Poll: 3 in 4 working U.S. adults would rather use app to address mental health

According to a recently released poll, 74% of U.S. workers would rather speak to an app than their own human resources team about their mental health, and 59% would rather speak to an app than their manager.

The results came from the All Worked Up Report from Wysa, a cognitive behavioral therapy app. Wysa surveyed 1,000 employed U.S. adults in October and found workers are more anxious and depressed than ever, with 40% of respondents stating they have experienced symptoms of moderate to severe depression and/or anxiety in the previous 2 weeks.

In addition, according to the poll, 1 in 3 of those suffering symptoms suggesting moderate to severe depression or anxiety have not yet spoken to a relevant healthcare professional about it. The dearth of response was due to lack of time (40%), not thinking it serious enough (32%), and embarrassment (29%).

The survey further revealed that 58% of those polled would rather talk to an app than their coworker, 68% would rather engage with an app than speak to their general physician and 45% of respondents said they would rather talk to an app than a therapist.

“Despite efforts made by employers in the past few years, stigma remains a huge barrier for people who need help,” Ramakant Vempati, president and co-founder of Wysa, said in a company release. “It’s clear that people don’t want to talk to their boss, HR, or even their colleagues when stressed, suggesting a strong need for mental care solutions that offer digital access without the need to ask permission.”

In addition, 34% of workers admitted to lying about why they were taking a sick day, blaming physical illness when they felt mentally unwell, and 42% replied they go to work regardless of whether the state of their mental health impacts their job. According to poll results, women are much more likely to tough it out, with 53% of participants revealing they would head to work regardless of mental state compared with 31% of men.

Full results can be found at: www.wysa.io/all-worked-up.