A Third App – Bipolar Disorder Connect – Fosters Community
Everyone knows your smartphone can do almost anything. You can order takeout with the flick of a finger. You can analyze your physical health. And now, you can also analyze your mental health. There are several apps in development that will monitor your moods as well as existing apps that foster relationships among the mental health community.
Bipolar Disorder Connect is a forum on your phone in which you can build camaraderie with fellow manic depressives, ask questions, participate in discussions, get feedback on your conundrums, and more. It’s pretty amazing that there is an entire app solely devoted to those of us with bipolar disorder. And while it isn’t at all perfect – a live chatroom function would be nice – Bipolar Disorder Connect does a great job of rounding up those like us to forge a dialogue.
The featured topics are curated on the homepage – meaning they are unique discussions. Recently one about tattoos – are they self-harm – proved particularly interesting. You can sort by both newest and most popular posts, resulting in easy navigation. There’s also a search function which is helpful if you are looking for info on a specific symptom, prescription or situation.
But there are a couple new apps that go beyond sparking conversation. Researchers at Tel Aviv University in Israel have developed Lifegraph. The app will observe patients’ sleep regimens, mobility, communication levels (how many calls and texts are made), and vocal patterns and then send the data to one’s psychiatrist for faster treatment when something is off.
According to Lifegraph’s developers: “This system will provide a more accurate and objective view, thus aiding clinical decisions, improving treatment, and reducing the burden of the disease on the patient, their family, and society.”
Lifegraph is currently being tested at mental health centers in Israel.
Researchers at Monash University in Australia are developing a Facebook App that monitors a patients’ activity on the social media site. This app could help predict a relapse for bipolar individuals.
“The app looks for changes in social media interactions, such as postings, likes, and friend requests. It also prompts self-assessment by asking the profile owner to rate their mood each day,” Professor Paul Fitzgerald said in a press release. “The app will be developed to the point where it can identify changes in Facebook use that predict impending illness relapse and then alert the patient, their mental health physician, carers, or family to take immediate action.”
While Lifegraph seems like overkill to me – do I really want an app monitoring my sleep patterns? – I like the idea of an app that monitors your Facebook activity. I know I was updating my FB status every five minutes when I was manic. It was probably the leading indicator of my mania and was a big reason I sought help in the first place since people were noticing my erratic posts.
What do you think of these apps? Is Big Brother watching you? Or would they be truly useful tools?
