Worldwide, 284 million people are living with an anxiety disorder, while 264 million people suffer from depression, according to estimates by Our World in Data. 

May is mental health awareness month. It’s wonderful that we are recognizing and accepting mental health issues—however, stigma still remains. On a networking call with MOVE Online, we discussed how mental, physical, and emotional health should be celebrated and embraced. We must work to remove the shame and fear surrounding mental health problems and continue to provide support for our friends, family members, coworkers, and community members who may be suffering silently.

The COVID-19 pandemic has aggravated mental health issues

"What we don't need in the midst of struggle is shame for being human." - Brene Brown

Everyone goes through challenging times—losing a loved one, getting fired from a job, going through a divorce, and other difficult circumstances can cause feelings of sadness and loneliness. 

The COVID-19 pandemic has further fueled mental health issues by causing an increase in job losses, isolation, fear of contracting the deadly disease, and the 24/7 news cycle showing political and social unrest around the world, including global protests following the killing of George Floyd and other black Americans. 

Additionally, while social media can be a valuable tool for connecting with people at this time of social distancing, it is important to be mindful of the content being consumed, and how much time is being spent on social channels. There can also be a lot of pressure to appear happy or in a state of good mental health on social media, which can make people feel worse. 

Human beings are social creatures and we need connection, community, and companionship in order to thrive in life. While social media helps facilitate this social connection, it can also increase stress, anxiety, uncertainty, and depression. Social platforms should be used for positive interactions—as an outlet for creative expression, raising awareness on important issues, or seeking and offering emotional support during challenging times. 

Mental health is a global health issue

We are living in a time where mental health is now seen as a global health issue. The importance of integrating mental health into preparedness and response plans for public health emergencies worldwide was emphasized at the WHO executive board meeting held in January 2021. The WHO member states requested the following for providing local communities with mental health services:

• Technical support for monitoring changes in and disruptions to mental health services
• Assistance with promoting and expanding access to inclusive, integrated, evidence-based primary and community mental health services, and psychosocial support
• WHO must strengthen its capacity in respect of work on mental health at global, regional, and country levels
• Mental health must be systematically integrated into all aspects of the work on universal health coverage

The American Psychiatric Association notes that global mental health involves the study, research, and practice of improving mental health for all people worldwide. In order to address the issue on a global level, we must take into consideration disparities in mental health treatment and access to care across cultures and countries. 

Technology can help treat mental health issues

Google teamed up with the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) to offer a mental health screening to US residents who search for depression on their phones. The top result is a box called "knowledge panel" which contains information on depression, its symptoms, and potential treatments. It allows people to click on the option and take a confidential, medically backed self-assessment quiz.

March 2020 was when the world fully went into lockdown at the start of the coronavirus pandemic. At G2, the category traffic for Mental Health Software has been on a steady increase over the last year. There has been a 217% increase from March 2020 to March 2021, along with an increase of over 170% in the Patient Engagement Software category from 2020 to March 2021, which illustrated that both patients and providers are looking for ways to connect. 

Growth in G2's Healthcare categories from March 2020 to March 2021

The global telemedicine market size was estimated at $55.9 billion in 2020 and is expected to expand at a compound annual growth rate of 22.4% from 2021 to 2028. The market holds many opportunities to grow during the forecast period owing to the lack of access to care and rising provider adoption of telemedicine, growing consumer demand and patient acceptance, and enhanced quality of care. 

G2 saw the Telemedicine Software category traffic massively grow during the early days of the pandemic with an increase of over 630% from January 2020 to March 2020. The category traffic has remained steady over the last year as more products and reviews have been added to G2.com. 

Technology has opened many opportunities for mental health and wellness support. Mobile devices are giving patients, doctors, and researchers new ways to access each other for help and understanding of mental wellbeing. Mental health support via mobile devices can be simple, such as text message or video support, or more sophisticated apps that utilize artificial intelligence to monitor behavior patterns and detect changes before a crisis occurs. 

There are thousands of mental health apps available—some connect people with mental health professionals or peer counselors and others provide users with tools to calm the mind, such as meditation. There is a lot of progress and excitement around these offerings, but also a lot of uncertainty due to the lack of significant industry regulations and very little information about overall effectiveness.

The pros and cons of mental health software

There are a number of benefits for clients and healthcare providers when it comes to mental health software. The ability to utilize an app or attend a video call from home eliminates the barrier of entry and may be a good first step for those who have avoided mental healthcare in the past.

This new era of mental health technology offers great opportunities but also raises a number of concerns. Tackling potential problems will be an important part of making sure new apps provide benefits without causing harm. 

Public healthcare systems need to catch up

During the COVID-19 pandemic, many therapists and psychiatrists have adapted by moving their appointments from their office and meeting virtually with patients online. While providers may be willing to meet patients where they are and provide help during a time of crisis, insurance coverage, public infrastructure, and regulations need to catch up. 

According to the Global Health Observatory data from WHO, more than 50% of responding member states said that there was a specific national telehealth policy in their country or that there was a reference to telehealth within their national eHealth policy. However, the main barriers to the implementation of telehealth were said to be a lack of funding to develop and support telehealth programs, a lack of infrastructure (equipment, connectivity, or both), competing health system priorities, and a lack of legislation or regulations covering telehealth programs. 

It is essential to have policies in place that provide coverage for treatment through public healthcare systems, but individual private insurance coverage for mental health tends to vary and have narrow networks. In order to provide more people with coverage, it is also important to invest in rural communities and build broadband infrastructure strong enough to host a video conference. There are fewer mental health providers in rural communities and telehealth could help people access needed care. Better mental health screening and treatment could prevent more severe depression, substance use disorders, and even help with suicide prevention. 

The way forward

Jason Kosiba, vice president of direct sales at nView Health, notes that about 50% of people with depression get help, and COVID-19 has increased acute mental health issues and suicide rates. We need to continue to come together as a global community to support people with mental health disorders. We need to take better care of each other and create greater access to care. We need to build support systems to lift each other up during challenging times. 

Although the month of May has been designated as mental health awareness month, we must continue with our efforts to spread awareness and remove the stigma associated with mental health. It is a need of the hour to empower a new view about mental health and wellness.