Scientists suggest that internet-based therapy platforms can effectively reduce depression.
Researchers from Indiana University (IU) in the US reviewed 21 pre-existing studies with a total of 4,781 participants to come to this conclusion.
About the study on internet-based therapy to cure depression
The researchers found that there are many such websites available on the internet that claims to treat depression.
The study published in the Journal of Medical Internet Research focused on those applications that provide treatment with cognitive behavioural therapy.
Cognitive behavioural therapy is a form of psychotherapy that focuses on changing thought patterns and behaviour to alleviate symptoms of depression and other mental disorders.
About the precious studies on internet-based depression therapy
Previous studies had examined the effectiveness of individual internet-based cognitive behavioural therapy apps, or iCBT, using a range of methods.
It was presumed before this study that the past studies mainly focused on people with very mild depression, low suicide risk and without any mental health problems.
Now, it has been proved that these apps and internet platforms can actually help a broader population with any kind of depression or mental illness.
Why are internet based cognitive behavioural therapy apps important?
These internet-based cognitive behavioural therapy apps are important tools to help people to alleviate mental illness or depression.
The population suffering depression is way larger than the number of people to address those mental health issues and treat them.
Every one in four people meet the criteria for major depressive disorder.
If the number of people with minor depression or who have been depressed for a week or a month with a few symptoms are summed, the number exceeds the number of psychologists who can serve them.
Are the internet-based depression therapy platforms effective?
The researchers have found through the study that the internet-based therapy platforms are very much effective in alleviating depression and help people with any kind of mental illness.
A central question was determining whether previous studies distorted the strength of these systems’ effects by excluding people with severe depression.
The conclusion was that the apps worked in cases of mild, moderate and severe depression.
Many of the studies in the analysis compared use of internet-based cognitive behavioral therapy apps to placement on a wait list for therapy or the use of a “fake app” that made weak recommendations to the user.
[“source=indiatoday]
