FACULTY OF MATHEMATICAL AND COMPUTER SCIENCES

CSP600 (PROJECT FORMULATION)

NLP-BASED FOR PROVIDING MENTAL

HEALTH SUPPORT IN MOBILE
APPLICATION

ASSIGNMENT 1
T5C2705B

PREPARED BY:
NAME ID
1 MUHAMMAD AMIRUL BIN ROSLAN 2021619874

PREPARED FOR:
SIR ZAWAWI ISMAIL @ ABDUL WAHAB
1.0 Background Study

Mental health is state of mental well-being that enables people to cope with of stresses of
life, realize their abilities, learn well and work well, and contribute to their company
(Kumar, N. 2022). According to the World Health Organization (WHO), mental health
disorders have been steadily on the rise, making them a significant public health issue.
The pervasive impact of mental health issues extends beyond individual well-being to
encompass societal and economic implications (Shield, K. D., & Rehm, J. 2015).
However, despite the growing prevalence of mental health disorders, individuals often
encounter multifaceted challenges when seeking support and assistance. These challenges
include the persistence of stigma, limited access to professional help, and inadequate
awareness of mental health issues (Tuliao, A. P. 2021). As a result, there is a pressing
need to bridge these gaps and create accessible, empathetic, and user-centric solutions to
support mental health.

In the domain of artificial intelligence and natural language understanding, Natural

Language Processing (NLP) stands as a remarkable and rapidly advancing field (Harvard
Business Review, 2022). NLP focuses on the development of computer systems capable
of understanding, interpreting, and generating human language. Through the analysis of
vast volumes of text and speech data, NLP algorithms have the power to extract insights,
answer queries, and enable seamless human-computer interactions (Analytics Vidhya,
2022). In the context of mental health, NLP holds great potential. It provides the means to
understand, engage with, and offer personalized support to individuals navigating the
complexities of their mental well-being. By leveraging NLP technology, we can break
down language barriers, reduce stigma, and improve access to mental health education
and assistance through the development of mobile applications(Nature News, 2022).

To address the intricate challenges surrounding mental health, the integration of Natural
Language Processing (NLP) technology into mobile applications presents a
transformative opportunity. The potential of NLP-driven mobile applications is rooted in
their capacity to provide personalized, immediate, and empathetic support. These
applications can offer users a platform to seek information, share their experiences, and
interact with an AI-driven chatbot, which can provide tailored responses and resources.
The fusion of NLP with mental health support and education creates a bridge, facilitating
open conversations, combating stigma, and offering assistance during critical situations.
This report delves into the development and evaluation of a mobile application that
leverages NLP to address mental health challenges, aiming to provide comprehensive and
accessible support while raising awareness about mental health issues.
2.0 Problem statement

The realm of mental health is marked by a complex tapestry of challenges that affect
millions of individuals worldwide (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2023).
Mental health disorders have surged to the forefront of global health concerns, with a
profound impact on emotional well-being and quality of life(Our World in Data, 2022).
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), these disorders are becoming an
increasingly significant public health issue, necessitating urgent and comprehensive
attention. The repercussions of unaddressed mental health issues extend beyond
individual suffering, permeating into the very fabric of societies and economies.
Despite the escalating prevalence of mental health disorders, the journey to seek help
remains fraught with multifaceted challenges. Stigma, an ever-present shadow, continues
to shroud conversations about mental health, discouraging individuals from
acknowledging their own struggles and inhibiting open dialogue (Psych Central, 2021).
The persistence of societal stigma results in feelings of shame and isolation, deterring
many from seeking assistance(BioMed Central, 2023). In addition to stigma, the
availability of professional mental health resources often falls short of demand. Long
waiting lists, limited access to qualified professionals, and geographical barriers further
obstruct individuals from accessing timely and effective mental health support (Research
and Action Institute, 2022). Inadequate awareness and understanding of mental health
conditions pose another layer of complexity (BioMed Central, 2020). Many individuals
find it challenging to recognize the signs and symptoms of these conditions within
themselves or others, further exacerbating the delay in seeking help.
In response to this intricate and expanding landscape of mental health challenges, there
emerges an imperative for innovative and comprehensive solutions. This project is driven
by the need to bridge these existing gaps by developing a mobile application that
leverages state-of-the-art technology. The application will incorporate an AI psychiatrist
powered by Natural Language Processing (NLP), a transformative approach aimed at
providing accessible, empathetic, and personalized mental health support. This AI-driven
mobile app seeks to create a stigma-free environment that fosters open conversations
about mental health, educates and raises awareness, and offers a user-centric solution to
address the growing mental health challenges. It is against this backdrop of pressing
global mental health concerns and the potential of technology to make a difference that
this project is conceived, with the aspiration to enhance mental health support, access, and
understanding for individuals worldwide.
3.0 Research Objective
The objective of this research are:
1. To study the requirement NLP-based for providing mental health support and
education in mobile application
2. To develop a mobile application using NLP-based for providing mental health
support and education.
3. To evaluate the performance NLP-based for providing mental health support and
education in mobile application
4.0 References

1. World Health Organization. (n.d.). Mental health. World Health Organization.

https://www.who.int/health-topics/mental-health
2. The what then, what now and what next of Mental Health Nursing. (2012).
Handbook of Mental Health Nursing, 220–238. https://doi.org/10.1201/b13332-15
3. Shield, K. D., & Rehm, J. (2015). The effects of addictive substances and addictive
behaviours on physical and mental health. Impact of Addictive Substances and
Behaviours on Individual and Societal Well-Being, 77–118.
https://doi.org/10.1093/acprof:oso/9780198714002.003.0005
4. Kumar, N. (2022). Work–life and well-being. Mental Health and Well-Being, 69–95.
https://doi.org/10.4324/9781003350651-4
5. Tuliao, A. P. (2021). Public and private stigma, and help-seeking intent for mental
health issues: A cross-country comparison between the U.S. and Philippines. Stigma
and Health. https://doi.org/10.1037/sah0000296
6. The power of Natural Language Processing. Harvard Business Review. (2022, April
22). https://hbr.org/2022/04/the-power-of-natural-language-processing
7. S, L. (2022, August 24). End to end question-answering system using NLP and
Squad Dataset. Analytics Vidhya.
https://www.analyticsvidhya.com/blog/2021/11/end-to-end-question-answering-
system-using-nlp-and-squad-dataset/
8. Zhang, T., Schoene, A. M., Ji, S., & Ananiadou, S. (2022, April 8). Natural
language processing applied to Mental Illness Detection: A Narrative Review. Nature
News. https://www.nature.com/articles/s41746-022-00589-7
9. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2023, April 25). About mental health.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
https://www.cdc.gov/mentalhealth/learn/index.html
10. Dattani, S., Rodés-Guirao, L., Ritchie, H., & Roser, M. (2023, June 20). Mental
health. Our World in Data. https://ourworldindata.org/mental-health
11. Finch, S. D. (2021, March 16). If we want to end mental health stigma, it’ll take more
than talking. Psych Central. https://psychcentral.com/health/if-we-want-to-end-
mental-health-stigma-it-will-take-more-than-talking
12. Modi, H., By, Modi, H., Analyst, Orgera, K., Analyst, S. R., Grover, A., Director, E.,
& 10, Oct. (2022, October 10). Exploring barriers to mental health care in the
U.S. Research and Action Institute. https://www.aamcresearchinstitute.org/our-
work/issue-brief/exploring-barriers-mental-health-care-us
13. Fried, E. I., & Robinaugh, D. J. (2020, July 14). Systems all the way down:
Embracing complexity in mental health research - BMC medicine. BioMed Central.
https://bmcmedicine.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12916-020-01668-w
14. Lewandowski, E. (2023, August 14). The untreated mental illness epidemic: Its
damaging effects. Namiaz. https://www.namiaz.org/effects-of-untreated-mental-
illness/
15. Prizeman, K., Weinstein, N., & McCabe, C. (2023, July 21). Effects of mental
health stigma on loneliness, social isolation, and relationships in young people with
depression symptoms - BMC psychiatry. BioMed Central.
https://bmcpsychiatry.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12888-023-04991-7