An Outlook on 2022 Mental Wellness Trends
Feb 17, 2022
Over the last few years, celebrities, public figures, and athletes have come forward to discuss their mental wellness and the integral part it plays in their growth and success. This has helped reduce the stigma attached to mental disorders and increase empathy towards mindfulness. But as we move into the third year of the pandemic, there is a drastic increase in the number of people affected with depressive and anxiety disorders.
As per October 2021 Lancet study
First global estimates of the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on mental health in 2020 suggest additional 53 million cases of major depressive disorder and 76 million cases of anxiety disorders were due to the pandemic.
Women and younger people were the most affected by major depressive disorder and anxiety disorders in 2020.
Post pandemic numbers projected in the Lancet study are not surprising. In fact, on December 7, 2021, the Indian government had declared that 10.6 % of Indian adults are facing one or the other mental disorder. Although 2022 won’t be without challenges, we at Market Xcel are optimistic that the government’s and corporates’ enhanced focus on mental wellness would bring positive outcomes.
Market Xcel believes in an inclusive society and seeks to improve communities through social outreach programs in health & nutrition, gender equality, education, and women empowerment. In accordance with our policies, we would like to create a destigmatized society to enhance mental wellness. To this end, we present to you the emerging mental wellness trends for 2022:
1 Tele-Mental health services
In the FY2022 Budget, the Indian Finance minister unveiled the plan of govt-supported Tele-Mental program. Mental health was mentioned separately in the healthcare segment for the first time. What more significant endorsement do we need to understand how essential is Mental Wellness. In urban sectors, the trend of Tele-Mental Health therapy is quite common. The challenge is to spread it beyond the urban sector to the semi-urban and rural areas because mental health still carries a stigma in the Indian hinterland. Brands in the mental wellness segment are already looking forward to initiating schemes & approaches to help remove the stigma and support the patients through telehealth services.
2: Tracking mental wellness through AI
Mental health diagnoses and therapy sessions, with the help of AI, could reduce dependency on physical monitoring. AI sensors can observe patients’ physical and psychological changes as per research. The interpretations and observations curated through AI can help therapists evaluate the treatments. This will help the mental health workers to create personalized and optimal treatment procedures. It is a growing trend but needs a lot of expertise and training before being adopted across the board.
3-Chronic pain and mental health care through VR
Time and again, we have heard about VR technology helping reduce pain sensations or support the management of mental disorders. Today, major wellness brands are adopting it as a part of regular therapy, especially in the case of chronic pain and mental anxieties & disorders. Patients are put through Virtual reality-based treatments that reduce discomfort and bring respite and relief. VR is used explicitly in the case of mental disorders to understand the triggering points and noises/colors that can lead to a specific mental disorder episode. Leveraged appropriately, this can revolutionize the mental wellness segment.
4- Healthy Sleep
Humans are at a strange crossroads. We need help to sleep, the most natural and intrinsic bodily state. But now it’s dependent on many factors – health, fitness, nutrition & mindfulness. A healthy sleep decreases anxiety and provides the body with much-needed time to recuperate from the day’s trauma and stress. According to the Global wellness report, by 2024, the sleep business will be about $585 Billion. Marketers predict that along with good food habits, fitness regime, stressbusters, the sleep market would grow exponentially supported with smartwatches, sleep monitoring apps, AI monitored sleep groups, smart mattresses, health influencers, Gurus to instill in humans the habit of sound and deep sleep.
5- Work-Life balance
In today’s terms, we all are Digital Nomads. Our laptops, phones, iPad, smartwatches are in sync with our office – We are in constant work mode. Europe has begun experimenting with workweeks per the professional profile and requirements to break this unhealthy practice, especially post-pandemic. The hybrid work culture trend is here to stay. It can help young parents take care of kids and work, reduction of travel costs is an added benefit. Corporates save quite a bit with the development of shared workplace concepts – ex We Work. Virtual meetings or physical interactions, social gatherings, HR engagement programs, and retention would need a lot of introspection and innovation by the corporates. Nevertheless, this trend is here to stay and grow.
As Ricky Lankford said – “Balance -The Ultimate Goal.”