American Journal of Humanities and Social Sciences Research (AJHSSR) 2025

American Journal of Humanities and Social Sciences Research (AJHSSR)

e-ISSN : 2378-703X
Volume-09, Issue-01, pp-130-136
www.ajhssr.com

Research Paper Open Access

COMMERCIALIZATION OF MENTAL HEALTH ONLINE

SERVICES IN THE INTERNET AGE

Xu Qiannuo1a，Sun Yuhan2a, Liang Junhao3b , Ni Zhang4c , Gang Chen*3a ,

International Business Department, Zhejiang Yuexiu University of Foreign Languages a,
IoT Engineering Program, Xinjiang Engineering College b，
c
Department of Public Administration, Eastern China Normal University
Corresponding author：Gang Chen

ABSTRACT：Mental health has become a social issue that cannot be ignored in this digital era, online mental
health services become an effective means to solve the contradiction between supply and demand of mental
health services, improving the public's mental health level and promoting the harmonious development of society.
This paper analyzes the reasons and problems of commercialization of online mental health services, provides
related count measures, make a conclusion that the commercialization of online mental health services will have
a broader development prospect and contribute to building a healthier and more harmonious society.

KEY WORDS: Commercialization; Mental Health; Online Services; Internet Age

I. INTRODUCTION
Since the 21st century, human society has entered a brand-new digital era, which not only reshapes
the economic form and social mode, but also profoundly affects the pattern of mental health services. Online
commercialization of mental health services, as a symbolic achievement in the digital age, its rapid
development stems from the growth of social demand and the rapid progress of technology, which marks a
major innovation in mental health service model.
Mental health has become a social issue that cannot be ignored. According to the data of China Mental
Health Association, more than 200 million people in China are facing mental health problems. However, due
to the uneven distribution of resources of traditional mental health services and the shortage of professionals,
many people's needs have not been responded promptly and effectively. In this context, the Internet, with its
convenience, anonymity, and wide coverage, has opened up new possibilities for the popularization of mental
health services. Online mental health services, such as online psychological consultation, mental health APP
and psychological self-help platform, came into being and quickly commercialized, which became an effective
means to solve the contradiction between supply and demand of mental health services.

The Internet accelerates the exchange of information, and the psychological needs hidden offline are
exposed and gathered because of the circulation of the network.
The significance of commercialization of mental health online service lies in that it breaks the
geographical restrictions and enables remote areas or busy individuals to obtain professional mental health
support conveniently; Through the introduction of market mechanism, the innovation vitality of service
providers has been stimulated, and the diversified and personalized development of mental health service
products has been promoted. At the same time, the new healing economy, such as body, mind, and art healing,
has also begun to flourish because of the prominent demand and the convenience provided by the Internet.
However, due to the lack of uniform standards in the market, there have also been problems such as
professionalism, privacy protection and service quality monitoring.

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II. THE REASONS FOR THE COMMERCIALIZATION OF ONLINE MENTAL HEALTH
SERVICES
2.1 The Existence of Market Demand
Market demand is the key force to promote the commercialization of mental health online services. The
rapid growth of the global mental health market is expected to reach $200 billion in 2025, which is behind the
public's awareness of mental health problems and the urgent need for professional help. The annual growth rate
of online service users exceeds 15%(2018-2022), and the extensive participation of key groups such as teenagers,
professionals and middle-aged and elderly people further proves the market potential and necessity of
commercialization of online mental health services.

2.2 The Popularization of Network Platform and the Presentation of Mental Health Problems
With the popularity of the Internet and the widespread use of social media, people have more platforms
to express themselves and share their experiences. This trend makes mental health problems such as anxiety,
depression and stress get more extensive attention and discussion on the Internet. People can share their mental
health problems and seek help and support through social media platforms such as blogs, Weibo and Tik Tok.
The convenience of the network is also reflected in information acquisition. Faced with mental health
problems, people often rely on the Internet to search for symptoms, causes and solutions. This kind of search
behavior not only promotes people's understanding of their own problems, but also often drives them to seek
professional mental health assistance.
More and more people choose to consult psychologists, attend mental health courses, or join mental health
communities through online platforms. These online services provide people with more convenient and flexible
mental health support and make mental health problems get more attention and attention.
However, the convenience of the network has brought more mental health problems to light, but it has also
triggered a series of challenges. For example, inaccurate or misleading information on the Internet may cause the
public to misunderstand or even panic about their own problems. In addition, anonymity and a sense of distance
on the Internet may also make people more vulnerable to cyber bullying or fraud.

2.3 Government Support

The active involvement of the government has provided a strong impetus for the commercialization of
online mental health services. For example, the Opinions on Promoting the Development of "Internet +Medical
Health" issued by the China Municipal Government directly encouraged the innovation and application of online
mental health services. Policy support is manifested in providing online service providers with practical help such
as start-up capital, R&D funding and tax relief. These measures directly reduce the economic burden of start-ups
and enable them to focus more on service quality and technological innovation.
At the same time, the government also ensures the professionalism and effectiveness of mental health
services by establishing national standards and certification systems. For example, the mental health service
certification program promoted by the National Health and Wellness Committee sets clear quality standards for
online services and certifies service providers that meet the standards. This measure not only enhances consumers'
trust in online services, but also provides a solid foundation for the standardization and professional development
of online services.
III. THE PROBLEMS OF MENTAL HEALTH ONLINE SERVICES
3.1 The Emerging Psychological Market Industry Chain Is Immature
The business model of mental health market is still in the exploratory stage, and it is still looking for
a stable and sustainable business model. Although there are various forms of mental health services in the
market, such as online consultation, physical clinics and psychological courses, the synergy between them has
not been fully utilized. The overall market efficiency needs to be improved, and some service provi ders pay
too much attention to short-term interests and ignore the long-term optimization of service quality and customer
experience.
Although people pay more and more attention to mental health, the overall market demand has not
been fully released. On the one hand, some people have cognitive biases about mental health problems, and
think that psychological problems are not diseases or do not need professional treatment; On the other hand,
because mental health services are expensive and not included in the scope of medical insurance, some people
in need may give up seeking help for economic reasons.
Scientific and technological progress has brought the rise of digital mental health services, but the
integration of technology and services needs to be further deepened. At present, most digital mental health
products on the market stay at the level of simple psychological test and relaxation training, lacking in-depth
intervention and personalized service. In addition, the application of big data, artificial intelligence and other
technologies in the field of mental health is still in its infancy, and mature solutions and service models have not
yet been formed.
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The mental health market urgently needs cross-industry cooperation and resource integration to expand
the service field and improve the service effect. However, at present, most mental health service providers operate
independently and fail to establish effective cooperation and resource integration with other industries. This
situation limits the coverage and application scenarios of mental health services, and also affects the maturity and
competitiveness of the market.

3.2 Professional Issues Under the New Situation

The number of mature psychological counselors and therapists is seriously insufficient, and the overall
quality and level need to be improved. Compared with western developed countries, China's mental health
education started late, and its training system is not perfect. This leads to insufficient supply of high-quality mental
health services in the market, and it is difficult to meet the growing market demand.
The mental health market lacks effective unified supervision and regulation, and the professional
qualifications and standards lack clear regulation and supervision. This leads to many non-professional mental
health service providers in the market, who may lack the necessary professional knowledge and skills, which
affects the overall quality and effect of mental health services. In addition, the lack of industry standards also
makes it difficult for consumers to judge the quality of service, which increases the difficulty of choice.

3.3 Emergency Response limitations

Online mental health service platform has obvious limitations in dealing with emergency mental health
crisis. A key problem is that when users express extreme self-harm or suicidal tendencies through online platforms,
it is often difficult for the platforms to provide timely and effective intervention measures. Due to the anonymity
and remoteness of online services, it is difficult to quickly determine the location of users and contact emergency
rescue resources in case of emergency.
In addition, online consultants may not be qualified or prepared enough to deal with these emergencies,
and users may not be able to get immediate manual response through online platforms in times of crisis. This
delay in response may lead to serious consequences, especially when users are in a highly vulnerable state.
Therefore, the lack of online mental health services in providing immediate crisis intervention is a problem that
needs urgent attention and solution.

IV. COUNTER-MEASURES
4.1 Strengthen Market Quality Supervision and Improve Standards
The government should speed up the formulation and improvement of laws and regulations related to
mental health services, and clarify the definition, scope, qualifications, and standards of mental health services, to
provide legal basis for market supervision. Strengthen the law enforcement inspection of the mental health service
market, severely crack down on illegal practices such as illegal medical practice and false propaganda, and
safeguard market order and consumer rights and interests.
Trade associations or government departments should be responsible for formulating a unified set of
mental health service standards, covering service processes, quality, and effect evaluation, etc., to ensure that
service providers abide by unified norms.
Encourage mental health service providers to adopt standardized service processes and technologies to
improve the professionalism and standardization of services. At the same time, reduce service costs and improve
service efficiency through standardized services.

Trade associations should strengthen the self-discipline management of member units, formulate
industry norms and codes of conduct, and guide member units to operate in good faith and standardize services.
At the same time, trade associations can also provide training, exchange, and other support services for member
units to improve the overall level of the industry.
The government should establish a multi-sectoral supervision mechanism and strengthen the daily
supervision and regular inspection of the mental health service market. Through cross-departmental cooperation
and information sharing, a joint regulatory effort will be formed to improve the regulatory effect.
Increase investment in mental health education and improve the quality and level of education. At the same time,
colleges and universities are encouraged to cooperate with mental health service institutions to carry out practical
teaching and practical training and cultivate mental health service talents with practical experience and
professional skills.
In-service mental health service providers should receive regular training and continuing education to
update their professional knowledge and skills, to improve the service quality and level. At the same time, service
providers are encouraged to participate in academic exchange activities at home and abroad to broaden their
horizons and ideas.

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Encourage scientific research institutions and enterprises to increase investment in scientific research
and development in the field of mental health and develop psychological evaluation tools and intervention
technologies with independent intellectual property rights. At the same time, strengthen the transformation and
application of scientific and technological achievements, and improve the scientific and technological content and
effect of mental health services.

4.2 Strengthen the Popular Science Education of Mental Health Knowledge

To enhance the public's awareness and concern about mental health problems, we can make full use of
media propaganda and public activities. Through these channels, we can guide the public to establish a correct
concept of mental health and encourage them to actively seek professional help and support when they encounter
psychological problems.
In popularizing mental health knowledge, it is particularly important to organize mental health
knowledge popularization activities, which is helpful to improve the public's mental health literacy and self -
regulation ability. By holding lectures, workshops, and training, we can impart necessary mental health
knowledge and skills to the public, so that they can cope with the pressures and challenges in life more
effectively.
4.2 Build an Effective Crisis Intervention Mechanism
In view of the shortage of online mental health services in dealing with emergencies, it is urgent to build
an effective crisis intervention mechanism. This mechanism should include a rapid response process to ensure
that when users express an urgent psychological crisis through the platform, they can immediately start the plan.
The platform should be equipped with a professional crisis intervention team, which is on standby for 24 hours,
to quickly intervene and provide necessary support when receiving emergency signals.
At the same time, the online service platform should establish cooperative relations with local medical
institutions and emergency centers to form an online and offline linkage crisis management network. In this way,
when the user has a serious psychological crisis, the online consultant can inform the cooperative offline
institutions in time to ensure that the user can get timely on-site assistance. In addition, the platform should
regularly provide crisis intervention training for consultants to improve their ability to identify and deal with
emergencies.
4.4 Optimization of Payment and Insurance Policies
At present, online mental health services are limited in payment methods and often lack insurance
coverage, which limits the popularity of services and the acceptance of users to some extent. To improve the
accessibility and affordability of online mental health services, it is necessary to promote the reform and
optimization of medical insurance policies. Specifically, the government and regulatory agencies can explore the
inclusion of online mental health services in the coverage of medical insurance and provide a certain proportion
of reimbursement for users' consultation fees, thus reducing the economic burden of users.
In addition, insurance companies can design more insurance products for online mental health services
to provide users with diversified payment options. The intervention of insurance mechanism can not only reduce
users' worries about the high cost of mental health services, but also promote the expansion and maturity of the
online mental health service market.
4.5 Take Precautions from Campus Mental Health Education.
With the rapid development of Internet technology, the commercialization of mental health online
services has become a trend that cannot be ignored. At present, online psychological counseling has broken
through the time and geographical restrictions and brought more convenient and flexible psychological support
services to users. According to incomplete statistics, there are more than thousands of online psychological
counseling platforms around the world, such as Talk Space and Better Help, which connect millions of users
seeking help with thousands of professional psychological counselors through video calls and instant messages,
realizing rapid response and personalized customization of mental health services.
At the same time, mental health APP, as another mainstream of commercialization, is being popularized
at an unprecedented speed. These applications not only provide functions such as mental health education,
emotional tracking, and stress management, but also add innovative features such as AI consultation and
community interaction. According to the data of market research company Grand View Research, the global
mental health APP market is expected to grow at a compound annual growth rate of over 20% in the next few
years, reflecting the strong demand and high recognition of the market in this field.
The commercialization process has brought unprecedented opportunities for mental health services. On
the one hand, it promotes the popularization of mental health knowledge, lowers the threshold for seeking help,
and enables more people to face up to and pay attention to their mental health problems. On the other hand,
through the application of big data, AI and other technologies, mental health services can more accurately match
the needs of users and improve the efficiency and quality of services. The commercialized operation mode also
provides financial and resource support for the sustainable development of mental health industry and promotes
the innovation and upgrading within the industry.
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However, commercialization also comes with a series of challenges. How to ensure the professionalism
and effectiveness of service and avoid the decline of service quality caused by excessive commercialization is an
urgent problem to be solved at present. Issues such as user privacy protection and data security have also attracted
widespread attention. In the process of commercialization, how to balance business interests and users' rights and
interests and build a safe and credible online mental health service environment is an important issue that the
industry must face.
Online commercialization of mental health services brings opportunities, but also faces many challenges.
In the future, with the continuous progress of technology and the gradual improvement of policies, this paper has
reason to believe that this field will develop in a more professional, personalized, and standardized direction to
protect the mental health of more people.
The influence mechanism of the commercialization of mental health online service is deeply rooted in
the fertile soil of technological development. With the increasing popularity of mobile Internet, by 2022, the global
penetration rate has reached 78.37%, which provides a solid foundation for online mental health services. The
explosive growth of mental health apps has exceeded 1,000 worldwide. These applications integrate advanced
technologies such as video calling, real-time messaging, and even AI-assisted diagnosis, which greatly broadens
the reach and convenience of mental health services. These technological innovations not only lower the threshold
of traditional psychological counseling, but also meet the diverse mental health needs of users through
personalized and instant service experience.
The improvement of policies and regulations provides a strong institutional guarantee for the
commercialization of mental health online services. The China Municipal Government clearly encourages the
innovation of mental health services by issuing the Guiding Opinions on Strengthening Mental Health Services
and other documents, which points out the direction for the development of online services. At the international
level, such as the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) of the European Union, it emphasizes the
importance of data security and privacy protection, requires service providers to strictly abide by relevant
regulations when collecting and processing user information, and enhances users' trust in online mental health
services. The United States, Britain and other countries have set up special institutions to supervise mental health
services, ensuring the quality and professionalism of services and building a good ecological environment for the
healthy development of the industry.
The commercialization of mental health online service has many influences, which not only comes from
technological progress, but also is the result of market demand and policy orientation. In the future, with the
continuous innovation of technology, the continuous growth of market demand and the improvement of policies
and regulations, the commercialization of online mental health services is expected to usher in a broader
development prospect.
Through empirical research on several mental health online service platforms, this paper collects a lot
of data. These data profoundly reveal the impact of the commercialization of mental health online services on
users' mental health status and service quality. Specifically, different commercialization models have received
different user feedback, and the effects are also different.
The mental health 360 platform adopts membership-based charging mode, and the improvement rate of
users' mental health is as high as 75%, which shows the effectiveness of this mode in providing professional and
continuous services. 90% service quality satisfaction shows that users have high recognition of the platform, and
the average usage time of 5 hours per week also reflects users' high stickiness and activity. This model ensures
the continuity and depth of service through stable membership fees and contributes to the long-term maintenance
of users' mental health.
In contrast, the station agent platform charges through advertisements and value-added services, and the
improvement rate of users' mental health is 68%. Although it is slightly lower than the membership platform, the
effect is still remarkable. 85% service quality satisfaction shows that users are basically satisfied with the service
content provided by the platform, but the existence of advertisements may have a certain impact on the user
experience. The average usage time of the platform is 4 hours per week, which shows the stability of the user
group, but the charging of value-added services may limit the deep participation of some users.
The psychological cloud home platform focuses on paid consultation and course sales, and the
improvement rate of users' mental health is 72%, which shows the positive impact of professional consultation
and systematic courses on users' mental health. 88% satisfaction with service quality and average usage time of 6
hours per week show users' demand and satisfaction with high-quality consulting services. However, the
consultation mode of pay-per-view may pose a certain threshold for users with limited economic ability.
Xinyue online platform realizes free service through enterprise cooperation and sponsorship, and the
improvement rate of users' mental health is 65%. Although it is lower than other commercial platforms, the
popularity of free service enables more users to access mental health resources. 80% satisfaction with service
quality and 3 hours usage per week reflect users' acceptance and usage habits of free service. However, the
sustainability of corporate sponsorship and the depth of service still need further observation.

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The platform of Friends of the Soul adopts the mode of membership charging and advertising revenue
in parallel. The improvement rate of users' mental health is 70%, the satisfaction of service quality is 86%, and
the average weekly usage time of users is 5 hours. This model not only ensures the stability of service, but also
increases the flexibility of the platform through advertising revenue. However, how to find a balance between
membership fees and advertising experience will be a problem that the platform needs to solve in the future.
There are various forms of commercialization of mental health online services, each with its own
advantages and disadvantages. Different platforms have achieved positive results in improving users' mental
health and service quality through different business models. In the future, with the continuous progress of
technology and the increasing diversification of market demand, the commercialization of mental health online
services will pay more attention to the optimization of user experience and personalized customization of services
to better meet users' mental health needs.
Through a comprehensive discussion on the commercialization of online mental health services in the
Internet age, this paper probes into its remarkable contribution to meeting the growing demand for mental health
and improving the quality and accessibility of services. It is found that with the development of technology,
especially the application of big data and artificial intelligence in the field of mental health, online services have
achieved more personalized and precise intervention, effectively alleviating the uneven distribution of traditional
mental health service resources. The introduction of business model not only stimulates the market vitality, but
also promotes the popularization of mental health knowledge and enhances the public's understanding of the
importance of mental health.
In the process of commercialization, online mental health services also face many challenges, such as
data security and privacy protection, uneven service quality, and lagging regulatory policies. The empirical
analysis of this study shows that despite the challenges, users generally accept the commercialization of online
mental health services. Especially among young people, they are more inclined to use convenient and efficient
online platforms to obtain psychological support. This reflects that in the fast-paced modern life, the
commercialization of online mental health services has become a trend that cannot be ignored.
Looking forward to the future, the commercialization of mental health online services will show the
following development trends: First, technology integration will be deeper, and AI algorithm will be used to
optimize consultation matching, emotion recognition and intervention strategies to improve service efficiency and
effectiveness; Second, the service model will be more diversified, combining online and offline resources to build
an all-round and full-cycle mental health service system; Third, the regulatory policy will be further improved to
ensure the safety and quality of services and protect the rights and interests of users; Fourth, mental health
education will be more popular, and mental health knowledge will be disseminated through commercial platforms
to enhance the mental health literacy of the whole people.
In view of the current problems and challenges, it is suggested to start from the following aspects: first,
strengthen industry self-discipline and standard setting, and promote the standardized development of mental
health online services; The second is to increase investment in technological innovation and improve the level of
service intelligence; Third, improve the legal system to provide a strong guarantee for the commercialization of
mental health online services; Fourth, strengthen public education and publicity to improve the society's cognition
and acceptance of mental health services.

The immature industrial chain of mental health market involves many aspects, which need the joint
efforts of the government, industry associations, service providers and consumers to solve. By strengthening
supervision and regulation, cultivating professionals, innovating business models, improving market demand and
cognition, promoting technology integration and innovation, and strengthening cross-border cooperation and
resource integration, the industrial chain of mental health market can be gradually matured and improved.
At the same time, the online service platform should establish cooperative relations with local medical
institutions and emergency centers to form an online and offline linkage crisis management network. In this way,
when the user has a serious psychological crisis, the online consultant can inform the cooperative offline
institutions in time to ensure that the user can get timely on-site assistance. In addition, the platform should
regularly provide crisis intervention training for consultants to improve their ability to identify and deal with
emergencies.

V. CONCLUSION
In the Internet age, the commercialization of online mental health services has become an important
force to promote social progress and cultural development. Just as General Secretary Xi Jinping emphasized the
importance of cultural construction, the development of mental health online service also undertakes the mission
of promoting public welfare and building a harmonious society. This service model not only provides a convenient
and efficient mental health support network for the public, but also gradually becomes the mainstream service
model through continuous technological innovation and market standardization, instead of just supplementing the
traditional mental health service.

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Personally, online mental health services greatly encourage more people to actively face and solve their
psychological problems by providing a private and flexible environment. The popularity of this service model not
only helps to enhance the public's mental health awareness, but also promotes the wide spread of mental health
knowledge, so that mental health issues have been more deeply recognized and concerned by the society.
From a social perspective, the promotion of online mental health services has effectively alleviated the
social pressure caused by mental health problems and contributed to social stability and harmony. At the same
time, it also promoted the rapid development of mental health industry and formed a positive industrial ecological
cycle.
The commercialization of mental health online service is the product of the Internet age, which has
played an important role in solving the contradiction between supply and demand of mental health services,
improving the public's mental health level, and promoting the harmonious development of society. Looking
forward to the future, with the continuous progress of technology and the constant standardization of the market,
the commercialization of online mental health services will have a broader development prospect and contribute
to building a healthier and more harmonious society.

VI. ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
The research work of this paper is supported by Zhejiang Yuexiu University of Foreign Languages’
College Student Innovation & Entrepreneurship Training Plan Project (202412792038).

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