Tag: treatment

Virtual Reality for Mental Health

This…this absolutely sounds like something out of a science fiction story. But I saw this story in Axios, and now I am absolutely fascinated by its potential. 

So, here’s the basic gist, per the article: Virtual Reality can be used to simulate social settings and help the fifteen million Americans who suffer from social anxiety. It does this by creating facsimiles of social situations, allowing individuals to practice coping skills and learn how to better interact with members of the public. At least one study found that this could help to reduce symptoms of social anxiety.

This has been wondering – where else may virtual reality be able to play a useful role in terms of therapeutic applications?

As it turns out, plenty of spaces.

According to one article in Scientific American, Virtual Reality has been used to treat disorders like PTSD since the 1990s. However, technology and our therapeutic understanding of how the mind works is continuing to advance. As a result, new treatments are being invented to treat things like depression, addiction, and certain phobias. 

Virtual Reality offers many benefits. For therapy that requires exposure therapy, it can be less intimidating and frightening than other forms of therapy, allowing individuals to adjust slowly to real-world ideas. “Safe, controlled environments” can be created, and a therapist can be piped in, allowing for the delivery of therapeutic services. It’s not done yet – and quality control remains a huge issue – but the potential is clearly out there for VR to be effective. 

Much of the effectiveness of Virtual Reality for therapy relies on the design and quality of the technology in question. Is it immersive enough? And have the therapeutic protocols designed been proven to be useful? Remember, this isn’t like a video game – something that seems cool isn’t enough – it has to actually function and help the human mind. 

I can’t lie – I’m absolutely fascinated by this potential. As you may know from reading previous blog entries of mine, I love video games and technology, and I am absolutely fascinated by the potential it may have to be helpful in the mental health space. Of course, none of us would just want to see this be used because it sounds cool – if this is going to be used, it has to be because it has a therapeutic benefit that simply cannot be matched elsewhere. That being said, we know that technology has always been an important part of any treatment plan, and I am absolutely fascinated by the potential that it appears virtual reality may have for mental health.

Any thoughts about this technology? Any experiences you want to share? Let us know in the comments below!

How can you find the most accurate information on mental health?

Brace yourselves: I’m going meta

I’ve been thinking of ways to expand the mental health advocacy work that I try to do on the internet of late and looking at other ways of communicating with people, including things like YouTube videos. On one hand, I truly believe in the power of the internet and its good. On the other hand…yeah. It’s the internet, and unless you’ve been living under a rock, you know that the internet has somewhat of a fake-news problem. This is bad enough when talking about issues like politics, but when you start to get into life-changing issues, such as mental illness or COVID-19, it can be deadly.

I mean, seriously, think about that for a second: How many people have died because of internet-based fake news? Hundreds from COVID-19 alone – and probably more.

All of this got me thinking: How can you use the internet to find the most accurate and best mental health tips? Some thoughts, from someone who truly tries to give you the best information possible:

  • Consider the source: Mental Health America has a great entry on this subject, and this bullet might be the most accurate. The source matters. No one should be making a claim without backing. No one should say that “research says” without linking to the research, and even if they do link to research, make sure to consider the quality of the research: A NIH study matters a heck of a lot more than a study on JimmysMentalHealth.com. I try not to make any claims that aren’t fact-based, and any internet research you do should stick to that idea. I’d also add this: Expertise matters. Consider someone’s perspective, education, and training before folding in their advice to your life. For example, I’d consider the input of a professional therapist much more valuable than my own perspective.
  • Get a second – and third – opinion: Let me be clear about this: My opinion may be wrong. Anyone’s opinion may be wrong. This is why you should always get a second and third opinion on an issue. Someone suggesting a way of dealing with something? Before you incorporate it into your life, do additional research. Examine if other people have tried the same strategy, and determine their success.
  • Timeliness matters: A link from 1999 is not as impactful as a link from the same subject in 2019. If someone is telling you that the “latest research” shows something, make sure to check the timeliness of that research. That’s not to say that there are intentional efforts to mislead, but time can obviously have a major impact on the timeliness of the information that you receive.
  • Is there a business connection: This may come as a shock, but people try to sell you things on the Internet. As such, if someone is listing information about a specific technique or product, ask yourself this important question: What are they trying to sell you? To be clear, there is nothing wrong with someone using information and research to sell you a product. The product may be perfectly valid, and the information may be as well. But, if there is a commercial input, you should make sure to do your own research about its effectiveness.
  • Google the source: Unsure about the source? Google it. You may find additional information about the source’s perspective, bias, or past ethical challenges.

There are other tips, without a doubt, and I’d love to hear them. What have you found is the best way to get the most accurate information on the internet, especially when it comes to mental health? Please leave your tips below!!

The Rise of Telehealth

Telehealth wasn’t new to COVID-19. The concept has been around for decades and applies differently to different areas of medicine. That being said, one of its most positive potential uses has been in the area of mental health, and in that regard, COVID-19 may have pushed us towards telehealth in a big way.

First, check out this USA Today article on the subject. This line stuck with me:

Prior to the pandemic, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts received about 200 telehealth claims per day. That number reached up to 40,0000 claims per day from April to May 2020, and the insurer is still receiving about 30,000 claims per day almost a year later, according to spokesperson Amy McHugh.

The article also noted that ” mental health appointments made up about 53% of the 7.5 million telehealth claims processed by Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts since March 2020.”

This isn’t a surprise, and many of us have had experiences with it. I know I had numerous virtual appointments via telehealth over this pandemic, and I found it every bit as effective as an in-person visit. Maybe even more so – the flexibility that came with it was highly beneficial. I remember having a therapy appointment from my office in Harrisburg!

Of course, it’s not for everyone, but there is unquestionably good news in the area of telehealth. According to a 2020 article from the American Psychological Association, telehealth seems to be working so far. There are even some questions as to whether or not telehealth may be more effective for some groups that are typically less willing to visit a psychiatrists office – like men – as it allows them to get therapy without having to leave their house, thus reducing potential barriers and making it easier for them to overcome self-imposed stigma.

The USA Today article also noted that telehealth can make a therapist more efficient. Said one therapist, “I probably spend somewhere between 2 to 5 minutes per patient moving from one room to another or pausing to document or checking something on their file or handing something off. There are built-in inefficiencies that isn’t time spending with the person… but some of those inefficiencies are taken care of by the fact that everything is electronic.”

Obviously, COVID pushed us more this way as part of all of our efforts to socially distance. However, major challenges remain in terms of full utilization and effectiveness of telehealth services. First, telehealth is predicated on the idea that someone has the broadband infrastructure and necessary equipment. As this pandemic has shown, that is NOT the case for everyone, particularly among rural Americans or the urban poor. Lacking such equipment means that someone will not be able to get the help they need.

Furthermore, there are insurance barriers. Not all insurance companies cover telehealth, and while states of emergency have knocked down many of these barriers, they haven’t destroyed all. As such, insurance regulations need to be updated in many states. However, this presents a problem in and of itself. For example, in Pennsylvania, the issue has been tripped up due to attempts to limit telehealth services and prevent abortion services from being prescribed or conducted via telehealth. Don’t ask.

The point is this: Telehealth is great, but we’ve got a long way to go.

Let me conclude with this: Did you have a telehealth experience with COVID-19? What was it like? Did you find it to be as effective as an in-person visit? We’d love to hear from you – give us your comments below!

Alternative Prescriptions and Mental Health

I came across this article in Medical News Today, which discusses how exercise can help with depression. None of that is a surprise, of course, and as I type this entry, I’m still gross from having come back from the gym, so yay!

Here’s the interesting part of the study: Individuals who did “prescribed exercise” showed a rise in endocannabinoid levels in their blood – something typically associated with improved mood. This did not occur with people who selected their own exercise.

Wait, what?

Why would that be? Two potential explanations from the article:

One explanation could be the small number of participants and the variation in intensity levels in the preferred-intensity session. Some participants completed the preferred session at a constant, light intensity, while others varied the intensity.

Another explanation for the difference in results between the preferred and prescribed exercise sessions could be that exercising at a level that someone else prescribes has a psychological as well as a biological effect.

It’s that second explanation I want to focus on. We know that anti-depressants often have a powerful placebo effect. Placebos occur, in part, because someone expects a treatment to work. That being said…we know that exercise does, in fact, help with the treatment of depression and other mental health challenges. So that can’t be a complete explanation.

This got me thinking – what if Doctor’s began to “prescribe” other therapies? Go for a damn walk. Meditate. Eat better. And I don’t mean just give it as advice, I mean take out a little prescription pad, write something down and hand it to the patient. Would the patient be more likely to treat that prescription with more care than they would regular advice? Would they actually spend time reducing their stress levels, or just taking ten minutes out of their day to put headphones on and meditate?

I don’t know. But I think that, when you combine aspects of the placebo effect (expecting a therapy to work) with scientifically proven therapy, you’re increasing your chances of success and recovery (again, not a Doctor here, just speculating).

This entire study and line of thought has made me wonder if we shouldn’t try to get Doctors and other health care professionals to look outside of the realm of traditional prescriptions and more into the world of prescribing lifestyle changes.

As you likely know, depression rates are rising across the Western world. We can’t just rely on therapy and medication to get ourselves out of this mess. Something has to change, and I think one aspect of that chance must be revamping the way we look at therapy. Maybe this idea of “alternative prescriptions” can help?

As always, let us know what you think in the comments below!

Does CBD help with depression or anxiety?

In 2018, Donald Trump signed the Farm Bill into law. Among other things, this piece of legislation made legal much of the sale of CBD and hemp, as well as research into this area. – This opens up an array of new potential research, but CBD may have a positive impact on depression and anxiety.

What’s CBD, you ask? First, what it’s not: Marijuana. It is not marijuana. CBD is short for cannabinoid oil, and it became legal to be sold after the 2018 Farm Bill was signed into law.

Specifically, CBD is extracted from hemp plants. It works be manipulating your Endocannibinoid System, a part of your body which regulates a variety of bodily functions, including, potentially, your mood.

Here’s an important point though: While some research has been done, more research is DESPERATELY needed in order to determine CBDs usefulness, effectiveness, proper dosages, long-term impact, etc. At the moment, it is not widely regulated by the FDA, though the FDA has sent out cease and desist letters to some companies which have falsely marketed benefits yet to be proven by research.

Indeed, as of yet, there is no formal regulation when it comes to CBDs marketing or ensuring the quality of ingredients. For example, a 2017 Penn State study surveyed 81 CBD products and found that 70% were mislabeled. As such, if you’re going to purchase CBD, your best bet is to ensure that the label notes it has been independently tested. This means that a product has been evaluated by a 3rd party, and that 3rd party has determined that’s it’s labeling is accurate.

Okay. Enough about the legal disclaimers and warnings. What does the research show?

According to one 2014 study, CBD and Marijuana may show anti-depressant like effects. That finding was replicated in 2018, when a study showed that CBD has “anxiolytic, antipsychotic and neuroprotective properties” and may be useful in fighting a slew of problems, including PTSD and depression.

There’s additional research available, but it does seem clear: There’s opportunity here.

While CBD is not marijuana, and will not get you high like marijuana, some forms of CBD (namely Full Spectrum CBD) do contain trace amounts of marijuana. As such, if you ingest this type of CBD, you may feel some effects. Furthermore, it is possible for Full Spectrum CBD to show up on a drug test – so DON’T TAKE IT if that’s an issue for you.

Furthermore, you should not take any CBD product without consulting with your Doctor or medical professional first. While common side effects of CBD are relatively minor, there can be more problematic impacts for people with Parkinson’s, liver issues, or pregnant/nursing women.

Now that we’ve gotten the warnings out of the way: Is their potential for people with mental illness and CBD? I’d say yes. Anecdotal evidence and some research seems to indicate the potential for relief. Again, more research is needed. Again, don’t do anything without talking to a Doctor or medical professional first. But, yes. More research is now being conducted, this area does prove promising.

 

The biggest reason it’s so hard to find a mental health practitioner

We don’t have enough of them.

As I run around in my real job discussing mental health, I consistently come back to this one central truth: The biggest issue in the area of mental health is that we simply do not have enough people to provide care, or who take Medicare or Medicaid. This means that, when you call a psychologist or psychiatrist, the most likely response is, “I’m sorry, but the Doctor is not accepting patients at this time.”

Consider this: According to a 2016 study, the supply of mental health practitioners by 2025 is expected to be 250,000 short. This disturbing trend is occurring despite the fact that rates of mental illness and suicide continue to increase, and increase alarmingly among the youngest members of our society.

Interestingly, the above article notes that a big part for the rise in demand of mental health practitioners has been a lessening of the stigma which surrounds mental health. As more people become more comfortable with seeking treatment, they put a greater strain on the need for mental health providers.

The problem is particularly bad in rural areas, where, according to this 2018 CNN article, “a majority of non-metropolitan counties (65%) do not have a psychiatrist and almost half of non-metropolitan counties (47%) do not have a psychologist.” This shortage contributes to higher rates of mental illness, addiction, and suicide in rural communities. Indeed, it helps explain why rural areas typically have higher suicide rates than their urban counterparts.

So, what can we do about this?

I’d argue the biggest challenge is the need to increase mental health reimbursement rates, which are historically lower for mental health services. These low rates typically steer prospective doctors away from mental health specialties and into more lucrative practice areas like cardiology and oncology. Increasing these rates would help recruit more practitioners.

Additional funding is also needed for recruitment and loan forgiveness programs. Many states – including Pennsylvania – have begun enacting these programs in an effort to increase access.

Private practitioners and hospital systems also need to step up their game when it comes to this area, but according to the article above, the good news is that they are doing just that. I know that both of the major health networks in my area have said they are looking to expand capacity and recruitment when it comes to psychologists and psychiatrists, and they aren’t the only ones

If you are interested in the interaction between mental health and public policy, you really should pay attention to this space. There will be a lot more in this area in teh next few years.

Your smartphone can tell if you’re depressed

person using phonwYou know how I’ve written about how social media and phones can cause depression? Well, it turns out, your phone can also tell if you are depressed.

The study, from the University of Stanford, shows that face and speech software on your phone can detect depression based on your facial expressions and speech patterns:

The researchers fed video footage of depressed and non-depressed people into a machine-learning model that was trained to learn from a combination of signals: facial expressions, voice tone, and spoken words. The data was collected from interviews in which a patient spoke to an avatar controlled by a physician.

In testing, it was able to detect whether someone was depressed more than 80% of the time. The research was led by Fei-Fei Li, a prominent AI expert who recently returned to Stanford from Google.

The article did caution that, due to the way the study was conducted, the therapeutic applications aren’t clear. According to David Sontag, an assistant professor at MIT:

…that the training data was gathered during an interview with a real clinician, albeit one behind an avatar, so it isn’t clear if the diagnosis could be entirely automated. “The line of work is interesting,” he says,“but it’s not yet clear to me how it’ll be used clinically.”

I have two thoughts about this type of treatment. First, this is fascinating – and this type of technology be helpful in terms of closing the gap between those who have access to treatment and those who don’t. In addition to studies like the one above, Stanford has also developed apps which can be used to treat depression – and which apparently work. I’ve touched on this topic in previous entries as well: Apps which treat depression can work.

In other words, apps and automated programs can help to treat depression. That’s fascinating to me – I never would have believed that depression could be treated without a live, human person, but apparently it can work.

On the other hand, there are some rather frightening potential applications of this sort of treatment. First is privacy: I am sure that any app working right now is operating with the strictest of privacy measures and data safeguards, but as we have seen repeatedly, data hacks and breaches occur with relative consistency. This has some very serious implications for something like text therapy or therapy which occurs over a device, because it begs the question: What data is recorded, and how could it potentially be accessed? I mean, I’m pretty open about the fact that I receive treatment, but even I wouldn’t want the items I discuss with my therapist broadcasted to the whole word. Is that possible with these apps? I don’t know, and it may not be. But there are real privacy and technological concerns which must be addressed when it comes to therapy delivered electronically.

Second: Can someone be diagnosed against their will? I don’t think so. Not yet, anyway. Later down the line, programs like the one discussed above may also have issues with consent. It seems to me that the Stanford program is not yet ready to be used in a public or even therapeutic setting. But, when it is, will people be able to use it on others without their consent? That…that’s kind of a scary thought.

These are questions which are only somewhat hypothetical. Technology is clearly advancing, and I can only hope privacy and ethical safeguards can advance with it.

Let us know your thoughts in the comments below!

Do mental health apps work?

One of the things I have seen a lot of lately is apps that claim to be able to help you improve your mental health and get treatment. There are a bunch out there – this includes apps like What’s Up, Mood Kit and MY3, among many, many others.

Here’s the important question: Do they work?

I bring this up because there’s been a bit of controversy with one app, BetterHelp. The App says that it will hook users up with licensed therapists. The controversy, however, emerged with many YouTubers who had engaged in sponsored ads with BetterHelp.

As long as the sponsorship is transparent, I don’t personally see an issue, but problems emerged with BetterHelp itself. First, it’s terms of services explicitly couldn’t guarantee placement with a qualified, licensed professional:

We do not control the quality of the Counselor Services and we do not determine whether any Counselor is qualified to provide any specific service as well as whether a Counselor is categorized correctly or matched correctly to you. The Counselor Services are not a complete substitute for a face-to-face examination and/or session by a licensed qualified professional.

Umm…..that’s a major, major problem. That’s beyond not acceptable. Any app that claims it will provide mental health professionals to users has a moral obligation (and I hope a legal one!) to ensure that the counselors themselves actually are licensed professionals, or at least disclose in a VERY publicly way when they are not.

This entire incident got me wondering about these apps. How good are they? Do they work? Are they substitutes for seeing a counselor in a face to face setting?

First, the obvious: Answers to the questions I posed above will vary widely. It all depends, of course, on the quality of service offered.

The most comprehensive answer I could find was in this paper, published in March 2018. The answer varies, of course, but in sections, it seems to be yes:

  • Depression: ” A meta-analysis of 18 randomized controlled trials (RCTs) covering 22 mobile apps revealed that using apps to alleviate symptoms and self-manage depression significantly reduced patients’ depressive symptoms compared to control conditions (g=0.38, P<0.001).” However, the apps work best when depression is mild to moderate, not severe.
  • Anxiety: “A meta-analysis of nine RCTs that evaluated the effects of smartphone-delivered interventions on symptoms of subclinical and diagnosed anxiety disorders revealed that users experienced reductions in total anxiety after using anxiety treatment apps (g=0.33, P<0.001). Additionally, anxiety-focused mobile apps delivered the greatest reductions in anxiety symptoms when paired with face-to-face or internet-based therapies. In fact, replacing outpatient patient-therapist sessions with a mobile app resulted in no significant loss of treatment efficacy.”
  • Schizophrenia: “Self-reported patient experience survey results revealed high adherence, positive user experience, and broad-ranging clinical benefits.”

Wow. So, yes, theoretically, these can work!

I have two additional thoughts. First, hey, if it works, it works. The mental health practitioner shortage is, in my opinion, the greatest crisis affecting mental health, and if apps can help close that gap at an affordable rate, it’s worth using.

Second. however, is this: It has to be a real app, with high quality and scientifically based therapies and design. In the digital day and age, it can be all too easy to design a subpar treatment program that can scam users out of money and provide no clinical benefit. I hope, in the long run, that the federal government will step in and better regulate these apps in order to protect users from negative experiences that can damage their mental health and sap their limited resources.

Do you have any experiences with mental health apps that you want to share? Please let us know in the comments below!

Depression and meditation

Ugh, just writing this article makes me a little depressed. Why? Well, cause I can’t stick with this. No matter how hard I try, I absolutely, positively cannot stick with meditation – and that’s despite the evidence I’m about to write about below.

The studies are clear and I have written about the subject before: Meditation helps with depression. According to one study published in The Lancet, meditation may be as useful as anti-depressants at keeping depression at bay (side note: Damnit! I really need to look at this again!). This study noted the benefit of mindfulness meditation, which is a specific type of meditation.

What is mindfulness meditation? Mindful.org describes it simply: “Take a good seat, pay attention to the breath, and when your attention wanders, return. By following these simple steps, you can get to know yourself up close and personal.”

Want to know more? I found a few interesting resources on the subject. First, there’s this, from Headpsace, a meditation app I’ve used before. The article details the struggles of a very depressed man who tries meditation in a desperate attempt to get some relief and how meditation changes the way he thinks. The Washington Post ran a similar story earlier in the year, in which the author discusses how the Headspace app (this isn’t a sponsored post, I swear) helped them relearn their thinking.

Want more info on the research behind meditation? Check out this article on Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy, which is a specific type of meditation designed to help those with depression.

If you’re interested in more information on how meditation may help people with anxiety and depression, look at this pretty fascinating article from Harvard, which details specifically how depression can physically change your brain.

I will say this: As I’ve bitterly noted repeatedly, there have been many instances where I have actually meditated with some regularity, only to stop after some period of time. But, during those times, I did notice some changes about the way I was thinking. Specifically, I found myself focusing less often on anger, frustration and bitterness. I found myself better able to let things go, and it felt great. Sadly, inevitably, a busy life caught up with me, and I let the practice fall away.

Time to try again!

As always, I conclude with a question: What has been your experience with meditation? Have you practiced it – or do you practice it – on a regular basis? Notice any changes that you want to share with us? Please tell us your story in the comments below!

Finding light in the darkness

I’m going to write about two things that personally motivated me to deal with my own demons in a very public way. The short-term inspiration for this is me rereading the acknowledgements section of Redemption. The longer-term inspiration for this is a public tragedy and a low period in my life.

Okay, first, here’s a small section of the acknowledgements in Redemption:

To Robin Williams. Yours was a life well lived, and I hope to be part of a positive story of those influenced by how it ended.

Let me go backwards. Robin Williams completed suicide on August 11, 2014. He had long suffered from a slew of mental health challenges, including depression and substance abuse. However, Williams was suffering from “diffuse Lewy body dementia,” which ultimately contributed heavily to his suicide.

William’s suicide ultimately inspired me to go public with my story. That started when some idiot on Facebook decided to spout off shortly after Williams’ death by saying something along the lines of, “So sad Robin Williams committed suicide. He just needed to pray to Jesus more!”

No, you schmuck, that’s not how it works, and that ignorant comment got me so damn fired up that I wrote an op-ed in my local paper, detailing my own struggles with depression, anxiety and suicidal ideation. That, in turn, set my career in motion in a very different way, making me become much louder about mental health issues. I’ve spoken at events detailing my own struggles, cofounded a mental health caucus, appeared in PSAs and introduced legislation designed to help those who are suffering from mental health challenges. I know that the work I’ve done in this realm has helped people – and I know I have a lot more to do to help more.

It also inspired this speech, the most difficult one I have ever made:

Fast forward about seven or eight months, and I’m struggling, in the midst of one of the most depressed periods of my life. I’m struggling at work, my wife is struggling at work, and life just generally sucks at the moment. I go back to see my therapist. I increase my medication. And then I realize something else: I desperately need an outlet. Something to help get me through everything I am suffering from. I decide to start writing again – I wrote fiction as a kid and had published the non-fiction book I wrote, Tweets and Consequences.

And I remember this goofy plot idea I had as a kid, twenty years ago, about kids getting trapped on a spaceship. And I realize something: That’s not a bad plot. But what if I could make it more? What if I could fold in a mental health message as well?

And thus, Redemption is born.

For what it’s worth: I have a character named Robin in Redemption. In all fairness though, that’s also my daughter’s middle name, so let’s call that character’s naming a 50% tribute to Williams and 50% tribute to my daughter.

The death of Robin Williams helped me and countless others find their voice and seek help. I know that this may be cold comfort to those he loved and those who loved him. But I sincerely hope that they can take some solace in knowing that Williams’ life and death helped so many, including me. His was a life well lived – and, as I said above, I hope to be a small part of that story.

You can always find light in the darkness. Pain makes us great, and with time and therapy, you can turn the most agonizing periods of your own life into something incredible.

As long as you breathe, there is hope. The trick is just finding it sometimes.