7 Behavioral Health Trends for 2023

The future of behavioral health is a promising one. More people are talking about their mental health symptoms, more employers are providing coverage, and more providers are offering solutions.

Here’s what you need to know about how that trend will continue in 2023:

1. Community mental health centers will thrive.

Community mental health centers will boom in 2023 as more people seek care outside hospital settings.

There are over community mental health centers across the country that offer various services in response to this need.

These include psychiatric care, substance use disorder treatment, vocational rehabilitation services, and more.

In addition to increasing access to behavioral health care throughout communities across America, these centers provide invaluable support for rural areas where access to treatment is often limited or inaccessible.

2. More people will seek help sooner for their mental health symptoms.

While the stigma surrounding mental health issues is far from gone, it’s clear that people are getting better at recognizing their symptoms and seeking help sooner.

Americans feel comfortable talking about their own mental health with friends and family members.

This may be partly due to celebrities like Lady Gaga and Jennifer Lawrence speaking out about their own struggles with depression and anxiety disorder.

As we continue working towards removing barriers surrounding access to care for behavioral health disorders, these trends show promise for those who struggle to get treatment options beyond supportive conversations with family members or trusted friends.

3. Health plans will get serious about mental health.

The health-benefits space is an exciting one to watch. Health plans, employers, and employees are increasingly interested in mental health as an important part of overall wellness.

Employers are starting to offer mental health benefits to attract talent and retain employees. It’s important for employers to offer “strong support” for workers with depression or anxiety.

4. Technology will become an important tool for behavioral health providers.

Behavioral health services will be delivered through mobile apps, chatbots, and other technology platforms.

Technology can help people manage their mental health by providing new options for managing their symptoms and tracking their progress.

Technology can also help connect people with treatment providers who are most likely to meet the needs of a particular patient, which may reduce stigma and improve the odds that they’ll engage in treatment.

With this trend, we see many startups making their debut in the mental health scene offering digital ways to address mental health issues.

If you are a behavioral health specialist looking to find a position at one of these startups, Physicians Thrive can ensure you get the compensation you deserve.

5. Labels are no longer the defining factor of who you are.

The new labels will be based on what you do, not who you are.

This is a big change from the current system, where people tend to get defined by the label that their mental health problem or addiction has given them.

This can make people feel ashamed or embarrassed about their difficulties and keep them from getting treatment that could help them manage their conditions.

In 2023, we expect more people will be open about their mental health problems and addiction issues because labels won’t be as important anymore.

It’ll become more common for people to talk about how they’re feeling without being afraid of how others might judge them for it—and when someone else shares their struggles with mental health or addiction issues, it’ll no longer seem like a special circumstance.

6. The stigma around mental health will continue to erode.

A few years ago, the US Surgeon General issued a report that showed that many common conditions like depression and anxiety were common among both the general population and high-functioning individuals.

The report also highlighted how those who experience these conditions could often function well in their daily lives despite having them. In other words, it was okay to talk about your mental health.

But even though we’ve made some progress toward destigmatizing these issues, we still have a long way to go before our society truly views them as something normal rather than shameful or taboo.

7. Behavioral health will become more mainstream and accepted as a legitimate issue.

The stigma surrounding mental health will weaken as more people open up about their own experiences with mental illness and treatment.

We’re also seeing a rise in celebrities speaking out about their struggles, from actress Evan Rachel Wood to musician Demi Lovato.

This will help remove the idea that having a mental illness means you’re “weak,” and make it easier for those who struggle with their mental health to seek help when they need it.

Conclusion

These predictions about behavioral health trends for the coming year are just that: predictions. But they’re based on what we’ve seen so far, and they are very promising.

But if we see some of these trends come true this year, that will mean helping people get the treatment they need sooner rather than later.

And as a society, we can only benefit from that kind of progress in mental health care!