Who is behind Hug-a-Group? An interview with Pedro Marques
Hug-a-Group is a mental health community for online support.
Interview & Article by Nakita Harris
“Oh, how I feel you.. It’s tough, you know? And not all the people understand the pain that this can cause. That’s why I wanted to do something!”
Upon my very first encounter with Pedro, these are the words of comfort and reassurance that he gave me when I explained to him how I felt so connected to his company mission.
Hug-a-Group is a powerful resource & community offering support to people experiencing challenges with their mental health as well as shining a bright light on one of society’s most pertinent topics. As with most industry-changing movements, the cause comes not from a place of sympathy, but in fact from an intensely empathetic standpoint. And with society now working on creating safe havens for those who come under fire for a range of social issues, now more than ever individuals such as Pedro are not only greatly appreciated but are also major pillars of stability around the world.
Oddly enough, despite media coverage on the topic of mental health being readily available, it’s still a rather controversial topic in so many social circles because we tend to shed light on it whilst simultaneously sweeping it under the carpet; exacerbating the taboo and emphasizing the stigma. Our interview with Pedro, not only showcases the definitive impact that his platform will have to the world, but also shares insider tips on how each of us can truly do our part when it comes to looking after our own and others’ mental health, from this very moment on.
As Pedro entered adolescence, he shares the mental pain he began to experience saying, “I started having panic attacks and anxiety problems in general; something I was not familiar with at all. It changed my lifestyle and led me to some bad times. I tried different kinds of individual therapy, but I didn’t like it at all.”
For anyone that is not aware, panic attacks differ from anxiety attacks in many ways. A panic attack is more likely to inflict a sudden onslaught of emotional/mental pain as well as have an oddly strong resemblance to more serious medical conditions than an anxiety attack will. As you can imagine for a 15/16 year old such as Pedro to be encountering a condition of such magnitude, this must have been a debilitating time in his life.
As time went by and the various individual therapies were to no avail, Pedro began to realize that the only way he “found ease was by connecting with people that were going through the same things”, that he could relate to. He then shares that this how he “got the idea for Hug-a-Group”.
The most beautiful causes, movements and cultures are always the ones that have a leader that at some point was, or is, tortured by the very pain point that they are on a mission to cure. As any innovator knows too well, in order to truly solve a problem you must focus on the WHY as opposed to the WHAT, and only then are you able to really devise an effective strategy for resolution. As his studies furthered, he began to delve deeper into not just what he was experiencing personally, but also into the world of mental health in its entirety. As he became more involved in this pressing topic, he realized that he was only grasping the tip of the iceberg and that this issue had transitioned into what we now know as the global mental health epidemic.
As he continued his quest to improve not only his life but the lives of those around him, he came to a scary realization that when people are essentially “suffering in silence”, they feel extremely helpless since “their immediate circle of close friends and family cannot relate with what they are going through because it’s hard to put it into words that other people can understand.” As Pedro began to hear such frequent tales of internal distress from more and more people it dawned on him that “clearly there is a gap between those who have mental health disorders and those that don’t, and as they cannot understand,” more times than not “they don’t give the necessary attention to it.”
As the human race often falls prey to the out-of-sight, out-of-mind mentality, when it comes to mental health everyone can be at fault of not treating it as a tangible condition. Pedro used the perfect analogy when he said, “It is something that is not measurable, you know? I mean, if you break a leg, you know how you broke it and what needs to be done to fix it. But, if you have O.C.D. or panic attacks, that is not visible to everyone.” It’s a truly tough mission to shed light on an invisible thorn, no matter how bright the rose or how sharp the thorn, so to speak.
Despite the fact that we are flooded with distractions from technology and information, when harnessed in the correct way, the power of technology combined with the easy access to helpful resources that it provides to us are second to none. And this is where Hug-a-Group comes into play. According to Pedro, “Hug-a-Group is a social platform designed for people dealing with emotional problems, connecting them with not only certified therapists, but also people that suffer from the same issues at the same stage at their life. It provides free education about mental health, group meditation sessions, support groups, individual therapy and a mood tracker for the users to stay on top of their emotions and receive the best help based on their behaviour. The vision for Hug-a-Group is to have a safe place to help those who suffer in silence; yet in an interactive and different way of what is done nowadays.” As he continues to discuss further impacting factors of the platform he divulges, “I really believe that technology can have a great impact on this. And, one of the things that I dislike the most about the current available solutions, is the price. Therapy is expensive and it shouldn’t be. We want Hug-a-Group to be affordable to everyone.”
Now when it comes to Pedro’s mission to help humanity, he states that his primary focus is to “prove that traditional solutions can have significantly higher success rates when aligned with technology solutions, such as Hug-a-Group.” And under that laser-focus, his main goals are “to help as many people as I can, by providing them the space, the knowledge and the resources to grow and learn as people. In addition, I work to continue to raise awareness regarding mental health and everything surrounding. Finally, I truly strive to innovate and change how people deal with mental health nowadays. When you go to an appointment, you will always hear two solutions from your psychiatrist: medication and therapy. But you don’t often hear the suggestion of support groups or online solutions.”
When the topic of medication arises, it is one that Pedro is all too familiar with. As he discusses the topic of medication, you can audibly notice the shift in his tone as he transitions to a weighty matter. We take a moment to speak of how the world as we know it treats this important societal issues. Pedro weighs in giving us his input. He states, “there is still a huge taboo; a stigma surrounding mental health issue. I take medication everyday, maybe some people think I’m crazy or I’m depressed, and maybe I am. But what’s wrong with that? Mental health problems are tough, and people that don’t go through them, tend to not take them seriously and that might be the cause for the epidemic that we have. 1 out of 10 young adults suffer from some kind of mental health disorder, which is a 20% increase in the last 10 years. I think that this happened because the lack of importance given to this subject. Thankfully, the paradigm is shifting and more and more people are aware that mental health problems are not something that only “lazy or crazy people” have, but it can affect anyone, anywhere.”
And as a passionate founder, he can’t help himself from sharing some basic tips for those suffering at the present moment, as well as for those who want to help. To those who are undergoing a less than pleasant mental state, his advice is simple, yet effective. “If you are struggling, reach out to someone, talk it out. Don’t isolate yourself. Consult with a doctor, that was what I did and it really helped understand my problem. Lastly, you need to learn how your body and mind works in order to have a better relationship with yourself. I know it is hard, better said then done, but the secret is to know yourself. And that you can learn by reaching out for help, no one will judge you, take my word.”
If you are someone that wants to know the best way to help those suffering, he states “Just do something — talk to people in your community about it; fight the stigma. Mental health awareness is something that is always worth fighting for. If you look for it, you will find the place to help.
So, we asked Pedro how our readers can take advantage of this wonderful creation of his, Hug-a-Group. He explained, the app “is still in development, but head over to the website — https://hugagroup.com — to be one of the first to gain access when it officially launches.”
He says, “We don’t want to be just another app that you will find on the App Store, we want to make an actual difference to you. We want you to grow and give you the tools you need to be better and help others in need in the future. This is our vision, our passion, our cause.”
We can’t be grateful enough that Pedro took the time to share not only his personal pain points, but also discuss the findings of his beyond insightful research and proactive approach to this international exponential issue. As the saying goes, “check on your strong friends” as sometimes people that you think would never in a million years need a shoulder to cry on, are usually the ones bleeding in silence with the darkest souls. This is why it’s imperative to share this with ANYONE that you know. The only way that this conundrum will achieve a true resolution, is by everyone removing the “cumbersome” aura that can occur when we do speak about mental health.
Pedro truly captures the gravity of the situation with his final words:
“Mental health is still a taboo and it’s time to find a safe place to help those who suffer in silence.”
Article based on the interview given to Nakita Harris
