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As Mental Health Awareness Week begins today, new research from AI mental health app Wysa is reporting that one in three workers is experiencing a moderate to severe level of anxiety.
These figures are double the level stated. Official figures from the Office for National Statistics show one in six of us suffer from mental health issues, an increase from one in 10 before the Covid pandemic.
Wysa also revealed that more than half of people experiencing symptoms of anxiety have not spoken with a health care professional about the problem. This was lower in 40% of cases because victims did not feel the problem was serious enough, while 29% said they were too embarrassed to seek help.
When asked by Wysa, employees were in favor of digital solutions to help with their mental well-being. It found that 81% would prefer to speak to an app rather than their HR teams, while 53% would favor an app rather than a doctor, and 43% would prefer a digital solution rather than consulting a GP.
Wysa Managing Director Ross O’Brien said: ,The anxiety scale in our population is higher than ever before, and clearly new solutions are needed. We need better education, to break down stigma, and solutions that work for people when they need them, wherever they are.
With the current mental health crisis, the integration of AI into the mental health ecosystem is poised to be a transformative development.
Wysa’s offerings can be accessed on a virtual or mobile platform, helping to address the essential issue of inclusivity and equity in access. In addition, adding artificial intelligence as the first step in the continuum of care is helping to address the shortage of qualified professionals and barriers related to stigma, cost, and availability.
A previous report from Wysa found that teens are increasingly turning to social media for mental health support, highlighting the need for digital solutions to address the problem.
Mental Health Awareness Week this year is from Monday 15 May to Sunday 21 May and the theme is anxiety.
