National mental health charity Bipolar UK is delighted to announce a new partnership with mental health and social media platform JAAQ (Just Ask A Question), due to launch on World Bipolar Day.
JAAQ is a free online platform using voice recognition and artificial intelligence (AI) to provide a safe space where users can ask doctors, experts and those with lived experiences questions on mental health topics anytime, without judgement.
The partnership comes in the wake of Bipolar UK’s Bipolar Commission “Bipolar Minds Matter” report, which highlights how services across the UK are currently failing more than a million people living with bipolar.
Bipolar UK ambassador and presenter of Channel 4’s ‘A Place in the Sun’, Leah Charles-King, and Dr Thomas Richardson, a clinical psychologist who works in teaching and research at the School of Psychology at the University of Southampton, have each created a bank of content for the platform. Both have lived experiences of bipolar.
Speaking about the charity partnership, CEO of Bipolar UK, Simon Kitchen, said: “This exciting new partnership with JAAQ gives people who are unsure about what path to take instant expert advice from people who understand what it’s like to live with this complex condition, and who can share the strategies they find helpful.
“The findings of our Bipolar Commission report are clear. After first telling a healthcare professional about symptoms, it takes an average of 9.5 years for someone to get a diagnosis of bipolar.
“Once a diagnosis is made, healthcare services are hit and miss. There are pockets of excellence across the UK, but many people with bipolar commonly tell us there are not enough psychiatrists, crisis teams, psychoeducation courses or hospital beds.
“Platforms like JAAQ enable people living with bipolar, their families, and people still waiting for a diagnosis to access support and advice before they reach crisis point.”
With the demand for mental health services on the rise, particularly following the Covid-19 pandemic, the founder of JAAQ, Danny Gray, wanted to help address this issue using revolutionary technology. He gathered a team of creatives and tech experts and launched JAAQ in November last year.
Over 50,000 users have accessed the site since its launch, with a third coming back regularly to ask questions about various mental health topics. When a question is asked, the search function of the site finds the best video responses from world-leading experts, including Paul Gilbert OBE, professor of Clinical Psychology at the University of Derby and sleep scientist Dr Sophie Bostock, and those with lived experience, including TV presenter Jake Humphrey and actor David Harewood MBE.
JAAQ is launching an offering for companies and businesses wanting to support employee mental health and well-being using JAAQ’s innovative technology.
Founder of JAAQ, Danny Gray, added: “We want to support a wide range of mental health challenges and are delighted to welcome Bipolar UK onto the JAAQ platform.
“Both Leah and Thomas have provided invaluable insights into what it’s like to live with bipolar. Between them, they’ve answered nearly 200 informative, engaging and empowering questions for anyone affected by the condition.
“I started JAAQ to raise awareness, normalise mental health conditions and provide a free resource for those who need it most.”
“Bipolar UK has the same mission. They do incredible work to support people affected by bipolar, which is why we invited them to partner with us. Together we can help more people affected by bipolar to live well.”
