There is a duality to modern technology: it’s so often cited as one of the most positively impactful inventions of the 20th century, yet is equally referenced as a significant drain on the world’s collective health. In reality, the harm caused by technology comes down a culture of deliberate or neglectful action. But equally, the benefits of tech come from those who built great things. So let’s have a look at some technologies that can instead boost your mental health.
The Trap of Tech Mental Pseudo-Health
Technology — and the internet — has a worrying ability to take something good and turn it into psychological harm:
- The idea of social media is to enhance connections, but it’s keeping us isolated in our own bubbles and pushing us further apart;
- The internet was touted to ‘democratise information’, yet is filled with mis- and disinformation;
- The online world can say it’s a safe place to escape, but can easily pull people in and cause further damage.
It’s that which forms the duality of our relationship with technology. And it’s the responsibility of any technology to ensure it does significantly more good than it does harm. Currently platforms achieve this far less than desired, but there are some glimpses of the good that can be built. Let’s take a look at some.
Tech Solutions for your Mental Health
Reaching Out On Your Own Terms
A big barrier to reaching out for help is just that — reaching out. Many struggle with stigma, judgement among other things that become too much to overcome. The good news is technology can break down some of these barriers.
Whether you need to reach out to friends, family or a professional, the internet brings accessible discussion worldwide. Friends are no longer a drive away, family no longer feels unreachable on the other side of the world. And critically, you can find professional support at times and in mediums of your choosing.
We’ve talked previously about the importance of connection and the role technology can play in that, but the sentiment in the same: the flexibility is unparalleled, but the need for analogue connection remains.
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Get The Bigger Picture through Digital Journalling
In a purely analogue world, having everything in the one place makes getting the bigger picture tough. Technology brings this within reach. This becomes especially effective with digital strengths injected into journalling.
Modern devices provide the single most accessible place to interact, with you able to choose the time, place and way that works for you. Reflection has been shown to be a positive endeavour, letting you analyse your feelings and surface positive experiences more easily. So choosing a digital space to journal and reflect can help bring you these benefits without the limitations of physical records.
There is one big concern about digital journalling however, which has been exacerbated by AI: privacy. Handing over your inner monologue to another person — let alone company — can range from embarrassing to outright dangerous. So before you embark on this journey, look at any app’s data collection policies and determine if they store your data with sufficient protections like local-only storage or end-to-end encryption.
Dedicated Mental Health Apps
If you’re looking for a more serious health care bump, consider looking to dedicated apps. These can target both common and uncommon issues and symptoms better than generic solutions. Depending on you and your scenario, these apps may or may not help, but specific ones might help you balance your day-to-day.
If your data ever leaves your devices, you must be certain you trust who is storing it, and who can access it
The most important thing to consider with any of these is to trust those behind the apps. Development is becoming increasingly accessible, and the true intentions behind any one person can be vague or hidden. Instead of blindly guessing, there are many lists of apps from trustworthy sources that can help you make a decision.
The Anti-Technology Solution
Sometimes, the best technology to boost your mental health is to just put it away. We spend so much of our lives engulfed with our smartphones and tablets that the very act of being online can be damaging. Study after study have documented these effects, including a more prevalent effect on sleep.
Counter-intuitively, technology can actually help with this. From the digital wellbeing settings on your phone to dedicated apps aiming to melt the glue between you and your screen, there are ways technology can support a healthier lifestyle. While Microsoft is lagging behind, both Apple and Google have operating-system-level options to help you break free. And if you need a little more, third-party apps like Forest can help you find a better balance.
Finding The Balance
Over the past month, we’ve talked a lot about balance. And that’s because it’s one of the most important factors in health and longevity — so much so that ‘balance’ is a core part of our values here at FONSEKA. Today’s mental health outcomes are so often tied to our relationship with technology, so it’s up to all of us to weight the pros and cons of our usage, and to know if and when we need help from mental health professionals.