Digital Innovations and AI in Mental Health as Facilitators of Sustainable Competitive Economy in Post-COVID-19 Recovery

The COVID-19 pandemic has presented a serious threat to mental health on a global scale. With unemployment worldwide reaching staggering highs and the loss of job security for millions of people, recent studies suggest that the pandemic can be linked to elevated anxiety levels, psychological distress, depression, PTSD, and suicidal behavior. While the case number of those infected by the COVID-19 virus (more than 170 million infected and more than 3.5 million deaths on May 30, 2021) certainly poses an unprecedented global health challenge, the detrimental effects on the population’s mental health are far more difficult to measure, and thus address. Governments around the world are therefore tasked with providing more effective and affordable solutions to tackling both aspects of the pandemic’s impact via increased investment in healthcare, medication, and vaccine distribution, as well as through an emphasis on innovative approaches to improve mental healthcare. Digital innovation and AI have already shown their potential for both prevention and treatment of mental health problems, as valid supplements for mental health practitioners. Effective combatting of the pandemic’s consequences on mental health is crucial for rebuilding sustainable and competitive economies in the post-COVID-19 recovery.