Technology for mental health

In this age no one is a stranger to the importance of mental health. Good psychological, emotional and

social well-being of an individual is crucial for stabilizing constructive behavior which ultimately leads to

a stable and progressive society.

Now is the time to take initiatives and make use of technology for innovations that would improve

mental health. Technology has opened new frontiers for mental health support. Making this technology

mobile can be simple and effective. Packing technology in mobile devices will make it accessible to

everyone. There are many applications that are currently being used to access help, monitor the well-

being of a person, monitor progress or gather data for better understanding of a person and their

problem. This field of work should be strictly regulated to make it trustworthy and its use more effective.

Therapy sessions can be made online for people who do not have time to visit a therapist in person

regularly, can’t find their desired therapist in their area or simply want to enjoy the luxury of their

comfort place.

The use of AI could be a game changer in this industry to provide personalized and effective treatments.

Advancements in robotics and artificial intelligence have given shape to companion robots. More work

on these social humanoid companions can make them a safer option worldwide. They could be

programmed in a way to recognize their human’s behavior patterns, to predict when someone may need

more emotional support, detect any change and impart proper treatment on the spot or immediately

connect them to a professional. The COVID-19 pandemic has changed the world and given it a new

vision. With the help of this technology people can survive lockdowns and quarantines without

compromising their mental health. Being lonely is as bad for health as a long term illness. It’s evident

that robots cannot replace human interaction but cute friendly robot allies can be an effective tool

against loneliness and social isolation. Maybe in the future their programming can be done to an extent

that people would be able to have their own personal therapists.

With increasing workload automated ways are being investigated to maintain high standards for

treatment. This technology can be used to provide doctors a better insight into their work. Tools are

being made to better understand the words being spoken between a client and a therapist. This new era

of mental health offers many great opportunities. AI can help spot mental illness earlier in a person and

help to make accurate choices for treatment. Technology can quantitatively gather more information

which can provide insight to therapists for better treatment.

Technology has a lot of potential in this field for clinicians and clients alike. Therapy can be made

convenient and available for everyone round the clock. Anonymity can be maintained since treatment

options can be explored without involving other people. In the recent years NIMH is evaluating research

grants focused on technology for disorders such as schizophrenia, HIV, depression, anxiety, autism,

suicide, and trauma. We hope to see more and improved computer based interventions to prevent and

treat mental health disorders.

English Literature to 1760 (ENGL 211 C)