Mental health issues continue to accelerate as the pandemic drags on with a new COVID-19 variant, Deltacron, identified in Brazil. We all need to pay attention to it. 

Researchers at the Institute of Policy Studies found last year that three in ten young Singaporeans worry about losing the purpose of life during COVID-19. As we are preparing for a return to everyday life, we also have to be aware of the many long-lasting effects that are here to stay.

In this context, we broadly see four main trends:

• There’s an apparent increase in work-related stress, which negatively impacts job performance and therefore affects employers as well.
• Isolation and a  lack of socialisation are showing effects on mental wellbeing.
• As a result, there are, unfortunately, signs of a rise in suicidal behaviour.
• All this leads finally to the difficult situation that mental health services are getting overwhelmed with requests.

Nearly 70 per cent of the Safe Space platform users are currently experiencing some form of anxiety. 55 per cent suffer from stress, which has overtaken relationship and domestic issues. Meanwhile, work performance problems jumped nearly 10 per cent and now affect more than half of our customers.

A fledgling industry

This region’s private mental health sector is still very much in its infancy. When we first started with the idea in 2017, no one wanted to talk about mental health. It was taboo that investors told us they were convinced it would never work in Asia.

During the first three years, whilst still holding a full-time job, I had to do various mental health research papers tailored for Asia. It was to convince over 65 potential investors that, with the help of technology, we could solve some of the prevalent pain points Asia is facing, providing faster, more affordable, and discreet access to quality mental healthcare.

We finally found our first investor at the 2019 Galen Growth Summit who believed in our mission and gave us the working capital to create our Minimum Viable Product (MVP).

Also Read: COVID-19 is taking a toll on mental wellness, but this startup wants to provide a Safe Space

Fast forward to 2020, COVID-19 turned into a pandemic, and we saw a decline in mental health on a global scale. This was finally a turning point for us, the moment we could make a difference and prove that there is a huge market for mental health technology.

We increased our users by more than 60 per cent in April 2020 alone, while the number of therapists on the platform tripled. Government bodies have since been very open and cooperative, and there are now many corporations actively looking to support employees in need of help.

Our young people are suffering

Employers are increasingly willing to extend coverage to family members of their staff. The youth have particularly been struggling, showing difficulties to re-adjust to school again.

The youth unemployment rate in Singapore rose as high as 10.6 per cent in 2020, surpassing numbers from previous downturns during the 2009 Global Financial Crisis and the 2003 SARS pandemic. 

Young people are more open to receiving therapy now, and we’re starting to see it being treated similarly to physical health. There will be more offerings that will adapt to the requirements of this group.

We are, for example, exploring how we can provide a “Safe Space” in both the physical and virtual world, such as the metaverse, with a seamless experience across both.  

Urgent need for qualified clinical therapists

Professional counselling can help in these circumstances. Therapists use various modalities and techniques to explore mental health concerns and provide the necessary strategies, skills and mindset change needed to overcome them.

With four years and transparency in our approach, trust was built with our clients. Our proudest moments were not traction but seeing our clients better understand their feelings increased self-awareness and reduced anxiety with enough trust to refer their friends and family to us as well.

The demand for qualified clinical therapists and coaches has already overtaken the supply. Many are already experiencing burnout symptoms, given the immense workload.

Also Read: Leaders, it’s time to talk about mental health

Safe Space is directly involved in training professionals, forming partnerships with tertiary schools to be a practicum site. There are not enough therapists in the region, especially those that can speak local languages and dialects, like Vietnamese, for example. 

The waiting time for appointments in the public healthcare sector is between 24 and 28 days, so more private service providers like Safe Space are needed. We have a great relationship with the therapist community, allowing clients to book their counselling and coaching sessions within 24 hours.

More and more corporates, hospitals, and insurers are entering the space. There are several advantages in favour of online marketplaces, first of all, speed. Clients can book sessions immediately and start their online or in-person therapy within a day or two.

Our large pool of clinical therapists is already serving clients across APAC, ANZ and EMEA and in 15  languages as they understand the cultural nuances.

Personally, the ups and downs have taught me resilience. I knew it was a matter of traction and being at the right place, at the right time.

I’m glad Safe Spacestuck through and survived all the adversities thrown at us. For those looking to start their ventures, begin by writing down the problem and solution you’re looking to tackle.

Determine the action items you need to roll out. Join incubators and accelerators to guide you. Entrepreneurship is a wild but rewarding ride. You can grow more than tenfold in a single year. Don’t forget to enjoy the ride as much as the destination.

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