The COVID-19 pandemic has affected our mental health to a great extent. Over the past couple of years, people were subjected to the news and horrific sights of people passing away. As hospitals reached their maximum capacity, the general public entered a state of panic, thinking what would happen if they needed intensive care.
Lockdowns added to this degrading mental health condition. People were forced to stay indoors for months and could not meet their friends or family. And at one point, even virtual communication seemed to be making people anxious.
The fear of a global pandemic causing havoc across the world was an unbearable one, at least at its initial stage. And all these things had a chokehold on our mental health.
Thankfully, technological advancements made in those two years saw many new ways of treating mental health problems. Some past innovations also entered the mainstream healthcare industry.
Be it for COVID or simply the determination of the innovators, we are thankful that such technology exists. And today, we will be taking a closer look at a few of them.
Prescription Video Games
There was a time when healthcare professionals would scapegoat video games for the decline in mental health among youths. It was as if video games were the only evil responsible for degrading moral and ethical values in children. Fast forward to mid-2022, and the world was seeing its first prescription video game.
In June 2020, the FDA gave its approval to the world’s first prescription video game. The game – EndeavourRX – was targeted towards kids between 8 and 12 years of age suffering from ADHD. By utilizing the in-game environment, healthcare professionals could bring minor improvements to the kids’ natural habits. And slowly, these minor improvements were leading to better and more drastic changes.
Online Psychic Reading Websites
Psychic readers are known for providing services to people searching for answers in matters of relationship, inner conflicts, spiritual relief, and so on. However, they have never built a reputation for treating mental health conditions.
However, recent studies at Yale suggest that psychics can help mental healthcare experts hear the voices of psychosis. So in a way, psychics can help people suffering from bipolar disorder and schizophrenia. And that is why many are turning to online psychic reading websites to speak to psychics.
Given the overwhelming number of online psychics, you should always check their ratings on websites like mysticmag.com before paying for their services. Always look for psychics who have higher ratings from a lot of users. That way, you will know that you are getting the best service possible from genuine psychic readers.
Virtual Reality in Mental Health
VR technology is reshaping the entertainment industry at present. However, its impact has reached the healthcare sector too. With costs coming down, this piece of technology is seeing newer forms of utilization, especially in the mental healthcare sector.
Recently, VR technology is helping to treat anxiety, phobias, and PTSD. It is helping children with ADHD learn how to focus through VR classrooms. VR is also helping people with autism to adjust to different stressful situations like crowded places or job interviews. VR simulation is helping them to cope with their surroundings without putting them in any actual danger.
Assisted Therapy
AI-powered smartphone apps are becoming more widespread. And they are currently revolutionizing the way remote therapy works.
AI chatbots like Woebot help users practice various CBT strategies. Apps like Replika will let you talk to it when you require a friend. Its responses are human-like, and it is continuously learning from millions of users across the world.
Some apps can also analyze a user’s voice and speech patterns. They can look for warning or distress signs in their voice. It is as if they are monitoring patients 24x7.
In the last two years, the demand for these apps has increased manifold. That is because remote therapy sessions were becoming a bit inaccessible, mostly because of the increase in demand. On top of that, the idea of seeking help via a Zoom call was not something many were interested in.
These were some of the most important technological innovations that revolutionized the mental healthcare sector in the last two years. At present, more and more people are opting for these digital approaches towards treating mental health conditions. Even businesses and large corporations are starting to utilize these digital services for their employees. As the trend continues, we will soon see more fascinating work being done in this regard, and see more innovative treatment ways becoming mainstream.
