Technology has affected almost every sphere of our life. Every field is now being mechanised and evolving itself for higher efficiency. Health sector is no different. Technology has given birth to life saving tools like X-ray machines, MRI scanner, chemotherapies, colonoscopy etc. This use of technology in health is called e-health or telemedicine and is becoming increasingly popular.
Let us further analyse this role of technology and other emerging trends in the area of mental disorders’ treatment.
Role of technology in mental health treatment
Mental health applications
With the advent of mobile phones and the internet, help is just a click away. You can drop a message or give a call for a crisis centre to provide you with the help you need. Various apps have been developed that have the ability to gather data and provide efficient results.
These results can assist the doctors in further diagnosis or treatments. There are certain advanced applications that can not only gather data but also provide effective solutions. There are various subscription based apps available on Play Store and iTunes that nudge the individual to take care of their mental health.
In the recent view of the pandemic, the research and use of such apps has increased. It was important to take care of patients during those difficult times and online treatment became the only safe solution. The pandemic also led to a spike in mental health issues and technology was the only option they could turn to.
The pandemic has proved to be a catalyst for the growth of telehealth applications. They range from simple thinking or memory enhancing programs to complex anxiety and nerve calming therapies. However, it has been seen that people do not continue to use such applications for long.
How does technology work in the field of mental health treatment?
We live in a world where Artificial Intelligence (AI) has developed manifolds. The same is used for mental health treatments. There are chatbots that can help patients 24*7 by recognising their voice, speech patterns and recognise any signs of suicidal thoughts. These bots can also use cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) techniques with the patients. However, this does not eliminate the role of a human counsellor completely. It is an advanced help to assist patients.
Tracking a patient’s progress is one of the most tedious tasks for any therapist. Therefore, with the invention of digital tracking apps, you can easily do that. It helps both the doctor and the patient to know of their progress.
Furthermore, Virtual Reality (VR) tools are becoming a new trend among therapists. As the cost of VR devices decreased, its usage has increased. Patients can now use these technological tools from their homes and help themselves. These are successful in the treatment of anxiety, phobias, ADHD, learning disabilities etc.
There is another remarkable technological advancement in the talks right now. That is, a digital pill! This pill will keep a check on your medicine intake and dosage. This can be a life altering solution for many patients and doctors who struggle with medicinal problems. They can also ensure if the patient is taking the prescribed medications in correct dosage or not.
Emerging pseudo therapists
How many times has social media bombarded us with phrases like “Who needs therapy, when you have friends”, “Therapy is for those who don’t listen to music”, “Psychological problems are nothing but a state of mind” etc. These social media influencers have very little or absolutely no information about psychology or psychiatry. Their role cannot be neglected as they have a huge youth fan base.
The influencers display a highly fake profile and to them mental health is nothing but just self care. They induce the ideas of toxic positivity in the minds of their followers which worsens their situation. People keep suffering in silence and using these alternatives of therapy.
Social media is a very powerful tool that influences millions of people worldwide. During the pandemic, social media became the only source of Information. It also helped in bashing the misinformation that was being circulated. Just like no one can prescribe medicines on these platforms, similarly only certified practitioners should be allowed to give prescriptions on mental health.
Future of technology in mental health treatments
We live in a world where almost 60% of the world population is suffering from a mental disorder and needs help. However, the world also lacks certified mental health practitioners that can help ease the situation. The cost of therapy is also expensive for most people to afford. This leaves us with no other option than to rely on technology to assist us. The assistants of a psychologist or a psychiatrist can guide patients to use certain applications while they wait for their consultation.
The appointment waiting time in countries like the USA ranges from 3 to 6 months. Therefore, crisis management helplines and applications that provide immediate support are needed.
Emerging trends of technology and mental health management in India
India is a poor country, home to almost one-sixth of humanity. It is a developing country and the technology is also advancing at a slow rate. It would be correct to assume that India needs telehealth systems to work efficiently but is unable to do so. Illiteracy and lack of technical awareness in our country can also pose serious challenges in this venture. Furthermore, the question of reliability and validity of these apps will always be daunting.
These applications can also hamper the privacy of users. The mindset of Indian people regarding mental health is already orthodox and conservative. First step would be to create awareness and only then can we think of using technology to our advantage. As of now the role of technology in mental health is limited to machines like EEG and use of low credibility apps by people on a personal level. This trend is also popular in urban areas, the rural settings are yet to witness a technological revolution.
Conclusion
It is safe to conclude by saying that the world needs technology in the field of health and wellness. However, they cannot replace the need of a human practitioner or consultant completely. These tools can facilitate the patients but not cure them completely.
Also, if these measures are to be implemented, there should be a body to regulate them. Strict guidelines should be followed and the user interface should be built in a way that holds the interests of the users for a longer time. Thus, we can only hope for better and efficient tools to develop which would help in the treatment of mental disorders worldwide.
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Author: Hardika narang
Hi I'm Hardika Narang, a student of psychology from Chandigarh. I'm an ardent reader, writer and dreamer.
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