ATLANTA, Ga. (Atlanta News First) – According to the American Psychological Association, 6 million men suffer from depression each year. Most go undiagnosed.

Art Pharmacy is looking to reduce stigma with a new approach to mental health care. This is particularly important for men.

According to the Anxiety & Depression Association of America, 40% of men have never discussed mental health with a medical professional.

This new approach was appealing to college student Jamari Gilbert.

“Men do not have a lot of leeway talking about their problems,” said Gilbert.

The company connects patients referred by their health care providers with individualized arts and culture engagements to improve their mental and behavioral health.

“We are dealing with a mental health crisis in our country, and there remains a stigma surrounding men’s mental health,” said Art Pharmacy Founder and CEO Chris Appleton. “Art Pharmacy’s social solution is an impactful way for men to engage in healing without the stigma associated with medicine or traditional treatment methods. We provide a model with engagements and events that men are interested in for effective care based on their passions and diagnosis.”

The business has a location in Edgewood, located in the Municipal Market.

Art Pharmacy has smart-matching technology that considers clinical needs, patient preferences, and decades of research to address mental health concerns.

Art Pharmacy connects you with a trained professional, called a care navigator, who addresses mental health disorders – like anxiety, depression, social isolation and loneliness. You are prescribed arts and culture credits that act as your “medicine.”

Patients are monitored by the doctor monthly. Their doctor can prescribe additional credits as needed and the care navigator can guide someone through their credits.

Copyright 2023 WANF. All rights reserved.