Expert shares suggestions after Elmo's social media post sparks mental health conversations
SACRAMENTO - It was a simple question from everyone's favorite little red monster. Elmo's official X account asked people how they were doing and the answers got pretty real.
Turns out, sunny days aren't sweeping the clouds away for many. The post is sparking a discussion about mental health.
"I'm burnt out myself," a Sacramento resident said. "I mean just in this economy, like it's way harder than it used to be like just a few years back. Groceries are high, gases are high, just the cost of living is high."
But it was a social media shocker when a simple tweet from Elmo took a dramatic turn.
The hashtag, "#Elmotraumadumping" even started trending with tweets like, "Every morning, I cannot wait to go back to sleep. Every Monday, I cannot wait for Friday to come," or "I'm at my lowest. Thanks for asking," or simply, "Elmo we are tired."
With over 200 million likes and thousands of retweets and responses, it sheds light on a bigger topic: the importance of mental health.
CBS13 spoke with Dr. Alex Dimtriu, founder of Menlo Park Psychiatry and Sleep Medicine, about why the pulse of the country all seems to be dealing with doom and gloom.
"In my view of things, I think the world caught a fever ever since COVID came and went and we are still feeling that fever," Dr. Dimitriu said.
He suggests people should take a break and if needed, seek help.
"Getting enough sleep, not scrolling on social media until two in the morning are all positive things and I think the real change starts at home, it starts with you and in any situation, I think you need to look at where you have control," Dr. Dimitrui said.
The "Sesame Street" account chimed in too, directing people to mental health resources.
Anyone who needs help can call or text the suicide and crisis lifeline at 988.