Hello steemians, today we are going to discuss on IoT (which mean Internet of Things) and its applications towards our mental health. Before going into this topic fully I would want us to go some steps back, around 20 years back in the past so as to understand the most development that occurs in the past about internet of things. No one would have even imagine that mental health and IoT would have things in common.
Is Mental Health studies older than IoT
There are lot of older history mental health studies and the solutions to mental health problems have over IoT, let say for example there is a drug (levodopa) which have caused a lot of paradigm shift after it was proved to help those that was Parkinson’s disease. This diseases might be made known now base on it famous patient Muhammed Ali, because it might not be that popular before incase you have not heard of it, Parkinson’s disease is a disorder of the CNS (Central Nervous System) and usually occurs due to the death of cells in the brain section. This is the second most common neurodegenerative disorder
Read more details here and here
Since 1990s, neuroscience, psychology and genetics have greatly advances forward. The personal coping strategies which is developed in solving current problems has produced lot of positive results and many pretenders also who were offering CBT without the fully understanding of its promises and the serious limitations behind it. Normally, the therapy is been used to treat depression but also come out to be mildly helpful for schizophrenia and psychosis. The food and drug administration of the united states in 1997, authorize deep brain stimulation which is a neurosurgical operation where an electrode is been implanted in the brain for curing Parkinson’s.
How IoT is helping in Mental Health
There are lot of technologies which are fueling IOT and are also fueling neuroscience. In treating future problems, the biggest promise of IOT is base on medicine personalization with extensive patients records and using AL alongside physicians. You can listen to Doctor Khurana talks on some specific aspect of mental health and our thinking that the future will be of a great help.
Software
with internet related technologies, it is not just implantation of electrode that are benefiting. There is an educational software called fast forward which is improving children cognitive skills and often serve as a therapy in reducing the cognitive disorders which is replacing traditional treatment through the cognitive behavioral therapy.
IOT problems with Neuroscience
Patients are confuse and get anxious when early symptoms is been predicted through cognitive testing and imaging.
In a recent conference at International Neuroethics Society, Geoffrey Ling raised the question that even if the patient is detected with mild cognitive changes and there is nothing doctors can do to cure the upcoming Alzheimer’s, will it be ethical to tell the patients that?
Some questions which are been brought up over and over again is the data security of patients which is been stored by the IOT devices. People are careful of storing their data so it wont be used by hackers in theft identity or blackmail and often contradict this storage.
There are lot and lot of mental disorders which can be cured or can be detected by IOT. Likewise more lives can be saved and those already affected can live independent lives. As Ling Geoffrey use to say, IOT and neuroscience future is bright.
It will have a significant impact is IoT will allow patients to be monitored from home, where they feel better. Also it will become easier to check the quality and status of life saving devices such as defibrillators, or even pacemakers. A third great thing will be the big data they create. This allows for a better, more accurate testing of the effect of various drugs, which means a lower time-to-market.
Waoo!!
I love this writeup
It actually taught me alot