How to overcome a breakup when you are a teenager? A broken young heart is hard to mend and the government of New Zealand understands that. That’s why he launched a campaign on Wednesday to help the country’s young people overcome painful relationship endings, encouraging broken hearts to “own their feelings” and block their ex on social media.
The government’s ‘Love Better’ campaign offers advice and support to turn the corner when love ends, and will be featured in podcasts and on platforms such as Instagram. “Breups suck…but you can make them look good. Own your feelings,” a soothing voice says in the campaign video.
The images show young people explaining how they handled their breakup. “I’m going to have to, honestly. It’s getting ridiculous, it’s getting so out of control. I need to sleep at night. I need to forget about her,” says a restless young man who started blocking his former love on social media.
More than 3.5 million euros
Deputy Minister for Social Development Priyanca Radhakrishnan said the government was committing 6.4 million New Zealand dollars (3.7 million euros) to the campaign over three years. “We know that breakups hurt. We want to support our young people (…) and let them know that there is a way to get out of this without hurting themselves or others, ”she said.
Priyanca Radhakrishnan explained that “Love Better” was a “primary prevention campaign” allowing young people to share “true stories in order to help their peers who may be going through similar experiences”.
Six in 10 New Zealanders between the ages of 16 and 24 have experienced a breakup, and a large majority of them subsequently “suffered or perpetrated adverse effects”, according to data from consulting firm Kantar. New Zealand has one of the highest youth suicide rates among developed countries, according to UNICEF.