The Impact of Technology in the Future of Mental Health Treatments

Updated on January 26, 2021
medicine, healthcare and people concept - doctor talking to male patient at medical office in hospital

Technological innovations have brought significant changes in the healthcare industry. Using modern tools and advanced methods, medical practitioners can now provide faster and more accurate diagnoses to patients. Aside from this, doctors, nurses, and other healthcare professionals have better ways to treat several illnesses, including mental health issues. With technological advancements, psychologists, psychiatrists, and other mental health professionals can improve their strategies in addressing patient issues.

Common Mental Health Issues in the United States

Dealing with mental health conditions require constant, expert solutions. Unlike physical malady treatments, mental health issues require several therapy sessions and personalized care, depending on the patient’s condition. Unfortunately, only a limited number of people step forward to get expert help. Here are some of the most common mental health conditions in the United States:

  • Anxiety disorders-This mental health issue leads to symptoms that include severe and constant worrying and feelings of restlessness. Patients suffering from severe conditions even experience panic attacks, especially when exposed to an unfamiliar, uncomfortable, or stressful environment. According to a survey, only 37% of people suffering from anxiety disorders receive actual treatment.
  • Depression-Depression cause people to experience feelings of worthlessness. This leads to losing the desire to perform any activity, including mundane tasks that other people usually do daily. This condition is often displayed by people aged 15-44 and is known to affect women more than men.
  • Bipolar disorders-People suffering from bipolar disorders can’t control their emotions, and most of the time, their behavior is remarkably different from normal ones. There is no known cure for this disorder, but people who have this condition can get treatments to ease symptoms of mania.

Talking about these conditions may be uncomfortable for some people. However, society needs to slowly educate themselves about how to approach people suffering from these conditions properly. With the help of technology, patients suffering from these disorders will have a chance to get immediate and effective treatments. Thus, if you are in one way or another, believe that you are suffering from mental health issues, you have to approach experts immediately.

Technological Innovations in the Mental Health Care Industry

Mental health care support has become more accessible more than ever. Technological innovations have brought positive changes and are helping both patients and medical practitioners. Good thing, several clinics and health care facilities are now applying technology to address several mental health care issues. Here are some of the most remarkable innovations that technology offers to mental health patients:

  • Virtual Reality-Health care professionals can offer virtual reality solutions to address patients suffering from psychological conditions involving traumatic disorders. With this advanced tech, patients will learn how to face their fears and slowly get over their trauma.
  • Social media platforms-Information about the proper way of addressing mental health has been widely spread, thanks to social media. Now, with just a few taps and clicks, people will gain access to educational resources about mental health. People suffering from mental health can also gain tips from support groups and mental health care pages.
  • Brain scan technology- Some companies are already using advanced brain scans to detect abnormal brain activities, which may trigger mental disorders. Sensors help health care experts diagnose patients and come up with the best treatment or medication methods.
  • Mobile applications- Mobile application developers have designed hundreds of mental health apps. With this, people can easily access useful smartphone applications that aim to calm feelings of anxiety and ease depressive symptoms. People can easily download these applications and use them daily to change their bad habits and improve their lifestyles.
  • Telehealth-Patients suffering from minor mental health issues can choose to be treated at home. With telehealth, doctors and therapists can monitor their patients through software and tools. For instance, patients attending drug rehabilitation programs can keep their therapists updated about their daily progress.

Don’t hesitate to open up about your struggles and experiences, especially if you think you are having trouble dealing with anxiety and depression. If you also believe that a loved one is experiencing symptoms of mental disorders, you can also help them meet with healthcare professionals. Using advanced methods and modern tech, mental health care professionals will be able to provide you and your loved ones their much-needed support. The key is to find the right support and work with industry experts to ensure quick treatment and effective medications. Hopefully, more technological innovations will be discovered to improve the health care system as a whole. This way, people won’t suffer so much and so long from these disorders.

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