AI-based app of AIIMS to help students avail counselling for mental health

Key Highlights:

• AIIMS Delhi is launching an AI-based app, 'Never Alone', to provide mental health counselling for students in educational institutions.
• The app can be accessed through WhatsApp and a QR code, offering both online and offline consultations.
• The initiative will initially be launched at AIIMS Delhi, AIIMS Bhubaneswar, and IHBAS Shahdara.
• The app uses the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM) for clinical evaluation.
• Institutes can subscribe to the service for students to access virtual and offline consultations at a cost of 70 paisa per day.
• In 2022, over 1.7 lakh people in India died by suicide, with 35% being young adults aged 18-30.

Detailed Insights:

• The 'Never Alone' app aims to reduce the stigma associated with seeking mental health care among students by providing accessible and confidential support.
• The app offers 24/7 access to mental health and wellness experts, facilitating early diagnosis and intervention for students in need.
• The DSM is used to standardize the identification of mental disorders by matching symptoms and behaviors against established criteria.
• According to a WHO report, approximately 7.27 lakh people died by suicide globally in 2021, with 73% of these deaths occurring in low and middle-income countries.
• NCRB data indicates that suicide rates in India reached a 56-year high in 2022, highlighting the urgent need for mental health support initiatives.
• The program includes screening, intervention, and post-intervention follow-up, ensuring comprehensive mental health support for college and university students.

Key Concepts Involved:

• AI (Artificial Intelligence): The simulation of human intelligence processes by computer systems.
• Mental Health: A person's condition with regard to their psychological and emotional well-being.
• DSM (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders): A standardized classification system used for the diagnosis of mental disorders.