We love the different ways technology supports mental health care care and outcomes. From telehealth to AI chatbots to anxiety-reducing games, mental health care is increasingly becoming digital.
However, one of the questions we hear a lot is “What’s the best way to use technology to support my mental health journey?” And the answer is – it depends. And a great place to figure out what will work best for you is by asking your mental health provider for guidance.
Here are a few tips to help you jump start the conversation and determine an approach that works for you:
Assess your needs. Where can technology support your mental health care plan? For example, do you need easier access to your preferred provider? Or maybe you need help building healthy habits around exercise, sleep, and diet. Determine the gaps you want to potentially use technology to address.
Ask your provider for feedback. Since the pandemic, many mental health professionals have embraced telehealth, AI operational tools, and other digital tools to support their practice and clients. However there are some that prefer a more traditional approach to administering care. Gauge your provider or prospective provider’s comfort level and familiarity with using different digital mental health tools.
Review all privacy policies. Be sure to read the privacy policy for any digital health tool you use to support your mental health care, even when it’s recommended by your therapist.. BetterHelp recently paid $7.8M in charges for selling its users’ personal health information data to advertisers. (read more here) Ensure you understand how your data will be used and the security measures the company has in place to protect your data.
Digital health tools can reinforce your mental health care and make it more convenient to connect with your provider. Determine your goals for incorporating technology into your care plan and work with your provider to come up with a plan for using it.
