4 ms·

Innovation in the mental health care space. Right now most of the top funded startups are working on either 1) Simplifying access for wealth people to the alrea

Innovation in the mental health care space. Right now most of the top funded startups are working on either 1) Simplifying access for wealth people to the already available supply of therapists; or 2) Removing the human component entirely by creating with apps which have very little evidence to back them up. I see mental health care as one of the most important problems of out time, at the root of so many of the issues we see in society today. Yet government has been very slow to act, which in turn means insurance companies don't modernize their reimbursement policies, which then stifles innovation.

hn_asker 6y ago
I agree. How can mental health issues like depression be affecting so many people, yet all we are settling for as a solution are pills that don't even work that well, haven't been studied in the long-term, create a long-term dependency, and have unholy side effects??
- graaben 6y ago
  I was shocked when I found out that the current most effective therapy modality, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, is only successful in 50% of patients. I'm very hopeful for the future of psychedelic therapy, as it seems to be very effective after just a single dose and non-toxic.
slothtrop 6y ago
One frequent complaint I see is the difficulty accessing therapists either owing to cost or availability. Also just feeling lost as to how to attack the problem. I see it as an information issue. According to research, online-administered CBT can be effective, and so are workbooks. Since CBT is so simple in principle, no reason this information shouldn't be easily accessible. I've even found free CBT workbooks online: https://depts.washington.edu/dbpeds/therapists_guide_to_brief_cbtmanual.pdf https://depts.washington.edu/dbpeds/therapists_guide_to_brie.... This doesn't have to "replace" therapy, but it can be the first line of defense, along with what we know helps a great deal: regular exercise (boosts serotonin and reduces stress), adequate vitamin D3 intake (mood enhancer and helps anchor circadian rhythm), proper whole foods diet, enough socializing, etc. I think the (possible) epidemic of mental health issues is exacerbated by a combination of isolation, stress (and negative newscycle bombardment), sedentary lifestyle.

hn_asker 6y ago

I agree. How can mental health issues like depression be affecting so many people, yet all we are settling for as a solution are pills that don't even work that well, haven't been studied in the long-term, create a long-term dependency, and have unholy side effects??

graaben 6y ago
I was shocked when I found out that the current most effective therapy modality, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, is only successful in 50% of patients. I'm very hopeful for the future of psychedelic therapy, as it seems to be very effective after just a single dose and non-toxic.

slothtrop 6y ago

One frequent complaint I see is the difficulty accessing therapists either owing to cost or availability. Also just feeling lost as to how to attack the problem. I see it as an information issue. According to research, online-administered CBT can be effective, and so are workbooks. Since CBT is so simple in principle, no reason this information shouldn't be easily accessible. I've even found free CBT workbooks online: https://depts.washington.edu/dbpeds/therapists_guide_to_brief_cbtmanual.pdf https://depts.washington.edu/dbpeds/therapists_guide_to_brie.... This doesn't have to "replace" therapy, but it can be the first line of defense, along with what we know helps a great deal: regular exercise (boosts serotonin and reduces stress), adequate vitamin D3 intake (mood enhancer and helps anchor circadian rhythm), proper whole foods diet, enough socializing, etc. I think the (possible) epidemic of mental health issues is exacerbated by a combination of isolation, stress (and negative newscycle bombardment), sedentary lifestyle.