Wibrain and Korean Neuropsychiatric Association Hold Contest for Overcoming Depression Essays

Electronic medicine platform company Ybrain announced on the 5th that it will start a depression recovery essay contest as part of the "Understanding Depression" campaign in collaboration with the Korean Neuropsychiatric Association.

Blue Band Campaign Depression Overcoming Essay Contest Announcement jointly conducted by Ybrain and the Korean Neuropsychiatric Association [Image source=Blue Band homepage]

This contest is held to commemorate April 4th, "Day of Mind," jointly designated by the Korean Neuropsychiatric Association and the Korean Mental Health Foundation. The day was established to correct social prejudices against mental illnesses and to draw attention to mentally ill patients who have been marginalized amid public indifference, thereby strengthening the public’s mental health management. To celebrate the Day of Mind, the Korean Neuropsychiatric Association held a commemorative ceremony on the 4th at the Baekbeom Kim Koo Memorial Hall, inviting psychiatrists and awarding contributors. Lee Gi-won, CEO of Ybrain, gave a lecture introducing the Blue Band campaign and the depression recovery essay contest at the event.

Submissions for the Blue Band campaign depression recovery essay contest can be made through the Blue Band website until June 4th. Anyone wishing to participate can submit stories of overcoming depression or suggestions for improving awareness of depression. The submission format is free, with a length of around 2,000 characters.

Separate awards will be given for outstanding essays. One grand prize winner will receive a gift certificate worth 500,000 KRW, one excellence award winner will receive a gift certificate worth 300,000 KRW, five encouragement award winners will receive gift certificates worth 100,000 KRW each, and all participants will be given banana-flavored milk.

Ybrain plans various activities through the Blue Band campaign aimed at fostering and spreading an atmosphere of early diagnosis and active treatment of depression. In September last year, Ybrain jointly launched the Blue Band campaign for understanding depression with the Korean Neuropsychiatric Association and promoted the campaign to medical staff by setting up a Blue Band campaign booth at the autumn psychiatric academic conference last year.

CEO Lee Gi-won said, “It is encouraging that 'Mindsteem,' the world’s first electronic medicine for depression developed by Ybrain, has been commercialized domestically, and the number of patients receiving home treatment using it is greatly increasing.” He added, “We hope many people will participate in the Blue Band campaign depression essay contest, jointly organized with the Korean Neuropsychiatric Association to promote early diagnosis and active treatment of depression, so that public interest in depression can increase.” Oh Kang-seop, chairman of the Korean Neuropsychiatric Association, also said, “Through public interest in depression, we urge everyone to actively visit hospitals when feeling depressed and to pay much attention to the Blue Band campaign and the ‘Day of Mind.’”