Dubai, UAE: The recent launch of the meditation-based mental wellness app, Mindhouse, is expected to boost the mental wellness state of the GCC consumers, as the world celebrates mental wellness today.

October 10 is observed as the World Mental Health Day, to reflect on the state of mental wellness as 2 billion people suffer from lack of mental wellness globally. Depression and anxiety disorders cost the global economy $1 trillion every year in lost productivity – and take a terrible human toll, according to a Lancet Commission report on mental wellness.

The report said that mental disorders are on the rise in every country in the world and will cost the global economy $16 trillion by 2030. The economic cost is primarily due to early onset of mental illness and lost productivity, with an estimated 12 billion working days lost due to mental illness every year.

Mental wellness is a positive state of mental health. According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), mental wellness is defined as “a state of well-being in which the individual realises his or her own abilities, can cope with the normal stresses of life, can work productively and fruitfully, and is able to make a contribution to his or her community.”

Global annual wellness expenditures of $4.5 trillion are more than half as large as total global health expenditures of $7.8 trillion, according to WHO data. The industry grew by 6.4 percent annually from 2015–2017, from a $3.7 trillion to a $4.2 trillion market, nearly twice as fast as global economic growth (3.6 percent annually, based on IMF data). The wellness industry represents 5.3 percent of global economic output.

Pooja Khanna, Co-founder, Mindhouse, said, “As part of our entry in the GCC countries, we have decided to offer a one-month free subscription to our app for everyone. Users will be able to attend an unlimited number of our scheduled meditation & yoga classes, and can also consume our other content which includes natural soundscapes, music, shorter guided meditations and podcasts.”

“This will enable people to try our classes and experience the many benefits of practicing meditation regularly. We expect thousands of people to join the Mindhouse classes free of charge and see for themselves the impact on their mental wellness.”

The Mindhouse app is currently available for free download and free classes for a month. Its annual subscription of Dh120 means customers can avail the full health benefits for as low as Dh10 per month!

Founded by Zomato co-founder Pankaj Chaddah and ex-Zomato Chief of Staff Pooja Khanna, Mindhouse aims to improve the mental health of its users through app-based meditation and yoga courses that help increase productivity, improve sleep patterns and reduce stress and anxiety.

The start-up enters the region at a time when COVID-19 pandemic has worsened mental health of consumers suffering from health issues, disorders, anxiety, stress, job-loss, loss in income and business. It plans to undertake multiple corporate tie-ups in the coming months, to offer access to the app and bespoke wellness packages to large organisations based in the UAE.

The Mindhouse app functions like an online studio, providing meditation, breath work and yoga content in the form of scheduled live classes and a vast library of modules that can be consumed anytime by the user. Built for beginners and advanced meditators alike, the app recommends content based on the user’s selected goals from sleep, patience, focus, relaxed mind and relaxed body, and their past experience in meditation.

Pankaj Chaddah, Co-Founder, Mindhouse, said, “Our one-month free subscription is aimed at allowing users a taste of our classes & content, without having to make a financial commitment up front. Once they try it, I’m certain they will want to continue with their practice, and make it a regular habit.”

The state of mental health globally is declining at an alarming rate. By 2030, it is predicted that mental health problems will be the leading cause of mortality and morbidity globally. Currently, untreated mental health problems account for 13 percent of the total global burden of disease and, in the UK, suicide is the biggest killer of men under the age of 45. These powerful figures highlight the global scale of our mental health issues.

In the US, a National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) research shows 62% of missed work days can be attributed to a mental health condition. The same study shows that in the case of depression, the disorder is linked to an average absenteeism rate of 2.5 days per month, resulting in costs of $3,540-$4,600 per year, per employee. In the UK, mental health problems in the workplace cost the economy approximately £94 billion annually and 91 million workdays are lost in the UK each year due to mental illness.