As per the World Health Organisation (WHO), mental health is a state of well-being that enables people to cope with life’s stresses, realise their abilities, learn well and work well, and contribute to their community. In simple words, it is an essential part of our well-being. However, the importance of mental health wasn’t recognised earlier, and people ignored this aspect. But, with changing times, mental health has finally gained the importance that it deserves.
Mental health is an important issue today. People are troubled with several aspects of their daily lives, which impacts their mental health. Out of these people, a majority do not receive timely care due to a lack of understanding of the issue, societal stigma, and limited access to services, especially in rural areas.
In this context, artificial intelligence (AI) has emerged as a tool for bringing relief to this sphere. It can potentially reduce the gap in the delivery of mental health care. AI has the required technological advancements that are essential in detecting and treating any mental health-related issue. However, given the early stages of AI, it faces specific questions regarding its application in this field. Through this article, we shall see the impact of AI on people’s mental health while understanding the benefits and even the challenges involved.
Present scenario of Mental health in India
Mental health is an intangible issue. It is internal and invisible; hence, a crisis cannot always be presumed. As per the 2016 National Mental Health Survey (NMHS), 5.1% of people in the country were suffering from common mental disorders (CMD), such as depression and anxiety. Out of these, 80.4% were unable to receive treatment. People often face numerous challenges in accessing mental health services. This gap can be because of unequal distribution of mental health and lack of proper implementation of mental health policies.
In addition to this, the NMHS also indicated that 10.6% of adults in India suffer from mental disorders, while the treatment gap ranged between 70% and 92%. Specific incidents have happened in India recently, highlighting the urgent need for attention in this area. Young professionals took extreme steps to end their lives under pressure from their work environments. They were possibly suffering in silence and could not get help in time.
How AI is transforming Mental Health Care?
Artificial intelligence (AI) has started revolutionising mental healthcare in the country. It is providing efficient services like early detection and improving accessibility. The interplay between AI technology and mental health services promises a bright future for all stakeholders as it promises to close the gap that has long existed in this field.
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Early Detection and Diagnosis
This can be deemed the best feature that AI promises. It can identify the signs of mental distress using data analysis. It analyses data from social media, electronic health records, and wearable devices like smartwatches to identify any early signs of mental health issues.
For example, AI may track physiological patterns like sleep schedule and heart rate to analyse and alert (if necessary) before any situation worsens. This allows for a preventive approach to handling the mental health issue.
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Personalised Treatment
Since AI analyses the data from individuals, it increases the possibility of providing treatment plans tailored to their conditions and requirements. It collaborates with healthcare professionals to complete the above purpose. It utilises machine learning algorithms so that healthcare professionals may devise plans based on their profile. This personalised approach allows for an effective treatment that fits the individual’s needs, compared to the existing one-size-fits-all method.
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Accessibility and Support
AI has increased the different kinds of avenues people can use to seek help. For instance, AI-powered chatbots and virtual therapists allow for increased accessibility. More particularly, people with societal stigma or are generally hesitant to seek help will find these avenues useful.
Additionally, it can also provide treatments like therapy, which may be used to treat certain disorders and phobias. AI provides treatment without the traditional appointment system. As stated above, our daily gadgets, like smartwatches, can track and alert professionals for timely intervention. So, it provides the critical support that is needed in these cases.
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Reducing Stigma
AI can be used in the comfort of your home without the intervention of any human being. Therefore, people who are stigmatised from seeking help can anonymously do so. People may feel more comfortable discussing their issues with a chatbot than with a human. This encourages them to seek all the help that they need.
Initiatives by the Government
The Government of India has recognised the need for timely intervention in mental health cases and, therefore, has taken a proactive approach to dealing with this issue.
One of their prominent initiatives is Tele Mental Health Assistance and Networking Across States (MANAS). It is a telemental health service focused on digital mental health. The significant challenges in the Indian demographic are the shortage of mental health professionals, associated stigma, and insufficient access, especially in remote areas. Tele MANAS provides free, 24×7, remote mental health care to tackle these. It was introduced in 2022, and since then, it has set up 51 cells and received lakhs of calls.
Further, Tele MANAS in Jammu and Kashmir introduced a chatbot that connects counsellors with individuals seeking help through WhatsApp. Moreover, the government took the initiative to integrate this service with eSanjeevani. The latter is for doctor consultation through video conferencing, enabling users to receive prescriptions for psychiatric medication.
In 2020, the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment established a crisis support hotline called KIRAN. This was made to provide 24-hour support to individuals seeking mental health support. KIRAN will be merged with TeleMANAS to offer a better quality of service.
In 2021, the government introduced an application for mental health called the Mental Health and Normalcy Augmentation System (MANAS). It offers support for mental wellness, guided meditation, mood tracking, task planning, etc.
Challenges in Implementation
Several challenges may be faced while integrating AI into mental health. One of them is Data privacy. It is a primary concern, as sensitive patient information has to be protected because it can create chaos in case of a data breach. Another limiting factor is the accuracy of AI. Ultimately, these systems work on algorithms, and they may misinterpret data, leading to wrong diagnoses or treatments. Human intervention is needed here until these systems are perfected.
Another issue is AI bias. It may read the data inaccurately, leading to unreliable predictions or reinforcement of social bias. To tackle this, AI developers and mental health professionals should work together to reduce any bias.
In conclusion, integrating Artificial Intelligence with the mental health field provides a promising future. It has the potential to revolutionise this field forever with appropriate technology, proper mechanisms and the ability to collaborate with health care professionals. This makes it a very useful tool. However, its fair share of challenges, such as data privacy, algorithm accuracy, and potential biases, must be addressed. These challenges will be resolved over time, with thorough deliberation between the stakeholders involved. Overall, the interplay between these two fields promises a bright future for treating mental health issues in India.
