Youth as catalysts for institutional change | Kanika Agarwal | TEDxJIMSKalkaji

Childhood and Early Career

• Many inspiring stories start with childhood experiences, and this is also the case for the author, who had a very easy childhood with parents who encouraged them to come first in everything they did (2s).
• The author became very habitual to achieving and coming first, which became their identity, and they found it easier to achieve success in school than in their adult life (40s).
• The author grew up to do their engineering from Nanyang Technological University in Singapore and started their career with Google, followed by Microsoft, where they felt life was going as expected (1m6s).
• However, the author had a desire to do something different, leveraging their strength in creativity, and left Microsoft to start their first company, a digital agency services company in Singapore, without telling their parents (1m46s).

First Entrepreneurial Venture

• The author went from a stable monthly five-figure salary to starting with $0 and faced expenses while living alone in Singapore, but they were determined to make it work for at least a year (2m7s).
• The author struggled with patience and resilience towards failures, having been used to achieving what they wanted, and faced many failures every day in their entrepreneurial journey (2m33s).
• Despite the challenges, the author's company became a multi-million dollar company within two years, with 90 employees in Singapore and clients like Uni L Marx and Spencer across the globe (3m2s).

Struggles with Anxiety and Panic Attacks

• However, behind the scenes, the author struggled with anxiety and panic attacks, and one night, they experienced a panic attack that led to a hospital visit, where they were diagnosed with no underlying medical condition and helped to regulate their breath (3m40s).
• The individual experienced panic attacks six to seven times, but couldn't share this with their parents due to fear of being seen as failing to take care of themselves (4m57s).
• Eventually, the individual confided in their parents, who were supportive, and they started seeing a therapist, discovering that their panic attacks were caused by anxiety, burnout, and stress (5m21s).

Founding MindPeers and Addressing Mental Health Stigma

• After their first company was acquired in 2019, the individual was advised to stop being an entrepreneur, but they felt compelled to continue due to a childhood habit of hustling (6m5s).
• The individual's next entrepreneurial venture, MindPeers, focused on mental health and was started in 2020, but initially struggled to scale due to the stigma surrounding mental health issues (6m42s).
• MindPeers eventually gained traction, including an appearance on Shark Tank, which led to a surge in messages from people sharing their own mental health struggles (7m15s).
• The individual realized that the stigma surrounding mental health is significant, with many people hesitant to openly seek therapy, and decided to explore ways to make mental health support more approachable (8m9s).

CogiArt: AI-Driven Mental Health Support

• To address this, the individual developed a project called CogiArt, which combines AI, clinical aspects, and art to provide a more accessible and non-verbal way for people to express their emotions and receive support (8m42s).
• CogiArt was developed in response to a survey of 70,000 Indian youth, which found that 80% experienced loneliness, 54% had attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), and 43% had undiagnosed depression (9m8s).
• The CogiArt tool asks users to draw in response to questions, allowing the machine to analyze patterns, colors, and other factors to provide insights and support (9m38s).
• Cogniat, an app, is being used by over 23,000 people monthly, and it has improved the lives of about 2,300 people who have reported positive changes such as getting their desired job, improving relationships, and regaining confidence (10m19s).

Institutional Changes for Youth Mental Health

• Institutional changes are happening for the youth by the youth using technology, with three key areas being discussed: workplaces, healthcare, and education (11m0s).
• Workplaces are undergoing significant changes to accommodate millennials and Gen Z, who are motivated by more than just physiological needs, but also by security, social belongingness, and self-actualization (11m28s).
• The theory of human motivation by Maslow states that humans are motivated by the needs they want to fulfill, with self-actualization being the highest psychological need (11m33s).
• Youth are driving changes in workplaces by demanding respect, vulnerability, and a comfortable environment, leading companies to prioritize psychological safety and emotional well-being (13m20s).
• Companies are bringing in principles of safe environments and using technology platforms to understand and change their culture, with CHROs becoming upskilled in this area (14m18s).

Challenges and Innovations in Mental Healthcare

• The US is currently the number one country in terms of mental health issues, with one in three people experiencing mental health problems (15m1s).
• In India, the demand for therapy has increased, but the results show that the progress with therapy has been the lowest, indicating that therapy is not effective for many individuals. (15m12s)
• A major problem is that people often have to switch between multiple therapists before finding the right one, which can be time-consuming and ineffective. (15m54s)
• To address this issue, innovation and technology are being used to create algorithms that can understand an individual's behaviors and personality needs, matching them with the right therapist in one go. (16m11s)
• Research has shown that low levels of vitamin D and vitamin B12 can increase the risk of depression by 30-40%, highlighting the importance of considering physical and mental health parameters when providing healthcare. (16m38s)
• Effective healthcare platforms are being developed to take into account both physical and mental health parameters, using integrated technology like artificial intelligence to scan and understand the working of the body. (17m1s)
• A personal experience with alopecia highlights the importance of considering both physical and mental health factors, as chronic stress was found to be the underlying cause of the condition. (17m15s)
• Artificial intelligence is being used in healthcare to improve efficiencies, such as taking notes, providing recommendations, and scheduling appointments, saving doctors and therapists a significant amount of time. (18m47s)

The Importance of Technology and Adaptability

• The increasing use of technology in various industries means that it is essential for individuals to be adaptable and have a broad range of skills, rather than specializing in one area. (19m35s)
• Understanding technology is necessary to perform work efficiently, as it is not a replacement for humans but rather a tool to enhance productivity (19m48s).
• Having knowledge of technology can help individuals do their work more efficiently (19m59s).

Prioritizing Mental Health and Seeking Support

• It is essential to take care of one's mental health and not hesitate to seek support when needed (20m11s).
• Seeking support is a sign of strength, and everyone needs it at some point (20m15s).