With the advent of technology taking a more and more active role in aiding our lives, many have started to wonder whether applications can be built to help with mental well-being. Today let's take a deep dive into this topic:
First, what are the different types of mental health apps?
1. Self Management (ex. reminders to take medications)
2. Skill/Cognitive Training Apps (ex. learn new thinking skills through a game)
3. Social Support (ex. communication)
4. Symptom Tracking (ex. using sensors in the phone)
What are some of the benefits of mental health apps?
1. Easily distributed and accesible
2. Easily built into a habit
3. Low cost
There are some concerns about the efficacy and the privacy aspect of these apps. Researchers have found positive results indicating that apps can alleviate symptoms of mild depression and help reduce anxiety.
Finally, mental health apps are still in the early stages and they are not a replace for doctors and psychiatrists. In addition, be selective when choosing which mental health app to use by researching and finding reputable recommendations. For example, the app Breathe2Relax is useful for those suffering from anxiety, stress, or PTSD. By doing research, we see that it has been created by the National Center for Telehealth & Technology.
The main takeaway is that find what works best for yourself by doing research and trying things out but don't overvalue these apps to the point where they replace your regular doctor.
Written By: Catherine Tang, Treasurer
Study Cited:
Chandrashekar, Pooja. “Do mental health mobile apps work: evidence and recommendations for designing high-efficacy mental health mobile apps.”mHealthvol. 4 6. 23 Mar. 2018, doi:10.21037/mhealth.2018.03.02
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