While analyzing the Room for Debate article "Depressed? There's an App for That," I came to realize that people's understanding on the purpose of technology is continually straying farther away from the truth. Technology is meant to help with daily tasks so that people can spend more time living life. It is also meant for easy long distance communication. People are slowly beginning to miss the point that technology is meant to be used as an addition to communication, not a replacement for personal interaction. Today, people are developing apps designed to treat mental illnesses such as anxiety and depression. The aspects that make these apps appealing are that people do not have to travel to a clinic to receive help, they're much cheaper, they offer daily check-ins, there's no hassle of trying to schedule appointments, and people are saved the discomfort of face to face conversations with a therapist. I believe that these apps have the potential to aid people in the process of getting better; however, I believe that the best way to treat mental illness is to interact with someone in person.
Talking out feelings and emotions with a therapist, family member, or friend helps people discover new things about themselves and why they're feeling the way they do. When people are feeling alone in life and experiencing mental trouble it's beneficial and comforting to them to have someone to fall back on to talk to and to know that they have someone in their life that is willing to help them through their healing process. I don't believe that an app is the most effective way to treat mental illness because it does not fully get rid of the feelings of loneliness in the patient and makes the healing process more impersonal. The fact that the process is impersonal through an app may make the patient feel like they're not important or making much progress. I believe that one on one conversations with people is the most effective form of treatment with the most long term benefits because talking to someone can give you more clarity on aspects of your situation.
Human interaction is an art in and of itself because it helps you to feel connected and meaningful and allows you to experience raw emotions. It also allows you to develop new perspectives and appreciation on life in general. People often view venting as a form of complaining, but it's actually a form of therapy because it allows someone to give you advice and allows you to discover and understand new aspects of the situation that you didn't acknowledge before. With this being said, do you believe that digital therapy can completely and effectively replace conversational therapy in person?
Talking out feelings and emotions with a therapist, family member, or friend helps people discover new things about themselves and why they're feeling the way they do. When people are feeling alone in life and experiencing mental trouble it's beneficial and comforting to them to have someone to fall back on to talk to and to know that they have someone in their life that is willing to help them through their healing process. I don't believe that an app is the most effective way to treat mental illness because it does not fully get rid of the feelings of loneliness in the patient and makes the healing process more impersonal. The fact that the process is impersonal through an app may make the patient feel like they're not important or making much progress. I believe that one on one conversations with people is the most effective form of treatment with the most long term benefits because talking to someone can give you more clarity on aspects of your situation.
Human interaction is an art in and of itself because it helps you to feel connected and meaningful and allows you to experience raw emotions. It also allows you to develop new perspectives and appreciation on life in general. People often view venting as a form of complaining, but it's actually a form of therapy because it allows someone to give you advice and allows you to discover and understand new aspects of the situation that you didn't acknowledge before. With this being said, do you believe that digital therapy can completely and effectively replace conversational therapy in person?
-Emily Jue
I agree with you Emily that talking about your feelings one-on-one and in person is important to get advice and relieve stress or anxiety about something that is bothering you. I personally don’t believe that a therapy app will give you the same results as a human interaction could. I’m not saying that the apps are completely ineffective, but they lack visual and physical support. Even though patients would receive daily check ins, having constant physical reassurance affects social, relational, and health instances, according to Psychology Today. Without having a face-to-face discussion with someone, many feelings get lost in translation. In order to feel the best about a difficult situation, people should talk about them in person.
ReplyDeletehttps://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/affectionado/201308/what-lack-affection-can-do-you