Depression: a serious mental health problem

New Delhi: Millions of people around the world are affected by depression, which is a serious mental health problem. It is often challenging to recognize, and many times a person struggles with the condition alone, leaving family and friends unaware of it. If timely help is not received, the situation can become serious, and some people may even take dangerous steps like suicide.

Hope gained from new research

Early identification of depression has been a major challenge. Recently, a new research conducted in AIIMS, Delhi has given positive indications in this direction. Researchers believe that early signs of depression can be identified through a person’s voice, manner of speaking and tone. This technique can be helpful in understanding the problem and providing assistance in time.

New approach to mental health screening

Amid the growing problem of depression, ongoing research at AIIMS Delhi has presented a new approach to mental health screening. According to researchers, early symptoms of depression can be identified by a person’s voice, speed of speech, emotional fluctuations and energy level. This may be particularly useful in areas where access to mental health services is limited.

Study in Speech Health Lab

This study was conducted in the Speech Health Lab established with CSR support at AIIMS Delhi. It analyzed speech samples from 423 participants who had complete clinical and demographic records. The average age of the participants was approximately 24 years, and most were from the 18 to 25 year old age group.

youth participation

According to the data, almost two-thirds of the participants were under 23 years of age, and about 75 percent were under 25 years of age. This shows that the youth are connecting more with speech-based mental health platforms. However, participation declined with increasing age, especially after age 35.

Accuracy in diagnosing depression

Standard mental health screening found clinically significant depressive symptoms in about 32 percent of participants. When these results were combined with automated speech analysis, accuracy reached 60 to 75 percent. This accuracy reached approximately 78 percent in longer speech samples.

signs of voice change

The research studied linguistic and paralinguistic indicators, including fluency, pronunciation, tone, pitch, emotional depth, and vocal energy. Researchers found that depression causes speech to slow down, voice to become flat, and energy to appear less.

as assistive technology

According to Dr. Nand Kumar, Professor, Department of Psychiatry, AIIMS Delhi, this technique is not a substitute for treatment, but is a helpful tool for early screening and referral. Globally, more than 264 million people are affected by depression, and the situation is worrying in India too, so timely detection is extremely important.