Startups are essential to any industry because they bring new ideas and creativity to the world. Yet, there is a case to be made that startups that focus on resolving these urgent issues are more crucial than ever in light of growing concerns like mental health disorders and digital addictions.

Naturally, a great deal of activity has already occurred in this area. Whereas getting advice on health and wellness used to only mean going to the doctor or taking a cool walk outside, there are now a plethora of businesses offering advice on how individuals can take care of their wellbeing.

Therefore, considering that smartphone addiction is linked to a host of mental health and wellbeing issues, finding novel approaches to address it is imperative.

Mental Health and Social Media

There are various reasons why social media is great. It may entertain us, provide us a way to socialize, let us see what our friends are up to, and let us share a creative glimpse into our life.

Regretfully, it can negatively impact our mental health for precisely these same reasons.

Social media networks use strategies to draw people in and keep us riveted to our devices. We are constantly moving from one piece of material to the next due to autoplay capabilities and the capacity to browse endlessly, which gives us a dopamine boost when we interact with content.

In addition, social networking applications can provide a wealth of options for enhancing your social interactions and life. You may message and video call friends, like material, virtually follow people, and much more using these applications. You can also see what other people are up to.

These all-inclusive social media sites may unintentionally diminish in-person connections and interactions, encouraging loneliness and maybe discouraging us from becoming engaged. Furthermore, being able to keep such a close eye on people through social media can lead to worry and low self-esteem, which in turn can exacerbate melancholy and mental stress in general.

Because social media provides a virtual environment where people believe they may act however they like without facing consequences, it can also serve as a prime breeding ground for cyberbullying.

Even while people are becoming more conscious of the negative consequences that excessive screen time can have, many still struggle to overcome their dependence on technology.

Fortunately, creative entrepreneurs and companies are popping up to counter this tendency and provide ways to lessen the negative effects prolonged mobile phone use has on mental health.

How Mobile Dependence Is Being Redefined by Startups

Words like wellness tech and the health and wellness sector have become very popular in the last several years. In fact, given how commonplace these labels have grown in today’s business environment, it can be challenging to avoid them.

This increase can be partially ascribed to the prosperity of companies that promote mental health and wellbeing. People are increasingly looking for alternatives to traditional healthcare systems and relying on the customized services offered by businesses and smartphone apps.

Though these are only a few examples of the platforms that are becoming more and more popular in this area, most people have probably heard of BetterHelp, Calm, and Headspace. People may now improve their well-being with a wide range of affordable, customized, and easily accessible options thanks to the growing wellness business.

From mobile therapy apps to the emergence of various “wellness tech” wearables and gadgets that track your heart rate, stress levels, and sleep patterns, among other things, the mental health and wellness market not only provides countless opportunities for people to learn about improving their well-being, but it has also grown to be a very profitable one.

This market, which is very profitable and still growing, is now a great place for companies to innovate. Businesses are rushing to address gaps in the market, whether it is by producing more cheap devices to track health and well-being or more individualized mental health solutions.

A cursory examination of the flourishing and up-and-coming entrepreneurs within this field indicates how they are revolutionizing the field of mental health and wellness.

For example, Lyra Health, which was established in 2015 and is regarded as one of the industry’s most successful startups, offers its members a “personalised mental health experience.” This includes therapeutic sessions, self-guided programs, in-person care, and video conferencing.

Lyra Health’s services may assist its members in addressing mental health conditions like depression, anxiety, low self-esteem, and sleep difficulties that are made worse by using mobile phones, even though they do not specifically target mobile phone dependency.

There are other startups that are focused on combating our reliance on mobile phones.

For example, Hoop is a digital business whose goal is to divert children off screens—TV, computer, social media, and online gaming—and into healthful activities. The smartphone app encourages children to engage in activities that lessen obesity and enhance mental health in order to achieve this.

Some firms concentrate on offering rewards and activities that divert your attention from the screen of your smartphone and direct it toward other pursuits.

Additionally, companies like Swyno and Firth Flock Flowers promote social disengagement from social media and real-world interaction, which is indicative of a larger movement towards offline interactions and mindfulness.

While Firth Flock Flowers encourages individuals to re-establish ties with the real world through in-person floristry lessons, Swyno does this by encouraging young people to take a break from social media and immerse themselves in bilingual reading.

The broader mental health market is only expected to grow, regardless of the solutions entrepreneurs in this field are implementing.

The potential for success for businesses in the mental health field is highlighted by Business Wire’s prediction that the worldwide industry will reach $150 billion by 2028.

However, even with the market’s success, the issue still stands: Has this resulted in better mental health everywhere? Let’s investigate more closely.

The Fight For Mental Health

Who will win the constant struggle for our mental health, in which the allure of social media pits us against our concentration and wellbeing?

The startups mentioned above are instances of some of the inventive and imaginative approaches being developed to help individuals put their mental health first and step away from their phones. These firms are leading the way in encouraging mental health and well-being, from creating incentives to get you out of the digital world and into the real one to offering therapy and care to people who are struggling.

However, a review of statistics from the past few years shows how difficult it is for us to prevail in the struggle for our mental health and wellbeing.

The pandemic of 2020 dealt a severe blow to mental health worldwide. Forbes reports that during and after the epidemic, there was a sharp increase in the prevalence of anxiety and depression illnesses.

The publication states that: “Depressive symptoms grew from a base of about 193 million people worldwide to 246 million” and “Anxiety disorders grew from about 298 million people affected to 374 million, which is about a 25% increase.” A staggering rise.

Since then, the industry for mental health and wellness has seen record investment. But has this surge in funding made a dent in these statistics?

Unfortunately, new research presents a dismal picture.

Action for Children estimates that as of 2023, one in six kids between the ages of 5 and 16 had a mental health issue; this number has risen by 50% in the previous three years. While the epidemic and other factors like school and financial concerns had a role, the organization also identified social media as a major contributor to young people’s mental health problems.

The Guardian also revealed in August 2023 that NHS data revealed a record high number of children in England experiencing mental health crises.

These statistics indicate that despite the heroic efforts of entrepreneurs in this field, which have surely helped millions of people globally, there is still more work to be done, particularly with regard to youthful populations that are particularly susceptible to influences like social media.

In the future, it is only to be hoped that entrepreneurs will continue to support innovative methods of mental health care. Maybe there will be a boom in businesses offering affordable, easily accessible solutions specifically designed for youth, strengthening the worldwide movement for mental health in the most vulnerable areas.