Mental Health and Technology
Social media and other technology bear the blame for contributing to society’s mental health distress. But technology and wellness can also go hand in hand! So-called “digital therapeutics” moves mental health off the psychiatrist’s couch to your pocket, wrist, or laptop. To be sure, mental health boosted by technology may not include all mental illness.
The whole person, treated with technology plus traditional medicine
Do you rely on chatbots, apps, and digital support groups? These are good to treat burnout, loneliness, and anxiety. The World Health Organization estimates that 25 per cent of all people will be affected by a mental or neurological disorder during their life. Of those, nearly two-thirds never seek help from health care. Usual barriers are stigma (someone might see me at the doctor’s office), time, cost, and availability.
Conquering the barriers with technology and wellness
Schedule a video teleconference with your doctor or counselor. You may save on the appointment and get easier access at the same time. When you need to find a doctor, other virtual therapy do matchmaking and consider specific needs. For example:
- Couples therapy
- Pride Counseling for LGBTQ individuals
- Henry Health for black men
- Ayana connects clients with therapists from their own culture background and race.
Can you wear it?
Headsets, bracelets, and wristbands can pair with cognitive-behavioral therapy apps to help when you are suffering anxiety and depression. When traditional healthcare models have gaps, tech can offer supplemental or preventative care.
Look for mindfulness and meditation apps like Headspace, Calm, and Sanity & Self to relax you and strengthen mental resilience. Breathing exercises, visual aids, and journaling guides can help.
Octave Health combines in-person therapy with virtual coaching services. Digital mental health strategies will only increase in the coming years.
Technology and wellness
We love convenience, and tech more than supports convenience. We are interested more and more in self-care. More than that, we realize that prevention is lots more affordable than treatment.
On Ginger.io, you can chat with a behavioral health coach after only 60 seconds of being on the platform. Need more care? You escalate seamlessly to professional therapy or a psychiatrist.
Telehealth is rocketing: online chat with your doctor, both primary care and mental health. Celebrities are discussing mental health struggles more and more, and encouraging online therapy. Our awareness of mental health needs is growing.
Wellbeing tools are a growing tech area
As well as speaking with an actual healthcare professional online, AI (artificial intelligence) may help with mental health and diagnosis. So Alexa may become more than a robotic helper! The ability of tech to monitor blood pressure and other senses will help warn us of panic attacks.
Woodlands Functional Family Medicine: Technology and wellness
Call us at 281-298-5476 for an appointment, in person or online! We are minutes from I-45 (Houston’s North Freeway) in The Woodlands. We look forward to seeing you soon!