World Mental Health Day: Mindful Things We Can Do To Help Those In Need

World Mental Health Day is observed on October 10th, and this year, a special focus is on mental health at the workplace. Tsuyoshi Akiyama, the president of the World Federation for Mental Health (WFMH), announced this year's theme, which was chosen through global voting: "It is Time to Prioritize Mental Health in the Workplace."

Even though we may be working in the same office, on the same team, or sitting beside each other daily, we often fail to understand what's happening in each other's lives. Another reason we do not prioritize mental health at workplaces might be the immense competition among colleagues.

Recent incidents that were highlighted on social media platforms also show how we prioritize work over our mental health. These incidents have accentuated the importance of a supportive work environment. With this year's theme of keeping mental health first, the goal of WFMH is quite clear:'to champion mental health in the workplace and build best practices that create cultures where workers have the potential to contribute productively and thrive.'

But, the question here is, what exactly can one do to make the work environment a healthy place for human minds?

In this blog, we will discuss a few simple yet effective ways to express our support for mental health in the workplace, the role of AI in mental health aids, clinical trials around mental health, and mental health screening.

Simple Ways To Support Mental Health At Workplace

• Practicing gratitude: Being polite and practicing gratitude at the workplace is a simple yet effective way to help de-stress the environment around you while keeping people motivated.

• Some meeting-less days will be appreciated: Once in a while, prioritizing a no-meeting day can be seen as prioritizing coworkers' mental health. There is no harm in taking a breather once in a while.

• Promoting mindfulness activities: Encouraging colleagues to practice mindfulness through meditation, breathing exercises, and yoga is an effective way to support mental wellbeing at the workplace. The mental health apps market continuously works toward creating innovative solutions to help track mindfulness activities better.

• Help by actively listening: Being mindful of others' problems and listening to what they say can sometimes be more effective than devising a solution to their problems.

Besides this, technology also plays a vital role in improving our mental health. Let us discuss the role of AI in mental health management.

Role of AI in Mental Health Management

When used mindfully, artificial intelligence is a powerful tool for telehealth services. It can help in the early detection of mental health disorders by analyzing speech, facial expressions, and other vital signs using Natural Language Processing (NLP) and Machine Learning (ML). Therefore, AI in the mental health market is showing promising growth and is expected to grow at a CAGR of 24.1% from 2024 to 2030.

Key market players are rigorously investing in the R&D of chatbots and virtual therapists to help people detect mental health disorders at an early stage and reach out for basic help. For instance, Fortis Group Company has introduced Adayu, an AI chatbot designed to provide first aid to those facing mental stigma.

Furthermore, AI tools are effectively helping in mental health screening. The global instances of substance abuse, depression, and anxiety are increasing, which are the leading causes of the increasing demand for early detection and intervention. With the support of innovative digital health technologies, the growth of the mental health screening market is also gaining momentum.

Another thought-provoking aspect that arises here is what are the governments and health industry biggies doing to tackle the rising issues of mental health disorders.

Mental Health Clinical Trials

Mental illness is common in the United States, and the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) estimated in 2022 that one in five adults in the U.S. have mental illness. This means 23.1% of the U.S. adult population is affected by one or the other mental health disorder. Such stats have rushed healthcare institutes into running clinical trials for effective yet safe medicines for mental health patients, as currently, available treatments may not be effective for all.

The mental health clinical trials market is anticipated to grow due to investments by key players. For instance, as per Yale School of Medicine, a phase 3, randomized, multicenter, double-blind study is going on to evaluate the effectiveness, tolerability, and safety of psilocybin in adults. The drug is formulated to treat major depressive disorder (MDD).

Just like any other mental illness, postpartum mental health needs extra sensitive care, and we need to be more considerate of the fact that postpartum depression is real!

Postpartum Depression is Real

The North America maternal mental health market is witnessing an upward curve, and the biggest reason is the rising incidents of postpartum depression (PPD) in new mothers. In many other countries, discussing maternal mental health is still seen as taboo and is not addressed at the right time.

PPD is a mood disorder that affects mothers within one year of giving birth. As per the National Library of Medicine, PPD is prevalent and affects 1 in 7 mothers in the U.S., and almost 50% of the cases remain undiagnosed. Many unknowingly term it as 'baby blues,' but PPD is more severe, often resulting in low self-esteem, anxiety, and other symptoms that are similar to depression in adults.

Need of the Hour

Mental health wellbeing at the workplace or outside requires us to be considerate and respectful of how others feel and how we treat them. This World Mental Health Day, let us all come together and discuss our mental health. Discussing your mental health is the first step toward mental wellbeing and will help you cope better with the ups and downs of life.

Wishing you the strength to acknowledge the early signs and act upon them before it's too late!