Introduction
Mental health is a major issue in our country. According to Mental Health America, about 45 million Americans experience mental illness each year, which means that about 1 in 5 adults have some form of mental illness. And yet, despite the prevalence of mental health problems and illnesses, many people still suffer alone because they're afraid to speak up or seek help due to stigma surrounding mental illness. We've made a lot of progress as a nation when it comes to talking about these issues openly—but there's still more work that needs to be done! If you're interested in learning more about some of the current trends in this area, read on!
Technology becomes more effective
The use of technology to support mental health is a trend that has been gaining momentum for some time. It's no longer just apps that can help you track your mood or remind you to take your medication, but now there are also tools that help with diagnosing and treating mental health conditions.
There are games designed to help people cope with anxiety, mindfulness apps that alert you when it's time for self-care, and even an artificial intelligence avatar like Chloe who can act as a therapist without the need for face-to-face interaction or expensive therapy sessions.
Many experts believe this digital approach to treating mental health will continue in 2022.
More companies adopt mental health programs
When it comes to mental health in the workplace, you’ve probably heard a lot about the importance of providing appropriate accommodations for employees with disabilities. But what most companies don't realize is that helping employees deal with common stressors like daily commute times or being overworked is a win-win situation—it not only helps to increase employee satisfaction and performance at work, but also reduces absenteeism and lost productivity. And as more companies adopt mental health programs (as they should), we can expect to see those numbers grow even further.
Moreover, when companies implement these programs they can expect some unexpected benefits: improved employee morale that translates into better retention rates; potentially lower healthcare costs due to decreased absenteeism; attractive perks for prospective job candidates who might want to take advantage of them; and greater productivity among current employees who feel supported by their employer in this way.
A new focus on young people's mental health
As the oldest members on this list, we’ve been in the workforce for many years. That means that our experience is limited to what mental health was like in the past. But did you know that young people are more likely than older generations to experience mental health issues?
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports that one in five children between the ages of 13 and 18 has a diagnosable mental disorder at any given time—a common statistic that shows just how much of an impact teen mental health can have on them throughout their lives. Because young people often struggle with depression or anxiety, they’re at higher risk for self-harm, substance abuse, and suicide attempts compared to teenagers who don't suffer from these conditions (and sometimes even those who do).
The stigma surrounding mental health conditions lessens
Stigma is one of the biggest barriers to living with and treating mental health conditions. If you have depression, anxiety or another mental illness, you may feel like it's impossible to get help because of the stigma surrounding your condition.
Stigma can affect many aspects of your life including:
Your ability to get a job
Your access to healthcare and insurance coverage for treatment
Your acceptance in society as whole (especially if you're a minority)
People become more aware of the different types of mental health conditions and how to treat them.
Mental health conditions are a spectrum, not a binary state of being. Even if you've lived your whole life with one or more mental illness, it's likely that you have never been properly diagnosed. This is because there are many different types of mental disorders and each person experiences them differently.
On top of this, some disorders can be treated in different ways at different stages in life—so even if you have been diagnosed with an illness before in your life, it may not be true for the rest of your days.
There are more opportunities for treatment and support.
According to the [National Alliance on Mental Illness](https://www.nami.org/), there are more opportunities for treatment and support than ever before. One reason for this is that there are more resources available. There are also new treatments available, as well as support groups and other programs designed to help people with mental health conditions manage their symptoms and recover from trauma or stressors in their lives—all of which can help them live more productive lives.
Additionally, many people are now aware that mental health conditions come in many different forms: There is no one-size-fits-all solution for managing these issues, so it's important for everyone who experiences a mental illness to seek out appropriate interventions that work best for them—whether those interventions involve medication or therapy or some combination of both!
Mental health conditions become a bigger part of our national conversation.
Mental health concerns are at the forefront of our national conversation. More people are talking about mental health, seeking help for mental health-related problems and being open about their own experiences with a mental illness. This is an encouraging sign that we’re becoming more aware of the importance of taking care of our minds—and one another’s minds.
The need to support others who may be struggling with mental illness was highlighted by the tragic suicides in January 2019 at Clemson University and Yale University. Both universities have made efforts to provide resources for students who are experiencing emotional distress or suicidal thoughts, but much more work remains to be done on campuses everywhere.
A lot of progress has been made in the field of mental health, and is likely to continue being made
In the past few years, mental health has become an increasingly important topic. Awareness and understanding of mental health issues have increased as well as the number of resources available to help people deal with them.
In addition to these positive developments, there are some trends to watch out for in 2022 that could affect how we approach and treat mental illness:
Conclusion
Hopefully, these trends will help to make your life easier and more comfortable. We’re glad that you could join us on this journey. Contact Gupta Psychiatry for more information!