every single week for life"'

"Honestly, Elmo, I need a hug."

"I shouldn't have rushed wanting to be an adult.  I need a break, big guy."

"Elmo, I'm depressed and broke."

"I'm at my lowest.  Thanks for asking."

CNN opined, "The responses to Elmo's innocuous question should be etched into stone so future generations can know exactly how we felt in 2024."

          Elmo responded to this outpouring of human misery by tweeting;

"Wow!  Elmo is glad he asked!  Elmo learned that it is important to ask a friend how they are doing.  Elmo will check in again soon, friends!  Elmo loves you."

This was excellent advice.  When dealing with stress and unhappiness, it is so important not to withdraw but to seek out friends, family, and, if necessary, mental health professionals to help sort out emotions and receive support.

Follow Up To Elmo's Tweet

          Due to the overwhelmingly negative responses to Elmo's tweet, Sesame Workshop, which produces Sesame Street, teamed up with the Harris Poll, a well-known consulting and marketing research firm.  Over 2,000 respondents ages sixteen and older were interviewed, and the findings were released in "The State Of Well-Being Report/"

          Among the notable findings of the survey was that the vast majority of the respondents believed that mental health is just as important a priority as economic stability.  Among the variables negatively impacting the mental health of the respondents in descending order included:

•      Personal finances/economic security: 41%

•      You/your family's current physical health: 28%

•      You/your family's current emotional/mental health: 27%

•      Effects of climate change: 23%

•      Not having a solid network of friends or family: 23%

•      Racism or discrimination: 23%

•      Substance abuse: 16%

•      Not being able to be your authentic self: 15%

•      Lacking access to high-quality education/learning opportunities: 14%

In fact, over half of the respondents indicated that they are still dealing with the aftereffects of the COVID-19 pandemic.

People are struggling.  81% of the respondents agreed, "Leaders of our institutions need to reorient their priorities around well-being." It seems our society is looking for help navigating very adverse life circumstances. 

What's Next

     An idea strongly endorsed by respondents, particularly those aged 18-43, is to emphasize the development of healthy social/emotional skills in schools, which is on par with academics.  The vast majority of respondents agreed with the statement, "I wish I had been taught more about how to understand and manage my emotions as a child," 

84% of the parents in the study agreed with this, and most respondents were educators.  Parents and teachers are feeling the need to have resources to help their kids develop adequate coping skills as they are feeling overwhelmed by the mental health needs of children and teenagers.

 Ninety percent of respondents agreed that schools need to teach kindness to students, suggesting that they believe this quality is in short supply among kids in our society.  

             A shift in how our culture prioritizes mental health needs to be considered. 

In addition to skyrocketing rates of child and adolescent mental illness, the U.S. Surgeon General recently issued a public health alert for parents, citing a recent survey in which 33% of parents reported high levels of stress compared to 20% of nonparent adult respondents in the survey.

     The conclusion is very frightening.  If children, teens, and their parents are experiencing growing rates of psychological unwellness, our society as a whole is at risk.  There are no easy answers to this situation, but we must be prepared to devote resources to help those most in need.

A Final Word

     What began as a banal tweet by a puppet has struck a nerve with a large segment of society.  People jumped on sharing their misery and despair with the follow-up survey, which further confirmed it.  Hopefully, this will catalyze meaningful conversation and policies from those in a position to address this issue head-on.

     As this blog began with Elmo, it is only fair that he has the final word.  After the response to Elmo's tweet became big news, he was on NBC's Today Show.  Amplifying his original message of empathy and urging people to check in on their friends, he said

"It's important to remember that we all have feelings and that's OK.  It's good to know what feeling you're having, and if you're feeling sad or worried or confused, then you have to talk to someone that you love and trust, and it's good

to talk about it."

 Excellent Advice!