May 25, 2010
Mental Health Apps: Like A 'Therapist In Your Pocket'
As the computing power of cell phones increases, more and more sophisticated mobile apps are being developed for the mental health field. NPR reports.
They're seen as a way to bridge periodic therapy sessions — a sort of 24-7 mobile therapist that can help with everything from quitting smoking to treating anxiety to detecting relapses in psychotic disorders.
These mobile technologies let users track their moods and experiences, providing a supplemental tool for psychiatrists and psychologists.
"It gives me an additional source of rich information of what the patient's life is like between sessions," says University of Pennsylvania researcher Dimitri Perivoliotis, who treats patients with schizophrenia. "It's almost like an electronic therapist, in a way, or a therapist in your pocket."
Here's how one of the apps, called "Mobile Therapy," works: Throughout the day at random times, a "mood map" pops up on a user's cell phone screen. "People drag a little red dot around that screen with their finger to indicate their current mood," says Dr. Margaret Morris, a clinical psychologist working at Intel Corp. and the app's designer. Users also can chart their energy levels, sleep patterns, activities, foods eaten and more, she says.
Read full article.
Related: Mobile Therapy: Case Study Evaluations of a Cell Phone Application for Emotional Self-Awareness
The Permanent Link to this page is: http://www.textually.org/textually/archives/2010/05/026064.htm
