OnePoll conducted a poll for Kaiser Permanente that found that over 75% of Americans are now using digital tools to improve their mental health. The survey of 2003 Americans found that 76% of the participants have been more focused on self-care since the pandemic.
The respondents used various tools to improve their mental health, including mental health mobile apps (23%), hobby programs like art and yoga (33%), and self-care videos (42%). Moreover, 48% of the respondents look after their mental health to deal with anger, depression, and anxiety.
The researchers asked the respondents the challenges they wanted to solve. They included financial difficulties (40%), tension with friends and family (37%), and health issues (39%). Others wanted to deal with issues at school or work (26%), other events (29%), worried about the pandemic (33%), intimate relationships (33%), and loneliness (35%).
About 57% of the respondents mediated for about two hours weekly to deal with stress—this number accumulated to about 109 hours per year or 18 minutes daily. Mediation brought benefits such as better sex (42%), improved emotional control (51%), better sleep (57%), and better focus (60%).
Nearly 50% of the poll deals with substance abuse problems. They have tried self-care tools like virtual therapy (43%), one-on-one therapy sessions (45%), and meditation apps (52%).
According to the Vice President for Mental Health and Wellness at Kaiser Permanente Cosette Taillac, the pandemic has affected the well-being of many Americans. For this reason, many have turned to digital tools for cognitive behavioral therapy, meditation, and mindfulness to manage their emotional distress.
However, many respondents were still unwilling to utilize digital self-care tools. Some think the tools are complicated (42%), while others worry about online safety (41%). Another 41% don’t think online tools are as efficient as in-person techniques, and 25% think they might do it wrong.
Cadillac ads that these digital tools are not a replacement for mental health professionally. They are instead complementary. Furthermore, the best self-care apps are vetted by mental health professionals. Receiving authorization makes people more comfortable using them.