3 Ways New Tech Can Help Your Mental Health

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From our smartphone obsessions to our constant need to compare ourselves to others on social media, there’s no doubt that technology today can have a negative impact on our mental health. But that’s why scientists, researchers and entrepreneurs are stepping up to the plate to find innovative ways that make new tech work for us rather than against us. Below are three recent additions to the tech world that can (hopefully) undo a lot of the damage it’s already caused.

1. A new Instagram algorithm can help predict when users are struggling with depression.

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A person’s Instagram photos can tell you a lot about his or her state of mind — and we’re not necessarily talking about smiley selfies or cute pictures of pets. A new computer program created by two U.S. researchers found that depressed people tend to post bluer, darker and grayer pictures and include fewer faces than people who aren’t depressed. It arrived at this conclusion after evaluating 40,000 photos from 166 Instagram users who also shared their mental health histories with the researchers behind the program. It might not get the diagnosis right every single time, but a 70 percent accuracy rate isn’t too shabby for a starting point.

2. A new digital therapist bot can help you out before your next office visit.

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If you need a little assistance in between therapy sessions or an in-person counselor is just too far out of your price range, there’s now an online bot that can chat with you on your phone or your computer. WoeBot delivers personalized cognitive behavioral therapy by asking about your day, gauging where you are emotionally and providing the support that you need in that moment. Again, since it’s not an actual person, it does have its limitations, but for $12 a week, WoeBot gives you the opportunity to take control of your own mental health without totally wrecking your budget, and that’s pretty awesome.

3. A new at-home lab testing service eliminates your doctor appointment anxiety.

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Avoid white coat syndrome and get answers to your health questions in the comfort of your own home. Thanks to a new company called EverlyWell, you can order whatever lab tests you want/need to take online, have them delivered to your door, send them back to a board-certified physician and have the results delivered directly to you. They provide tests for food sensitivities, thyroid function, sexual health, fertility information and more. And they just might even recognize your health insurance, helping you save money, too. Taking your health into your own hands never felt so good.

These recent developments are just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to tech turning around and helping us live our best lives (at least we hope). We can’t wait to see what the brilliant minds of our world come up with next.