Prince Harry Speaks Out on Social Media and Mental Health

Prince Harry has made his first comment on social media during a roundtable discussion on young people's mental health.

The prince spoke to a panel of leaders from charities about ways organizations can come together to offer more support for young people.

The discussion was organized by the Royal Foundation's Heads Together campaign, which Harry founded alongside William and Kate in 2016.

The Prince's words come as his new social media account, Sussex Royal, broke the world record for getting 1 million followers the quickest on Instagram.

The account tracked up a staggering 150,000 followers in the 30 minutes after it was unveiled on Tuesday afternoon, and by Wednesday evening had accumulated over 3 million followers.

At the roundtable discussion, Harry passionately said, “Social media is more addictive than drugs and alcohol.

Yes, it is more dangerous because it is normalized and there are no restrictions.

So we are in a really mind-altering time.

And we are in an exciting time because everybody in this room has an opportunity to actually make a real difference so that young people coming through are less connected to their phones.

They can be as connected as they want to be but they have to have a human connection as well.

Without that human connection when you do have a problem you have nowhere to go and the only place you might go is online and you are probably getting bullied.”

The discussion also focused on how mental health issues can lead to alcohol and drug abuse for many young people as they try to cope with pressure.

Harry spoke at length about the need to hear more success stories from young people who have overcome their mental health issues, explaining that many of the young people he had met, who had been in really, really dark places had come out the other side to live a normal life and were keen to talk about their experiences.

“Now you as charities, I don't believe, necessarily put those young people forward.

Those are the icons, the people that young people need to see and hear.

The media here need to be better at telling the success stories.

There is too much negativity surrounding mental health.

No wonder it's so hard for young people to actually talk about it,” Harry said.

The YMCA South Ealing, where the event was held, is part of the YMCA St Paul's Group, which provides services across London and is one of the largest in Europe.

The organization provides housing for 151 young people who are dealing with a range of problems such as homelessness, mental illness, recovering from substance misuse, or are fleeing domestic violence.

After the roundtable session, Harry met with parents and young children who use a nursery service run by the YMCA.

One of the classes that helps raise much-needed funds to keep resources in action is the Y Active Ballet class for children between four and six.

While stopping by the ballet class for four to six-year-olds, Harry had to say hello to little Nas and mum Maria Armudd, who were also watching.

The soon-to-be father crouched down to chat with the mother-daughter duo, and it wasn't long before the infant flashed a big smile at the royal.

Harry reacted by making some silly faces, including sticking his tongue out.

Prince Harry also surprised the tiny dancers by showing off his own ballet skills.

When the royal asked five-year-old Emmanuel Lester what his favourite part of dance class was, he was told the ballet challenge.

Teacher Jade Groves explained that it was when the children practiced their balance by standing on one leg with a plastic disc on their head.

Harry tried it himself, stretching out his arms and standing on one leg.

He wobbled, teased one dancer.

Talking to the children afterwards, he said, “Come in, I don't bite.”

He asked Harriet Weidel, 5, how long she had been doing ballet.

Her answer should have been two years, but he was left in hysterics after she shouted, “100 years.”

He then told the group that they all deserved gold stars, except one boy, Emmanuel Lester, 5, who was looking the other way.

Soon after the event, six photos from the outing were posted to the Duke and Duchess's new Instagram account, Sussex Royal, with a caption that read, “There continues to be huge progress in smashing the stigma that surrounds mental health, but let's keep normalizing the conversation.

Let's keep reminding each other that it's OK to not be OK, and to listen to each other.

After all, how we think determines how we act, how we feel, and how we treat ourselves and those around us.”

Prince Harry's comments shed light on the importance of human connection in an increasingly digital world.

His advocacy for mental health awareness and the need to hear more success stories from young people is a step towards breaking the stigma surrounding mental illness.

The Prince's visit to the YMCA South Ealing also highlights the importance of supporting organizations that provide vital services to young people facing difficult situations.

Overall, Prince Harry's words and actions serve as an inspiration to many, encouraging us to prioritize our mental health and to connect with others in meaningful ways.