The recent surge in people seeking mental health care across the country has led to long wait times for first appointments with therapists and psychiatrists. In a promising development for mental health care, a new study reveals that evidence-based smartphone apps and wearable devices can offer significant relief to patients awaiting treatment. Conducted at Michigan Medicine, the University of Michigan’s academic medical center, and published in JAMA Network Open, the study found that depression, anxiety symptoms, and suicidality decreased when patients engaged with mobile applications designed to support mental health.
The study involved over 2,000 patients who were scheduled to receive care in the coming weeks from mental health providers at outpatient U-M Health or U-M student clinics. During this waiting period, participants were assigned to use mobile apps incorporating mindfulness practices, cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) skills, or prompts encouraging mood-enhancing activities.
The results are encouraging: the use of these digital tools led to measurable reductions in mental health symptoms. Mindfulness practices helped patients stay grounded and present, while CBT-based apps offered strategies to challenge and change negative thought patterns. Apps promoting mood-enhancing activities provided practical ways for patients to engage in behaviors that could uplift their spirits.
These findings highlight the potential of digital health tools to bridge the gap in mental health care access, providing immediate support to those in need. As mental health services continue to be stretched thin, the integration of technology offers a valuable solution to enhance patient well-being during waiting periods.
The study underscores the importance of leveraging technology to provide accessible, evidence-based support for mental health. As more people turn to digital tools for health management, the potential for improving mental health outcomes continues to grow, offering hope and relief to those who need it most.
Having this type of option, especially for people who are motivated enough to seek an appointment and wait for it, could be very valuable when providers have long wait lists. These individuals want to be doing something about their mental health but don’t yet have access, so this suggests that providing them with some sort of digital option when their motivation is already high, and they are ready to do something, could begin to make a difference.” Adam Horwitz, Ph.D., Assistant Professor, Department of Psychiatry, U-M Medical School
The PROMPT study was funded by Precision Health at U-M and the Eisenberg Family Depression Center as well as the National Institute of Mental Health (MH131761).
Source:
Michigan Medicine – University of MichiganJournal reference:
Horwitz, A. G., et al. (2024). Comparative Effectiveness of Three Digital Interventions for Adults Seeking Psychiatric Services: A Randomized Clinical Trial. JAMA Network Open. doi.org/10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2024.22115.
