A portal to aid mental health

CHENNAI: The talk about mental health has gained momentum over the past few years. Yet, a taboo prevails. Those who have identified issues in themselves, hesitate to go out and seek help.

So, bringing help to your computer screens is Regreen, a digital health platform started by city-based healthcare professionals to cater to your mental health needs. The website was launched on Independence Day “to give Independence to everyone from their mental health problems,” says Dr Prabhu Mayakesavan, part of the Regreen project. 

The digital platform is a pioneering force, specifically within the burgeoning field of digital mental health. It is born out of the idea that mental health services can reach anybody anywhere at any time. Language, time and the place should not be a problem for any individual to gain access. The mission of the company is to “regreen the mental landscape,” symbolising their commitment to help regain mental health, just like regrowing a green forest.

Problems and solutions

Dr Prabhu pointed out that the seed for most mental health issues is generally sown during childhood because of problems such as losing someone or being abused — emotionally, sexually, or physically, which is very common in Indian society. Sharing his own mental health journey, he said, “I went through a lot of problems when I was young, At that time nothing happened but when I reached adulthood there was an issue and it further complicated over the years.”  

To address all the issues, the company plans to use a sophisticated AI-based platform, that employs machine learning algorithms to find out the root cause of every problem, analyse, provide automation of every evaluation, and offer personalised mental health support — to be dealt with by a psychiatrist, psychologist, or a life coach. The individual could get the services in their own language at their safe space, and if prescribed medicines, get them delivered to the doorstep. 

They offer four categories of help — Adult Mental Health (Adult mental health treatment for overall wellness), Mental Health for Children (Early intervention of mental health treatment in children), Preventive Mental Wellness (promote well-being before challenges escalate), and Employee Assistance Program (EAP), for the corporate. 

These can be availed online. Unlike traditional practice where individuals have to sit and talk to professionals, here, they can get onto the website, and answer some questions that indicate anxiety and depression levels. Based on that, if you require assistance in handling anxiety and depression, further questionnaires will pop up and the machine will decide your treatment, and if at all you require one. 

Destigmatise the stigma
Regreen’s approach is data-driven and scientifically rigorous. The data collected will be researched by collaborating with universities, research institutions, and hospitals to evaluate the effectiveness of their digital offerings. Their community outreach programmes focus on increasing mental health literacy, promoting early intervention, and reducing stigma.

As most of the challenges develop at an early age, Dr Prabhu recommends that mental wellness practices be incorporated at home and at school. He says, “Schools have to be empowered or teachers need to be empowered to detect if the child has any mental health issues or not. If not them, then at least a system should be there that could be accessed in time of need.” If parents at home and teachers at school are aware of the basic warnings and if they think the child has some issue then they should consult a professional, either at school or at a hospital.

Regreen envisions a future where quality mental health care is universally accessible. The company plans to expand its services globally, adapt its offerings to more languages and cultures, and continuously refine its algorithms for better understanding and serving its users.
For details, visit: regreen.co.in

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