Our mental health depends on video

The reach of the silicon chip has permeated nearly everything we do.

Digital platforms have overhauled the relationships between customers, employers, and workers — while a cultural revolution that prioritizes digital media over all other forms of content has yielded both challenges and opportunities to improve these connections.

This shift is increasingly felt between mental health providers and patients. Now, the presence of smartphones and internet access among a wide variety of demographics has expanded the range of access points along the patient journey. 

Suddenly, we are able to reach populations that have historically suffered among the uneven distribution of access to mental health care:

• We are now able to meet individuals in places and at times they feel comfortable engaging with mental health resources – anonymously and on-demand.
• We can respond to shifting societal trends as the demand for mental health resources outstrips traditional capacities for care. 
• Most importantly, we can reduce the barriers of cost, time, and stigma by adapting to the current digital landscape. 

So, how do we leverage these tools effectively and responsibly?

Well, we know from numerous studies that health and medical topics are among the most popular searches online. The internet, whether it holds adequate resources or not, is widely considered a first step in seeking help for mental health concerns. 

Digital noise can provide a deafening backdrop to the oftentimes uneasy process of examining one’s mental health experiences. Resources can be difficult to understand, hard to find, misleading, negative, and even triggering. There exists the real possibility that encountering these types of materials can steer people away from seeking help or even contribute to worsening symptoms. 

As providers and leaders within the mental health space working to create valuable resources, our collective challenge is to reframe the potential inefficiencies of a system rife with widespread digital noise as opportunities to elevate the distribution and access of high-quality, precise tools by leaning into developments in consumer habits. 

Getting the right tools in front of the right people at the right times

We must understand the patterns of digital media consumption and tailor our solutions to these habits.

We know of the decreases in how much of an article people are willing to read. We know that over half of all page views receive less than 15 seconds of attention. And we know that digital audiences’ attention spans are narrowing. 

We also know that the popularity of online videos is surging — especially as a mechanism for information gathering. Where both video and text are available on the same page, 72% of people would rather use video to learn about products or services. Even more staggeringly, viewers retain 95% of a message when they watch it on video compared to a paltry 10% when reading it in text. That gap has huge repercussions for mental healthcare providers seeking to equip individuals with comprehensive and accurate materials.

With a large scope of people using the internet as a gateway to learn about mental health, suicide prevention, and substance use topics, we need to address the needs of individuals at these points in their patient journey – the knowledge-gathering, awareness, and research stages prior to taking action to seek treatment, as needed. To empower individuals to access treatment and guide them toward efficient utilization of services, education comes first. 

It’s clear the most effective strategy to disseminate impactful information on mental health education is by including digital video content within resources. As the ideal delivery mechanism, video media functions as the keystone in spreading mental health information to the world. 

Join me and three other pioneers in the digital mental health space from NeuroFlow, Genomind, and Centerstone on August 1st at 11 am EST to learn more about applying digital tools to overcome key challenges around population health management, operational efficiency, and patient engagement.

Follow this link to register for the free webinar