Could the future of therapy take place in the virtual world? That's what charity Ditch the Label hopes as they launch a new partnership to help the younger generation have better access to mental health services. It comes as new data reveals that eighty two percent of young people sought support for their mental health.
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00:00 82% of young people have at some point or are currently seeking support for their mental
00:07 health. On a concerning note, one in three struggle to find the help and support and
00:12 so this partnership is very much about bridging that gap and democratising access to help
00:18 and support. So later in the year we're actually going to be piloting therapy in the metaverse
00:24 which has never been done before. It's something that we feel really excited about and at the
00:30 same time we're also going to be launching a school programme and launching mental health
00:35 support initiatives in classrooms across the UK.
00:38 Therapy in the metaverse, is this the future and how does that work?
00:42 It's really fascinating. Ditch the label has always pioneered the use of technology. We
00:48 believe that technology can be used for good and I think quite often when we have conversations
00:53 about the internet and social media it's usually about the harms and dangers it creates and
00:58 this is a perfect example of how technology can actually be used to really support people
01:04 that really need it.
01:06 But what actually is the metaverse and how would you have a therapy session in it? The
01:10 metaverse is a vision of what many in the computer industry believe is the next iteration
01:15 of the internet. A single, shared, immersive 3D virtual space. Liam explains the benefits
01:21 of this as the future of the mental health support system.
01:25 When people are represented by an avatar it can make it much easier to talk about things
01:31 that perhaps they would struggle to talk about if they were sat face to face opposite an
01:37 adult therapist with a clipboard. That can be really scary if you haven't experienced
01:42 that before. We also know that there's huge waiting lists to get support through the NHS
01:48 and if you're not in a position where you can pay to have it privately it leaves a lot
01:53 of people who really need help and support.
01:57 Alongside worrying figures revealing just how many of the nation's young people are
02:01 seeking mental health support comes news it's not easy to acquire when necessary. The survey
02:07 found 33% struggle with access to mental health support with the biggest barrier for them
02:12 being waiting times. According to the Mental Health Foundation an alarming 75% of children
02:18 and young people who experience mental health problems aren't getting the help they need.
02:23 Luna suffered with her own mental health issues when she was younger and says she's not surprised
02:28 by the stats.
02:29 I was not surprised at all. I personally relate to all of the statistics from the recent Maybelline
02:36 UK survey and in that as a Gen Z person myself I have sought out mental health support throughout
02:44 my life and at times wanting the help that I needed so badly but have not always been
02:51 able to get. Like the 33% from the statistics I've struggled hugely with mental health support
02:57 access which in turn has led me to social media in search for support and services.