How you can fight depression through technology and mobile apps
Depression is a serious issue and the number of people with this disorder is increasing every year around the world. It is believed that 30 percent of all men and 40 percent of all women succumb to depression at least once in their lives. The rate is increasing every year to the point where it will soon be the second largest health problem in the world following heart disease. According to the CDC, more than 80 percent of the people that have symptoms of clinical depression are not receiving any specific treatment for their depression. Thanks to the convergence of technology, portability, information and knowledge, people now have more options than just medication to treat their illnesses.
Do
- understand the scope of depression
- know that help is available when you need it, where you need it
- use color, light and sound therapy as a viable option
- use alternative therapies
- find the right regimen for you
Don't
- think depression is only mental
- necessarily trust big pharma
- rely on one approach
- think you are alone
Do understand the scope of depression
Regardless of the source, depression is something that affects you or those around you. Depression makes you feel helpless in a way that affects your work, your sleep, your relationships your friendship and your overall health. Even though many depression sufferers aren’t receiving specific treatment, anxiety disorders cost the US more than $42 billion a year, according to the Anxiety and Depression Association of America, which is almost one-third of the country’s $148 billion total mental health bill. In states that have higher rates of depression, there are increased rates of obesity, heart disease, strokes and sleep disorders. Women have higher rates of depression than men and depression is most prevalent in people aged 45 to 54.
Do know that help is available when you need it, where you need it
To fight depression, there is no shortage of approaches, with each of them having their pros and cons. According to Healthline, while 60 to 80 percent of all depression cases can be effectively treated with brief, structured forms of psychotherapy and antidepressant medications, there are depression sufferers who are reluctant to rely on big pharma and don’t want or have access to medical attention. Homeopathic remedies and alternative medicines about, but until now, technology hasn’t played an active part in bridging the gap between mainstream medicine and alternative therapy.
Do use color, light and sound therapy as a viable option
With the number of potential side effects related to standard medication for depression, color therapy (also known as chromotherapy) has emerged as one of the leading and safest alternative therapies. With color therapy, different colors are used to evoke positive emotional responses. Color and light therapies are frequently used by health practitioners to promote energetic realignment, self-healing and fatigue reduction.
Color and light therapies are known methods used by health practitioners to promote energetic re-alignment and self-healing.
With the popularity of smartphones, technology and convenience have merged to provide color, light and sound therapy a home that’s easy and convenient users to tap into mobile technology to address depression. In our research we discovered that when color, light and sound therapy was easily accessible via mobile phones, it was was effective in helping reduce depression.
Do use alternative therapies
Alternative therapies and new technologies are making inroads in fighting depression. We’re an active society, bombarded with activity, stress and areas that pull our attentions in different directions. While some of that is a direct result of our mobile phones and our dependence on electronics, technology can also be used in a therapeutic way to stem anxiety or refocus positive energy.
Do find the right regimen for you
Everyone has their own desire, threshold and tolerance for therapy. With all of the options available you can find the one that’s right for you. Additionally an approach like color, light and sound therapy can be taken in conjunctions with other methods, as it is convenient, non-invasive and non-narcotic.
Do not think depression is only mental
Understanding the cause of your depression is crucial to finding the approach to ease that depression. Some forms of depression are seasonal related, some are diet related, some are brought on by stress and some are hereditary.
Do not necessarily trust big pharma
When it comes to big pharma, there are many out there who are quick to blame them. Some go to extremes of blaming big pharmaceutical companies for creating a feeding a depression epidemic. While that may seem extreme, it’s important to note that drugs aren’t the only way to fight depression. There are a variety of options people afflicted with depression have available to them, ranging from drugs, to diet, to technology to homeopathy. It’s important to find the option that’s right for you.
Do not rely on one approach
More than one regimen can work with others. In fighting depression, the important thing is to do something to refocus your energy. In some cases that refocus can be as simple as a diet change or a walk in the sunlight, but it’s important for you to understand what that may be and go down that path.
Do not think you are alone
It’s important to realize that if you are suffering from depression, you are not alone: According to the National Alliance on Mental Illness, approximately 60 million Americans experience a mental health condition every year. In fact, one of the pillars of that foundations is making sure others are aware that they aren’t alone in their struggles.
Summary
We’re at a unique point in history in terms of what we understand about depression and anxiety disorders, and more importantly how we treat them. With the advent of technology and mobile convergence, we now have the power to take individual steps to treat our depressions in ways that were unimaginable even a year ago.
