Why Use Technology to Aid Mental Health?

The Pervasive Technology Lab (CIC) started in May 2009. It is a non-profit company looking into the use of new technology such as Virtual Reality, Augmented Reality , Serious Games and mobile technology to help people with mental health problems. Mental Health problems are on the rise within the United Kingdom (UK) where the company is based and worldwide. Just in the UK alone there is said to be 1 in 4 people within the UK will suffer from a mental health problem throughout their lives, 250, 000 people will be admitted into psychiatric ward ever year, 6, 400 people will commit suicide each year and the World Health Organisation has estimated that 450 million people world wide will suffer from a mental health problem. Mental health has a knock on effects to people’s physical health as well as their mental well being. For example, if a person suffers from depression they can be prone to overeating or other addictions such as drugs and alcohol. As well as effecting the individual it can also effect those around the effected.
The Pervasive Technology Lab (CIC) is looking into the use of new technology to help people with mental health problems. Under development is a Serious Game that will help people to know what actions to take in case of feeling depressed. Virtual Reality (simulated environment) has been used to make people accustomed to a certain fear in a safe environment. For instance, if a person has a fear of flying then they will be placed in a flight simulator to help them get used to flying, and after a while of practicing they will not have that fear. The technique has also been used to help treat soldiers that have come back from conflict and have symptoms such as physical hyper-arousal (where they react to loud noises etc) and suffer from flash backs (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder). Such an illness can effect anyone even those that are hardened to the reality of war. Through the use of new technology such as Virtual Reality they can become accustomed to the climate in order for it not to become effected in an adverse way.

Mobile technology with a Global Positioning System (GPS) can provide the location of the patient and point out directions to facilities that may help them in an emergency, for example, a local Accident and the Emergency Services. The potential for using technology to help people is therefore enormous. In talking to counsellors and experienced psychologists locally they have said that the use of new technology can be of great benefit and it’s not just a nice idea. If you would like to find out more, please visit: http://www.pervasive-technology-lab.org or e-mail: info@pervasive-technology-lab.org.