The so-called "COVID-19 Blue," which suffers from depression and loss due to the prolonged COVID-19 pandemic, is spreading, and the mental health care (mental health care) industry is growing rapidly. According to the "World Mental Health Report" released by the World Health Organization (WHO) in June last year, the number of depression patients worldwide was 246 million in 2020, up 28% from 2019 before the pandemic, and the number of anxiety disorder patients increased 26% to 374 million during the same period. In the past, mental illness was often reluctant to receive face-to-face counseling or treatment due to social perspective.
(Picture from Unsplash)
However, amid the daily use of non-face-to-face services during the COVID-19 period and the development of related technologies, more and more people are using mental healthcare applications (apps). Mental health care is no longer just an individual issue. According to the WHO and the International Labor Organization (ILO), the annual loss of mental health problems such as depression on the global economy is estimated to be about $1 trillion (about 1,270 trillion won). Mental healthcare companies armed with the latest technology are attracting attention as important solvers for such problems. Economy Chosun looked at the current status and development potential of mental healthcare tech companies. [Editor's note]
Michael Irwin, director of the Semel Institute of Neuroscience and Human Behavior at UCLA. Michael Irwin, current professor of psychiatry and biological behavioral science at UCLA, former president of the American Academy of Psychosomatic Medicine
Michael Irwin, director of the Semel Institute of Neuroscience and Human Behavior at UCLA. Michael Irwin, current professor of psychiatry and biological behavioral science at UCLA, former president of the American Academy of Psychosomatic Medicine
"Insomnia is a powerful danger sign of depression."
Michael R. Irwin, director of the Semel Institute of Neuroscience and Human Behavior at UCLA, said in a recent written interview, "As a result of the study, the incidence of depression in insomnia patients is five times higher than that of ordinary people." Psychological factors such as anxiety and anxiety cause insomnia. Stress caused by rapid environmental changes also causes insomnia. These insomnia are likely to develop into depression. The number of patients with depression worldwide was 246 million in 2020, an increase of 28% from 2019 before the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reported that 41.5% of U.S. adults were suffering from depression and anxiety symptoms as of early 2021. It is about four times higher than in 2019 (10.8%).
Insomnia is a powerful danger sign of depression. Studies show that persistent sleep disorders, or insomnia, increase the incidence of depression. The incidence of depression among insomnia patients is five times higher than that of ordinary people. You can prevent depression by treating insomnia. You should make good sleeping habits. Improving sleep disorders is very important for improving physical and mental health.
There are some simple ways to make a good sleeping habit. First, follow regular routines such as bedtime and wake-up time. Second, control or control drinking. Third, limit the use of caffeine and other stimulants, including smoking. Stimulant refers to a drug or its ingredient itself that increases work efficiency by awakening the human body physically and mentally. Fourth, do proper physical activities such as exercise. Fifth, you should get enough sun in the morning or during the day. Sixth, maintain good social relationships with others. Anxiety springs from loneliness. Finally, you should reduce stress.
Disaster situations such as COVID-19 often experience mental shocks such as anxiety, fear, and depression. In particular, social distancing has caused different restrictions on daily life, increasing the number of people who are stressed. Rapid changes in circumstances are a major cause of stress. This stress occurs more in young people in their 20s and 30s who have a lot of outside activities. According to a survey of adults living in the U.S. during the pandemic, people with insomnia are more likely to get COVID-19 than those without insomnia, he said. "If you don't get enough sleep, you are at high risk of getting infectious diseases." Sleep disorders have a strong effect on the occurrence of neurological and mental diseases such as cognitive impairment and depression.
Depression is a factor that lowers productivity in the workplace. More and more companies are taking part in employee mental health care.I know that companies such as Google and Cisco are running mental health management programs such as mindfulness meditation. Managing the physical and mental health of employees is becoming more important. Work efficiency is high only when an organization is (mentally) healthy, and creativity and innovation occur.
Google runs an in-house meditation program called 'Search Inside Yourself'. It is an employee competency development program that draws confidence, interpersonal relationships, work skills, and leadership improvement as well as controlling the emotions of Google employees. It also operates the "EAP (Employee Assistance Program)," a professional psychological counseling service, to consult and solve financial and legal concerns as well as employees' physical and mental health.
The use of mental health care mobile applications (apps) is increasing. Take the mindfulness meditation mobile app 'Calm' for example. You can use this app to relieve stress and anxiety and sleep more comfortably. It is to cure insomnia. This is also effective in treating depression. The mobile mental health management app is characterized by its ease of use and relatively low cost.
As the aging population progresses rapidly, the problem of elderly depression is emerging. In the elderly, depression can lead to cognitive decline, dementia, and even suicide. Prevention of depression in the elderly is paramount. There is a need for an early diagnosis system that can identify depression in the elderly. Depression cannot be treated only with drugs such as antidepressants. Prevention is paramount. In particular, it was found that the incidence of depression decreased by more than 50% when the elderly with insomnia were treated. Public health systems should be established to treat insomnia and prevent depression in vulnerable elderly people.
Writer: Yeyoung Jeon
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