Of all the existential challenges the world is facing today, few are as misunderstood as the ongoing mental health crisis. While awareness around the prevalence of mental health issues has increased considerably over the past years, the same can't be said about access to mental healthcare services. As a result, millions of people remain unable to get the help they need, a challenge that mental health startup Cerebral is addressing head-on.
"We live in a world in which one in every eight people is living with a mental disorder at any given time, causing not only incredible amounts of distress but also over $1 trillion in costs every year," says Cerebral CEO David Mou, M.D. "Unfortunately, despite having the knowledge and resources to alleviate this crisis, we have collectively fallen short in our efforts to address the needs of those most affected by it."
Based in Delaware, Cerebral was founded in 2020 with the mission to make access to high-quality mental health care the new normal. Now with a team of over 4,000 clinicians and employees, the startup has grown to become a major player in the telemedicine industry over the past 3 years. By making therapy more convenient, effective, and engaging, as well as less expensive, Cerebral has already helped over 750k patients take control of their mental health.
It is estimated that more than 56% (27 million) of all adults with a mental illness did not receive treatment in 2022. While it would be reasonable to think that this is the result of them being uninsured, data suggests that this was only the reason for 11% of them. Other reasons for this trend include limited coverage of services, shortage of professionals, lack of available treatment types, disconnect between providers, and high costs when no insurance was taken.
"While these findings are consistent with our own, they fail to mention other important challenges like that of finding the right therapist or prescriber, identifying the best treatment, and being consistent with the process," explains Mou, referring to how the patient dropout rate can be as high as 46%. "For many patients, staying on top of their appointments, medication, and self-care can feel as hard as running with a broken leg can be for everyone else."
To address these challenges, Cerebral offers an online platform that connects patients with licensed therapists and prescribers through live one-on-one video calls while also offering support between sessions. For those in need of medication, Cerebral offers direct shipping to their door or favorite pharmacy, ensuring that issues like drug availability, forgetfulness, or mental distress don't interfere with the treatment.
"We want to make it as easy and convenient as possible for everyone to take care of their mental health care. Using Cerebral makes it easy to find a professional you connect with, get the right treatment as conveniently as possible, and visualize and track your progress to stay motivated, all without breaking the bank," adds Mou. "While there is still a lot of work to be done, we believe that we are on the right path to lead the transformation of mental healthcare and ensure its accessibility to all."
With the stakes higher than ever, Cerebral is offering a lifeline to a system that has long been burdened by its limitations and stigmas. By bringing technology and innovation to the forefront of mental health care, the startup could set a new normal for how society approaches mental well-being and support, a change most of us would surely welcome.
