Five reasons to welcome Digital Mental Health innovations

___ Mapping out the Mental Health startup ecosystem (Medium): “Today, 1 in 5 people have a diagnosable mental illness, and 1 in 20 people have difficulty leading their everyday life due to mental illness. However before even talking about the prevalence of the issue?…one must realize how ineffective the current infrastructure is. Here are some of the most mind-blowing findings: Misdiagnosis: 60% of Americans go undiagnosed and therefore never seek mental health treatment. In the UK, nearly half of adults believe that, in their lifetime, they have had a diagnosable mental health problem, yet only a third have received a diagnosis Inadequate drug prescription: In the US, 80% of psychotropic drugs are prescribed by primary care physicians (PCPs) rather than psychiatrists. In the UK, 75% of GPs have prescribed medication even though they felt psychological therapies would be more effective. Shortage of therapists: There is a 26% appointment rate in the US, with 25 days on average to book an appointment. It is estimated that 75% of people with mental health problems in England may not get access to the treatment they need. Cost: Mental health costs the US $201bn and the UK £105bn every year, this excludes loss of productivity in the workplace and comorbidities. A session with a psychotherapist costs $80-$120 on average, 45% of untreated individuals cites cost as a barrier, and serious mental illness is more prevalent among adults who are uninsured and those who are poor. Wor...
Source: SharpBrains - Category: Neuroscience Authors: Tags: Cognitive Neuroscience Technology comorbidities digital mental health Mental-Health mental-illness misdiagnosis psychological psychological therapies Source Type: blogs