The COVID-19 pandemic has brought mental health to the forefront, with over a billion people annually seeking help from therapists and clinicians to address issues like depression, anxiety, and suicidal ideation. This rising demand has pushed healthcare and therapeutic institutions to adopt smarter technologies like artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) to enhance patient care...

Undoubtedly, the COVID-19 pandemic caused a great introspection of the human mind. As rising cases called for stricter lockdown and self-isolation policies, everything came to a standstill. This detachment from the outside world gave rise to several cases of deteriorating mental health in individuals. Minimum social interaction gave birth to rising instances of anxious and depressive episodes....