It is often difficult for us to believe in things that we can’t see. To most of us, it is nothing more than a supernatural concept. However, medical science has discovered and proven that there might be health problems that we face, which the eye can’t see, like mental well-being.
Depression and anxiety are real and can even cripple people with herculean strength. These issues don’t discriminate and might start showing in people of every age group and background. And the biggest obstacle is dealing with them because you can’t dress or patch them like an open wound. Recovering from them takes time and energy, and depending on how you deal with it, the damage can be insignificant or catastrophic.
The range of problems arising from mental health problems is diverse, and that is why people are investing in overcoming this problem. Psychiatry and psychotherapy have many students and practitioners, but individuals are trying to take this one step ahead using technology.
In recent times, several solutions to fight depression and anxiety have sprung up that focus on the use of technology for support, instead of a living person. The idea has gained immense popularity because of its accessibility, efficiency, and privacy that it offers to people struggling with it.
Additionally, online holistic therapy is another emerging option for people dealing with depression and anxiety. The term refers to a more broad scope approach of identifying and addressing mental health issues. We might be having physical symptoms or health problems as a result of these, and conventional medical science would target the root cause of the concern, which might not be so useful. As opposed to it, holistic therapy treats it as a problem of the body, presenting both mental and physical solutions to fight. Thus, making it more wholesome and efficient.
Besides that, here are some tips to utilize technology to combat depression & anxiety. These can help people in desperate situations and might be easier to accept than facing a person in the flesh.
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Online Support & Therapy
The growing problem of depression and anxiety amplified due to the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic. Several cases of misconduct and abuse came to light because of the situation of distress. Online and on-call mental health support staff played a huge role in overcoming that situation.
People can either reach out to support services on call or start a chat online. Official services have professionals on the other end of the line that treat it as a distress call. They help streamline their thoughts and clear their heads to avoid escalating the situation.
Similarly, many locally or privately based support groups offer the same assistance. You can connect with them via social media or get a contact number. These are people who acknowledge mental health as a real cause of concern because most of them have dealt with it. They might not be professionals, but can still be very helpful if you need someone to talk anonymously. You can read more about the benefits of online therapy.
The downside of this is that you never know if your sensitive information is in safe hands or not if you are seeking help from a private network. You must verify or authenticate the people you are communicating with before opening up to them.
AI-Assisted Therapy
Everyone owns a smartphone in these times, and the creators took the liberty to play their role in helping their users. Most of the latest tech comes with an AI assistant installed on the phone to help with several tasks and functions. However, with the evolution of AI, the same program can offer help with mental health issues.
The Samsung flagship has Bixby, Apple Inc. cell phones have SIRI, and there are other options, like Google Home or Amazon Alexa. All these come installed on the hardware, and their conversational peculiarities are similar to that of walking, talking people. Besides daily briefings and details, they are particular about your mood and can notice speech patterns with your permissions.
If not that, then you can share with them how your day is going, and they will give you a prompt response. Probably share something that will help you realize that it’s alright to be feeling a little out of the ordinary or stressed about a particular situation. Or worst cases, connect you to the people who can help.
They are also proving to be very helpful to combat depression and anxiety in the past some time.
Mobile Applications
Besides online platforms and AI assistants, you can also find some useful applications to help you combat depression and anxiety. According to an NBC report, there are over 10,000 mobile phone applications, including device-specific ones.
These apps help with therapy, monitoring mood, and rationality of decisions. Some of them make relaxation exercise suggestions if they track symptoms of anxiety, while others can help with stress management. Some options also have mood toolkits that you can use to gradually drive you away from anxiety and stress. The top suggestions for both Android and iPhone users include Happify, Headspace, and Pacifica.
Using them is another way to utilize technology to combat depression and anxiety. And many people show promising results from their use.
Summary
These were some helpful tips to utilize technology to combat depression/anxiety, and consciously take care of your mental health. Don’t neglect it or feel embarrassed about reaching out for help. Use the options that you have convenient access to and work on the process of healing. That should help you get back on your feet and start running the race of life at full speed.
