The mental health crisis is increasing worldwide Can psychiatry AI bridge the gap?

The global mental health crisis is exacerbated by a shortage of mental health professionals. At the same time, the World Health Organization (WHO) reports that 1 in 4 people on the planet will have a mental health problem at some point in their lives In 2022, in the United States alone, 23 % of the adult population psychological health problem. and almost half of them do not receive the treatment they need.

This is despite the fact that mental health problems make up 10% of the global health burden index. But compared to the number of mental health workers, the number is much smaller, only 1%. There are also differences in access to care in countries around the world, with low-income countries having less than one psychiatrist per 100,000 people, for example.

To solve the gap of inequality that tends to increase Many health professionals are starting to turn to AI to diagnose and treat patients.

AI as a tool to solve mental health problems

The hallmark of artificial intelligence (AI) technology is its ability to process large amounts of data from multiple sources. and currently in Thailand It has an AI platform to assess and diagnose the mental health of users. including speaking, making assessments, and even detecting tone of voice. They can also advise on treatment that is appropriate for each patient. This is considered to be beneficial in reducing the burden on medical staff.

However, like other technologies that have transformative effects on society, the role of AI as a mental health solution raises a number of ethical concerns.

Although AI is effective in detecting mental health problems in the early stages, such as detecting abnormal emotional tone, However, it must be acknowledged that mental health problems are subtle and complex to diagnose and to they need a psychologist or psychiatrist to treat them. It is not yet clear whether the company that developed the AI ​​tool will continue to use it to train AI models.

In this regard, some experts and analysts consider that In the future, as technology advances, AI platforms will become more adept at recognizing emotional and behavioral patterns. To enable personalized care to be designed more precisely When developed to that level, the role of AI as a tool to solve mental health problems will fill gaps in public health systems around the world Because can solve the global shortage of mental health professionals.