Reaching hearts to heal the mind

A study by the World Health Organization (WHO) in 2015 revealed that one in five Indians is highly likely to suffer from depression in their lifetime. The coronavirus pandemic has exacerbated the situation. Lockdowns, financial uncertainty, disease hysteria and health anxieties have taken a toll on people. Global studies reported an increase in incidences of anxiety and panic attacks, discordant relationships, depression, substance abuse, etc.

The dire situation following the Covid-19 outbreak prompted Aditya Birla Health Insurance Company Limited (ABHICL) to launch a 24x7 mental health helpline in August 2020 . "As an insurer, we felt a moral and business duty to help our customers reach out and get completely confidential advice at a time of complete isolation," says CEO Mr. Mayank Bathwal when explaining the thought process behind the initiative.

The 'HeartToHeart' helpline was launched in collaboration with Mpower, an Aditya Birla Education Trust initiative, which has been working over the past few years to address mental healthcare gaps in India. Under this initiative, people could dial into a dedicated number and connect to a counsellor, who would provide them with assistance to overcome their mental health issues. The trained counsellors would empathetically listen to the caller, offer practical tips and motivate them to seek further professional help if required.

The helpline received over 1,000 calls in the first 30 days of the campaign. The calls came in from all parts of the country, including remote rural corners. Covid-19 and the lockdowns had affected every part of society. Everyone from the rural farmer to the urban techie seemed to be in a troubled psychological state, at some level.

Many people reported increasing dependence on substance addiction, including smoking or alcohol, to counter anxiety issues. The helpline's therapists advised customers on alternate coping mechanisms to wean them away from addictions. Operational for three months in Hindi and English, 'HeartToHeart' created a safe environment for people to reach out and cope better with the demands of the 'new normal'.

The 24x7 free counselling helpline was the first-of-its-kind by any Indian health insurer. The unexpected scale of the response to the helpline motivated the management at ABHICL to include confidential and professional mental health benefits in its products. Accordingly, it has included mental health counselling as a component in its existing insurance packages.

A free helpline is now available as a benefit under all its Activ Health Plans. Taking the initiative further, all customers will soon have access to an online mental health screening tool. The Activ Health Platinum plan would additionally offer free counselling and screening sessions with professional psychotherapists, basis the mental health risk assessment.

"Aditya Birla Health Insurance has always been a market leader in helping families to prioritise health. The inclusion of mental health benefits drives our agenda of a comprehensive health management solution for customers," explains Mr. Bathwal, when elaborating on the company's vision for the initiative. The initial response has been encouraging, and ABHICL plans to ramp up awareness of the inclusion of mental health counselling as a component in its products.