Jennifer McTigue on New Innovations for Mental Health

1. Jennifer McTigue says Virtual reality, mobile apps, and other forms of emerging tech are changing how we approach mental health. Recent developments in sensor technologies, online psychological therapies and video remote counseling, mobile apps (apps) and gaming are all providing genuine opportunities to engage and empower patients, and create new approaches both for the assessment and intervention of mental health problems. With the growth of VR, video games are becoming increasingly prevalent, ultimately becoming used even within the context of mental health care. Video games enable individuals to concentrate on several tasks simultaneously, leading patients to experience measurable improvements in mental wellbeing. As we have mentioned, patients suffering from attention deficit hyperactivity disorder may be able to enhance their attention spans while seated in the virtual reality class, but they may also be able to do this while playing a video game. Evidence shows that the technology is able to identify patients who may experience depression, and also provide treatment if needed. These digital technologies could dramatically increase access to mental health care and adherence to treatment, by allowing services to be delivered in more flexible ways tailored to the needs of the individual patient. As digital therapies gain greater mainstream adoption, new populations of concern may gain access to supports that were formerly not available to them in a traditional treatment environment. The goal is to build apps that can support diverse users, including people who have severe mental illnesses. If innovations aimed at increasing engagement are going to make any significant public health difference, innovations are going to need to meet the needs of those who suffer from severe mental illness, a demographic group largely ignored by entrepreneurs. If needs arise, individuals with mental health needs could readily move into mainstream individual or group therapies, whether with or without prescribed medications, and higher levels of care, such as intensive outpatient programs. Users can adjust medication times, how they struggle with anxiety, and practice mindfulness through the app. Many mental health-related apps help people cope with common stressors or everyday mood issues with mindfulness techniques that decrease anxiety, and let users keep a record of their feelings. Skill-building apps can seem more like games than other mental health apps, since they help users learn new skills for coping or thinking. The app can help a user connect with peer support, or it may send information to a trained mental health professional, who may be able to provide counseling and treatment options. Smile Mind is provided to schools free of charge, and its purpose is to create happier, healthier, and more compassionate children and adults capable of dealing with stress and challenges in their everyday lives. Developed in partnership with teachers, psychologists and healthcare professionals, the app has a range of short, easy to follow meditation modules for children, teachers and parents. Health apps blend developer expertise in making the app user-friendly and fun, with clinical expertise in providing effective treatment options. Researchers have found interventions using health apps are more effective when people are engaged and want to keep using it. A study on patients with mental health disorders found their technology use--computers, cell phones, and smartphones--was similar to that of the general public, and older adults reported lower levels of familiarity, access, and trust in technology (computers). The biggest data challenges in mental health Digital health technologies, including EHRs, imaging, electronic prescribing, and increasingly widespread use of connected devices for monitoring health, potentially yield vast amounts of data, which can have significant benefits to researchers and

2. policymakers. The United Kingdom governments No Health Without Mental Health Strategy2 calls for increased use of information and communications technologies (ICTs) to enhance the delivery and accessibility of services. Mental health tech solutions are opening up new opportunities for healthcare providers and the general public to communicate with each other and address symptoms of depression, anxiety, substance dependence, and other conditions. Accelerated by the demands of social distancing and other stresses from a global pandemic, technology companies are making huge advances developing telehealth platforms, wearable technology, and mental health tracking technologies to help the public cope. Given the shift toward more technology-driven services and resources in the modern world, and the array of digital innovations and studies taking shape during the COVID-19 pandemic, it is important to think about the role these advances have played in supporting mental health initiatives. We do not know how much of this growth will persist after COVID-19 is contained, and we do not know the full extent of its clinical outcomes, but the experiences from the pandemic suggest that deep changes to the delivery of mental health services can occur quickly and widely, if the right incentives are in place. Hopefully, experts are working tirelessly on improving the technology innovations to serve the field of mental health.