Friday, December 12, 2014

Need a Therapist? Check Your Phone!

Scott Langenecker discussed his research on depression. Focusing on parts of the brain that are triggered for people who have this disorder, Langenecker’s research hopes to fill a better understanding of those who are at risk of major depression and those who already are in order to have better treatments available. His research along with many others indicates the rising issue of this disorder and what proper steps should be taken into consideration in order to resolve this issue.


An electronic therapist is coming our way that will give people who are feeling a down  a screen to hold onto for support. These apps have the ability to track behaviors and symptoms the user is feeling through self-report or sensors. These reports can be analyzed in order to better understand the mental state of the user. The data collected can be used to see if there are any triggers, which would predict depression before, it occurs. The app also works as a food diary so that people suffering from eating disorders can track what they eat. There are also apps that help people who are stressed or anxious right at that moment!

This creative new approach hopes to ensure people they have assistance at their finger tips and that at any time, they are not alone. My main concern is that it means we rely on technology, as a form of support and we all know how powerful technology can be.  With all these new initiatives to ward off this horrible disorder, I hope that it does relieve some of the stress and gives people an outlet to open up about what’s going in their lives.

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