Creativity can open new pathways to support mental health

Today, nearly one billion people globally live with a mental health disorder with more than 75 percent of those people not receiving treatment. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), the pandemic has only disrupted or in some cases, halted critical mental health services, while the demand for support and resources is increasing.

These last two years have shown that creativity and self-expression can provide support when we need it the most. Being creative helps us relax, be in the moment, handle emotional burdens, express and share our stories and bring likeminded people together.

According to a recent Adobe study on the future of creativity, creating social content on the daily is just as much of a driver for happiness as making money. And for 47 percent of creators, using or creating social content is even ranked as a top necessity for their mental health. Creators who post most frequently and spend the most time creating content are also the most positive.

This World Mental Health Day, we are proud to share some of the more than $3 million in commitments we are making as a company toward better understanding the connection between mental health, wellbeing and creativity. We recognize the opportunity to empower creative expression as a pathway to impacting positive mental health outcomes for our community and through the Adobe Foundation, we are excited to partner with leading mental health and industry organizations as well, on new research and programs that will give more people access to the resources and tools they need to reach their full potential.

• Adobe is joining together with the National Alliance on Mental Health (NAMI) to develop new research that provides greater insight into the role creative expressions plays in supporting positive mental health outcomes. As the United States’ largest grassroots mental health organization, NAMI can serve as a unique partner to both examine how creativity can positively influence mental health and put resources in the hands of people when they need them most. Through our partnership, the Adobe Foundation will help people of all ages and backgrounds — but especially young adults — tap into their creativity and tell their stories. The work will team up to support NAMI’s Person-First storytelling initiative, using video and photography to magnify important stories and information.

• The Adobe Foundation is partnering with the JED Foundation on a number of programs that further JED’s mission to strengthen the emotional health of youth across the US. These programs bring creativity into everyone’s daily lives to promote mental health and wellbeing, with a focus on high schools and college campuses across the U.S that span over 8M people across 450 colleges and universities.

• Adobe is proud to again be teaming up with the Ad Council to raise awareness about the mental health struggles our youth face, and ways to start and sustain supportive conversations. Through the Seize The Awkward campaign, a joint effort between the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention (AFSP), The Jed Foundation (JED) and the Ad Council, we are coming together on content and resources that make it easier for young people to connect and support people close to them who may be facing mental health challenges.

• The Adobe Foundation will support the United Global Mental Health Action Network to further their vision for a future where everyone, everywhere has access to the mental health resources they need. The United GMH Action Network brings together more than 2,000 members working to make those resources accessible worldwide.

Adobe is also proud to partner with Sky on The Edit, a digital storytelling initiative to develop creative skills among youth across the UK. Challenged to create real-world projects using Adobe creative tools, students make short news-style videos to raise awareness of current issues faced by youth, with the chance to have their work shown on Sky platforms. The theme for this year’s program is focused on mental health and wellbeing, and we’re excited to see what participants create.

Fostering a supportive and caring workplace

As a company, we believe that when employees feel taken care of in and outside the office, they are empowered to do their best work. This is why prioritizing employee health and wellbeing has always been essential to our sustained growth and has become more critical in how Adobe competes in today’s war for talent.

We also believe that employee wellbeing is a foundational business driver and key to Adobe’s culture. At Adobe, we are committed to providing outlets and amenities for our employees including Global Wellbeing Days off, Mental Health support through our Employee Assistance Program Partner — Spring Health, ComPsych, 1:1 counseling, and access to wellness apps such as Headspace and LifeDojo, and a Wellness Reimbursement Fund.

Additionally, Adobe employees have access to the Let’s Talk series, a series that brings together teams or employee networks identified as needing special support on a certain topic to share and receive practical advice and techniques on handling challenges. These are therapist-led healing sessions for employee communities impacted by large scale social injustice and current events. Prioritizing wellbeing is essential to caring for our business and employees and is core to how we work.

Adobe understands the ways that creativity and self-expression can change the world. Our intention through these programs is to partner with companies and foundations whose missions align with ours, and together open new pathways for more people to find the support they need.