Trends in mental health
Welcome to the age of therapy on demand
Top Psychology Trends for 2023 from The American Psychology Association (APA.org)
CLICK ON IMAGE TO PLAY
The 2020’s started a tremendous shift in how we view mental health.
When the pandemic hit, the consequences were evident. People were forced to isolate. Education and workplaces went ‘remote’. Across the world, loved ones were being lost and fear was rampant.
These factors all shed light on the significance of mental health. People who had never experienced mental health challenges before were realizing that their moods and behaviours could be impacted by circumstances beyond their control. Concerns around mental health and the treatments available started becoming a conversation in mainstream society, workplaces, schools and governments across the world.
These conversations have put us into an exciting position to move forward with less stigma, more understanding and fewer barriers to care. So, what are the trends in mental health that we can expect? Let’s find out…
Trend 1: Remote therapy is here to stay
Telepsychology—which includes care delivered via phone, video or both—began around the 1960s to deliver care remotely to hard-to-reach populations who were geographically distant from specialized care.
When the pandemic hit, mental health professionals could no longer provide traditional in-person sessions and were forced to offer their care remotely. With under stay-at-home orders in place and the majority of our daily activities forced online, telepsychology became the only option for those in need of mental health support. Numerous people became used to attending appointments remotely and for those who had never received mental health support before, being able to access treatment became less of barrier. Not only did remote care allow mental health providers to reach more people - including those geographically isolated - those with a lack of mobility, a fear of stigma, or a lack of insurance coverage were able to enter therapy for the first time.
And research to date shows mental health care delivered remotely—also known as telepsychology or teletherapy—is effective…essentially just as effective as face-to-face psychotherapy—and retention rates are higher.
Even though restrictions have lifted and we are ‘back to normal’, the popularity and efficacy of remote therapy has not diminished. Many individuals just don’t want to go back to in-person therapy and mental health professionals recognize the benefits to their clients. Not only is telepsychology - in all it’s forms - more accessible; it is convenient, saves time, and in many cases it is more affordable. It also offers a sense of comfort and safety for those struggling with meeting in-person due to physical, emotional, or mental challenges like social anxiety.
Remote therapy is here to stay.
Trend 2: Digital mental health resources and tools
During the pandemic, technology became widely adopted and had a significant impact on the practice of telepsychology which can be phone-based, text-based, or video-based. Individuals, private practices, organizations and companies during and since then have created content, online courses and apps to provide a variety of therapeutic resources, supports and treatments for a variety of mental health issues.
For example… you can read or listen to a podcast from Brené Brown to improve your self-esteem. You can take a MasterClass in “Mental Strength” or “Mindfulness and Mediation” to learn how to cope with stress. You can use one of the many mental health apps now available like “Calm” or “MindShift CBT” to help you with your overthinking and anxiety.
This is just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to what’s available. For better and worse, mental health information is at your fingertips. Blog posts, YouTube videos, social media posts, e-books, online workshops and courses, downloadable worksheets… the list goes on and on. Digital sources of content and tools for individuals to access and utilize to improve and maintain their mental health will continue to rise.
Trend 3: Employers are starting to prioritize mental health at work
The bottom line is that putting employees' well-being first is good for business from both a company and people perspective. Just from a business standpoint, mental health challenges impact employee retention, satisfaction and job performance. It is estimated that lost productivity due to mental health illness cost Canadian businesses $6 billion annually. (And this was pre-Covid.)
Then the pandemic hit and employees were forced to work from home - trying to navigate zoom calls, child-care and schoolwork - all from the kitchen table. As a result, mental health symptoms of stress, burnout, anxiety and depression rose, and this left many people re-evaluating their work/life balance and even their career choice.
In fact, according to Stats Canada, “among those who were employed during the first four months of 2021, more than one in five (21.5%) had a physical, mental health, cognitive or other disability. This was an increase of 2.7 percentage points compared with 2019 (18.8%).”
Now that companies and organizations have asked employees to return to the office, many have struggled with going back to the way things were. Long commutes, the expense and time travelling, office politics, etc., are hard to stomach now that the convenience, cost-savings and flexibility of remote work has been experienced. Canadian job seekers are now putting a larger focus on factors like corporate culture, career development opportunities, and work-life balance. Canadians - especially the younger generations - want to work for organizations that place a high priority on employee welfare.
Research continues to show that employees who are well - both mentally and physically - have a positive impact on everything from retention to productivity, to workplace satisfaction, job performance and employee engagement.
Creating a psychologically safe and supportive workplace is not just the right thing to do, it’s a legal, business and health imperative. The research and statistics support this statement and forward-thinking workplaces are recognizing the benefits of investing in the mental health of their employees. More and more companies are providing remote employment, flexible work schedules and paid time off for "mental health days", or the use of workplace mental health education programs. Others provide employees with access to counselling services, technology tools or applications to promote good mental health. This trend is likely to continue and grow moving forward.
Trend 4: There will be more mental health education in schools
Unfortunately, our children and youth are struggling.
In 2020, EVERFI researchers explored the impact of COVID-19 on the mental health of 11,000 students:
38% reported that they were more concerned about their mental well-being, and more than half reported feeling more stressed
35% were more concerned about their use of technology
47% were more concerned about academic preparedness
33% were more concerned about connections to their peers
According to the Canadian Institute for Health Information, the rates of mental health disorders, hospitalizations and medications for children and youth age 5 to 24 have continued to rise year to year:
Nearly 1 in 4 hospitalizations were for mental health conditions in 2020
In 2020 Kids Help Phone reported 2x as many interactions (phone calls, texts, use of self-directed help resources) across Canada compared with 2019
Females represent 58% of hospitalizations for mental health disorders (Males 42%)
And, as CAMH indicates, these statistics show the depth of the problem:
Young people aged 15 to 24 are more likely to experience mental illness and/or substance use disorders than any other age group
Currently, 39% of Ontario high-school students indicate a moderate-to-serious level of psychological distress (symptoms of anxiety and depression)
A further 17% indicate a serious level of psychological distress
In Ontario about 14% of high-school students report having seriously contemplated suicide in the past year
4% of high-school students report having attempted suicide
After accidents, suicide is the second leading cause of death for people aged 15 to 24
As all this evidence demonstrates, the variety of concerns that young people are having are not being addressed. Governments, health professionals and educators are recognizing the need for mental health education to provide students with the knowledge, tools, skills and confidence necessary to cope with ongoing and future challenges.
By investing in mental health education and services, young people will have access to a more holistic education - appropriate for the intellectual and emotional growth. Students will start learning about mathematics, science and literature while also learning the skills to recognize and cope with mental health issues amongst themselves and their peers.
This is a mental health trend that will likely to continue as it only benefits society - both economically and socially. In fact, according to the World Health Organization, depression and anxiety cost the global economy $1 trillion a year in lost productivity. For every $1 spent on effective social-emotional learning programming, the return on investment is $11 in long term benefits (to students, communities, and schools).
Trend 5: The power of food on mental health
Scientific evidence has shown that there is an intimate connection between the brain and gastrointestinal tract - which is frequently referred to as the "second brain" - and this is what causes the connection between diet and emotions. Within the GI tract, there are millions of bacteria which affects the creation of the chemicals that constantly send signals from the gut to the brain. Dopamine and serotonin are two examples.
When we consume foods that are nutrient-dense, it encourages the development of "good" bacteria, which in turn benefits the production of these chemicals. Our brain hears these “positive” messages when production of these chemical are at their peak, and our mood changes as a result. However, if production is off, mental health can suffer.
Sometimes, stress and depression are severe and that can impact not just how someone thinks, but what foods they eat, and their connection to how their body feels in general. An important part of recovering from depression, trauma, and anxiety is looking at the whole lifestyle, which includes what one eats, and if nutritional needs are being met. Sometimes a deficiency can be a contributing factor to low mood, which is the case with anemia (low iron) or not having enough magnesium (which can impact anxiety).
The new field of nutritional psychology has emerged to address how to use the food we eat to achieve a holistic and whole-body approach to address mental health symptoms.
In psychiatry, we are finally beginning to talk about the power of food as medicine for mental health.
Although many dietitians do similar tasks, there are several specialties within the field:
Clinical dietitians provide medical nutrition therapy. They create customized nutritional programs based on the health needs of clients and counsel clients on how to improve their health through nutrition which can include: diabetes management, weight management, inflammatory bowel disease, kidney disease, digestive disorders, or other specific conditions.
Mental health dietitians, help people to explore the overlap between what they eat and how they feel. Their role as a mental health dietitian is to help you improve mental wellness by addressing eating habits, behaviours or lifestyles that may need adjustments or intervention.
With nutrition counselling individuals learn what nutrients can positively impact the brain, and any nutritional deficiencies that may be contributing, or causing symptoms. In addition to nutrition, there is also talk about other lifestyle factors that can impact mental wellbeing, such as exercise, sleep, and stress management. By taking this whole body approach to mental health, individuals are able to address the root causes of their symptoms to support overall health and wellbeing.
Mental health is health.
For both individual and societal well-being, good mental health is essential, however in 2022, the World Health Organization (WHO) estimated that one in eight people globally were living with a mental disorder. The pandemic contributing to an increase in anxiety, stress, depression, and other mental diseases globally. However, it also exposed the worrisome lack of qualified mental health professionals and comprehensive mental health services to those requiring support.
Although we are currently observing a shift in how society as a whole about giving mental health more importance in our daily lives, there is far to go to fully comprehend and address some key issues that need to be addressed by governments and policymakers across the world. The 2022 World Government Summit (WGS) report on making wellbeing a national priority proposed these key measures and initiatives:
Specifically:
Increased government funding for the recruitment, clinical training, and deployment of mental health professionals.
Broad access to digital mental healthcare and mental wellbeing products and services in developed and developing countries
Collecting and processing more comprehensive, detailed data on child and adolescent mental healthcare and wellbeing by leveraging new technologies and data analytics
In summary, the report highlighted the following considerations:
Even though there is more awareness and less stigma about receiving mental health support, many individuals around the world struggle to access mental healthcare from trained professionals.
As many governments realize that mental health is essential for their citizens’ wellbeing and the overall health of society, the challenge will be to leverage the advances in technologies and remote therapy while ensuring that these services and products are regulated just like those within physical healthcare.
There needs to be a shift from treatment to prevention in terms of mental health - as in all healthcare - it is better for the individual, the economy and society to focus on the prevention of illness instead of the treatment.
Overall the state of mental healthcare is ever evolving. Individuals need and want care and now the challenge is to deliver it. Society’s efforts to weave mental healthcare and self-care into all aspects of daily life will most likely continue and with continued conversations about the importance of “collective” mental health, the future of mental healthcare is something positive to look forward to. With easier access to care, technological advances and breakthrough treatments, more inclusive and more affordable treatment… mental healthcare will simply be viewed as healthcare.
We’re here if you need help.
Therapy is a valuable tool that can help you to solve problems, set and achieve goals, or teach you new ways to keep yourself in check. It can help you to build the life, career, and relationship that you want. Does everybody need it? No. But if you are curious about working with a therapist, that curiosity is worth pursuing.
We know it takes a great amount of courage to examine your life and to decide that there are things you would like to change. And, it takes more courage to do something about it. We can help. We offer free consultations for anyone in Ontario considering individual or couples counselling, online at The Dot. We will go through any of your questions and concerns to help you decide whether online counselling is the right choice for you.
SOURCES
World Health Organization World health statistics 2022: monitoring health for the SDGs, sustainable development goals
CAMH The Crisis Is Real
American Psychological Association How well is telepsychology working?
Deloitte Mental health and well-being
PwC The Future of Wellbeing
Human Resources Professionals Association Mental Health in the Workplace