Mentech

Mental health has been a taboo to talk about in public until recently. And I think we should give some of its credit to technology. Times have changed. Technology is changing the psychology of people. Technology is no longer just a medium to gain information, provide basic use like that of a clock or calendar, etc; it is changing lives by significantly providing solutions to preserve and improve mental health.

Technology is not only letting people know about mental illness, it’s causes and effects on one’s health but it’s also enlightening people on how to cope with their mental condition with the help of apps.

There is an app for everything nowadays. Mental health apps are becoming quite popular lately. There are numerous mental health apps which are helping people cope with stress, anxiety, loneliness, etc. Popular apps like mood fit, super better, booster buddy, what’s up, talk space, headspace, mood notes, calm which comes under the category of health and fitness mainly focus on improving oneself, by conquering issues like anxiety and depression, helps improve one’s mindfulness, also connects users with therapists, assists one to improve thinking habits.

The advantages of mental health apps are that they are convenient, they can be used at whatever time one wants to or by whoever has trouble with in-person appointments which also adds up to anonymity. Mental health apps are also relatively cheaper and sometimes absolutely free making it accessible to more people (people living in remote areas or people in times of sudden need.) Since technology is round-the-clock, mental health apps are in service 24*7.

Besides mental health apps, there are other digital media organizations that raise mental health awareness by presenting psychological topics in digestible and relatable manner. From social media apps like YouTube to Instagram, people are really trying to bring issues like mental illness and mental health into the spotlight. There are Instagram pages like official humans of bombay, official. We the people which gives voice to people’s struggle with depression, anxiety, bullying,etc. And YouTube channels like psych2go whose vision is to make psychology more accessible to everyone as well as occasionally cover topics like mental health by spreading awareness regarding mental health issues to reduce the stigma behind it.

Although technological platforms like YouTube and Instagram or mental health apps like the ones mentioned above might not promise total cure of mental illness or improvement of mental health, it has certainly opened a new frontier in mental health support and data collection, which might be simple yet effective. It’s fascinating to see how technology is revolutionizing various aspects of life, including mental health support.

Kavana Chondamma