By Megan Sayles
AFRO Business Writer
msayles@afro.com
The integration of artificial intelligence (AI) is on the rise in a number of industries, including the mental health and self-care space. Its ability to create personalized recommendations, reach a large number of people, augment tasks and analyze human behavior makes the technology well-suited to enhance the industry’s services and resources.
Credit: Photo courtesy of Black in AI
“There are a few startups considering using AI for the diagnosis of mental health, and some have considered using AIs as therapists,” said Sanmi Koyejo, president of Black in AI. “Many have argued that chatbots like, character.ai, were serving this role for some.”
His organization aims to increase African-American representation in AI, as they have historically been left out of emerging technologies. Koyejo warned that the technology can still make mistakes, particularly because it cannot understand or feel the complex emotions humans have. There are still considerations to be made about the ethics and tradeoffs of using AI in the mental health space.
In any case, Koyejo believes it has the potential to reduce barriers to entry for people trying to access care and to confront the shortage of mental health professionals the country faces.
“When ready, I think opportunities for democratizing access to mental health services are enormous and will have high impact,” said Koyejo. “There are too few mental health professionals compared to the needs, and this gap seems to be widening.”
Below are some applications using AI to help people practice self-care while boosting mental health and overall wellness.
Wysa
Launched in 2016 on World Mental Health Day, this platform leverages an AI chatbot to provide tailored care and solutions. It employs data-driven strategies, like cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), dialectical behavior therapy (DBT), meditation and breathing, to deliver support and is available 24/7. Users can vent about their emotions and challenges and learn how to cope and build resilience. All conversations on Wysa are anonymous, helping to reduce the stigma in seeking help.
MindDoc
This mental health app was designed with the help of clinical psychologists and researchers to support people with mental health challenges, like depression, anxiety, insomnia and burnout. It teaches users about emotional well-being, challenges their thinking patterns and helps them to resolve conflicts. On MindDoc, people can track their moods in real-time, receive personalized insights on their symptoms and utilize an expansive course library.
Sleep Cycle
Poor sleeping habits have the potential to negatively affect a person’s mental health or exacerbate existing conditions. Sleep Cycle was created to help people improve their rest quality. It uses advanced algorithms to examine users’ sleep patterns and provide recommendations on an optimal wake-up time and coaching to improve sleep quality. It also offers music, ambience and meditations to help people fall and stay asleep.
Happify
Techniques in this self-improvement app were developed by veteran experts in positive psychology, mindfulness and CBT. After taking an initial assessment of their mood, emotional challenges and goal, Happify provides personalized tracks with activities and games to help them meet their needs, reduce stress and increase their happiness. It includes quizzes, journal prompts, gratitude exercises and mindfulness strategies.
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