World Mental Health Day: Apple promotes wellbeing tools amid global mental health crisis

To mark World Mental Health Day on October 10, Apple is promoting various mental wellbeing features integrated into its ecosystem. Users can earn a limited-edition digital award on Apple Watch by completing at least 10 minutes of meditation or a workout. The initiative includes tools such as the Mindfulness app for breathing sessions, the Health app for logging moods and identifying correlations between mental state and lifestyle factors, and mental health assessments for depression and anxiety risk on iPhone and iPad. Additionally, Apple Fitness+ is introducing new meditation content, including a 20-minute sleep meditation.

Global mental health challenges remain significant, with the World Health Organization reporting that approximately one billion people worldwide suffer from mental health issues, primarily depression and anxiety. The World Federation for Mental Health has set this year’s theme as ‘Revealing Experiences: The Language of Real Conversation, Real Change,’ aiming to drive social and policy shifts by listening to those who have faced mental distress. Experts note that workplace stress contributes to a loss of 12 billion working days annually, impacting the global economy. In India, national surveys indicate that over 10% of adults require urgent mental health treatment.