Cognitive behavioral therapies can treat depression, anxiety and other mental health disorders. These therapies would also be effective when performed online through an app, even when the depression is severe.
Our smartphone can do more things than we think. A new study suggests that applications would be as effective as face-to-face therapy in treating even severe depression. The results of this American research were published in the Journal of Medical Internet Research.
More accessible therapies
In recent years, several studies have shown that online cognitive behavioral therapy can cure depression. Whether it is carried out online or face-to-face, it consists of modifying the individual’s thought patterns so that he can overcome the obstacles that block him.
Carrying out these therapies online can facilitate access to care for some people: there are no more problems of geographical distance, in the event that the person is in a medical desert, the cost of treatment is lower, the insufficiency of practitioners is no longer a problem. Some patients refuse to consult because of embarrassment or even shame to go to a mental health professional, consulting online can help them overcome this barrier.
Constant efficiency whatever the level of depression
The research team compiled the results of 21 studies on cognitive behavioral therapies and demonstrated that when carried out via an app, they are effective for all depressions whether mild, moderate or severe. Therapy performed with a health professional and drug treatments remain necessary for a large number of patients, but new technologies could improve access to care.
In France, connected medicine is developing. 4 departments have been testing online psychotherapies since April. It is not an application: the patients consult the practitioner using their webcam. These sessions are 100% reimbursed by health insurance. If the experiment works, these consultations could be generalized.
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