From the time of ancient Greece to this modern time, society has diagnosed and possibly cured mental illness, until the arrival of Artificial intelligence(AI) which became the game changer. Artificial intelligence is a software that has always been known for complex data science, but lately have been stepping into human terrain of the mind.Just like the name, the role of AI is not to replace the human and professional effort but to provide support and work hand in hand with humans to provide the best health output.
History tells that “Those who are impoverished live in conditions associated with a higher risk for mental illness and, to compound the issue, do not have as much access to treatment. Stress, unsafe living conditions, and poor physical health associated with lack of sufficient income lead to a cycle of poverty and mental illness that is observed worldwide”. This makes innovation more necessary .Artificial intelligence has become an important tool in mental health over time. Applications of AI in this field include the identification and diagnosis of mental disorders, analysis of electronic health records, development of personalized treatment plans, and analytics for suicide prevention, most importantly
Some AI algorithm are specifically trained to detect early signs of mental illness like depression, anxiety, PTSD, and suicidal ideation, through symptoms like facial reactions, and their interaction on social media.
A very good example is Ellie, an effective virtual therapist designed by The University of Southern California.Ellie uses webcam and microphone to identify and analyze emotional cues gotten from the patients face and their variation in expressions and tone of voice . This makes mental health diagnosis much easier.
Another AI is Weobot, a software created by stanford psychologist with the purpose to make therapy sessions available 24/7. WoeBot tracks its users’ mood through brief daily chat conversations and offers curated videos or word games to assist users in managing their mental health.
A Scandinavian team of software engineers and a clinical psychologist created “Heartfelt Services”. Heartfelt Services is an application meant to simulate conventional talk therapy with an AI therapist.
Apps like Wysa and Replika are known to create a safe space for emotional expression for people. This helps to detects suicidal ideas and curb them early.
Impact
This brings a greater impact to the world of health, especially mental health, bringing convenience and equity in the delivery of proper mental health care,offering therapy, anonymity and coping strategies in countries where health or mental health professionals are scarce.
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