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Siblings Who Created Mental Health App Host Virtual Prom For Class Of 2020
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As May brings in Mental Health Awareness Month, two Atlanta-based siblings are lifting spirits and advocating for mental health with a virtual prom.
Charlie,15, and Hannah,18, Lucas, the creators of the mental health app notOK, are hosting the We Are Well: Virtual Prom on May 2. Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey is the event’s lead sponsor, Fresh Prince of Bel Air’s DJ Jazzy Jeff will be the virtual DJ and actress Kristen Bell will also be a part of the event.
Charlie said the fun is all for a good cause.
“It’s going to be awesome,” he said. “We’re giving away over $45,000 to students affected by COVID-19.”
High school seniors and juniors will be given cash grants that can be used for whatever immediate needs they may have such as tuition, books, rooming fees, laptop, internet or even basic needs such as food and shelter.
The coronavirus pandemic has greatly impacted Charlie and Hannah’s mental health. Although he’s a self proclaimed introvert and he doesn’t mind staying at home, he’s been anxious about not knowing everything about the novel virus.
“It’s been horrifying for me because I don’t know what the long term effects [of the coronavirus] are,” Charlie said.
To cope with the stress and anxiety, Charlie now has a self-care regimen that includes a skincare routine and relaxing baths.
Hannah’s experience with the pandemic has been “interesting, fascinating and terrifying,” she said.
She’s a senior in high school who was anticipating the usual senior festivities — having a prom, meeting potential college roommates and graduating high school — and they’ve all been modified in extremely unexpected ways. As someone who relies on socializing with friends, she’s also been struggling to stay connected.
“[The pandemic] has forced me to forge better, more reliable habits,” Hannah said.
Hannah and Charlie especially prioritize young adults’ mental health, as they created notOK, an award-winning app that alerts trusted contacts to assist and support users when they’re feeling mentally vulnerable.
Three years ago, Hannah was diagnosed with postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome—a chronic condition that affects blood circulation— struggled with an eating disorder and was a victim of sexual harassment. She is also a suicide attempt survivor, and she thanks her mother for being her hero the night of her attempt.
“I’m so thankful that my mom saved my life,” Hannah said.
Charlie often felt helpless when Hannah needed support. As a child, he couldn’t drive her to doctor appointments, relieve her mental stress or even physically support her when she would faint from her chronic illness.
His opportunity to help Hannah came when she proposed the app idea to him.
“My initial reaction was, and I quote, ‘Let’s go,’” Charlie said.
Now, he works behind the scenes as the app’s tech support and Hannah’s website designer.
The siblings advocate for removing the stigma on mental health, especially in young adults and adolescents.
“Normalizing mental health issues looks like people being able to go to therapy and talk about it without shame,” Charlie said.
Hannah also said there should be more of a focus on treating mental disorders in younger people.
“75% of mental health issues shows up in adolesence and suicide is the second leading cause of death in kids our age,” she said. “Those are terrifying statistics and I think that if we ended the stigma and treated mental health as a medical issue instead of a mental issue, I think the world would be a much better and safer place.”
The We Are Well: Virtual Prom will be held from 9 p.m. to midnight EST on notOK’s Instagram on Saturday, May 2.
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