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It is almost hard to believe that 2002 happened twenty years ago, and so much has changed! That was the year I graduated from university, I was a young psychologist eager to put everything I had learned into practice. Little did I know that all the knowledge I had acquired along years of hard work, and that I was so proud of, would be challenged so quickly. Technology has altered innumerous aspects of our daily lives, including the meaning of ‘friend’, ‘meeting’, ‘follow’, and so many other words, attitudes and thoughts. And it has changed psychology too.

Many people believe the COVID-19 pandemic precipitated a trend that was already in course, with larger portions of social interaction gradually switching to the online environment. From commerce to education, social networking, dating websites and e-sports, the virtual domain has penetrated deeper in our routine, including the field of mental health. According to the European Connected Health Alliance, there are around 20.000 phone applications dedicated to mental health available on Apple and Android operating systems ¹. Another article by the Harvard Business Review describes that “clinician-based virtual care replaces traditional in-person office visits with synchronous video or audio visits or with asynchronous texts messages”, and “non-clinician based digital mental health services, such as chatbots, video and written content, gamified user exercises and digital cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) programs, are a good adjunct to clinician-based virtual care, allowing 24/7 access for those with less intensive needs” ².

One main advantage brought by the relatively new field of digital mental health is the wide range of possibilities of mobile technology, which makes mental health-related contents available to virtually everyone. According to the article, “because of the pandemic, virtual care and other digital tools are more important than ever in supporting existing care, providing scale and existing capacity”. Moreover, “a 2016 metanalysis of 452 studies o telepsychiatry found high patient satisfaction and quality equivalent to in-person care” ².

Nevertheless, there are several important issues to be addressed: one of them is the risk of mental wellness startups failing as a venture. In this case, who would carry on with providing the services patients need? Also, who can guarantee they get the same quality service? Another issue is related to the role of psychology councils and associations: would they still be in charge of regulating and monitoring the new practice? Or should the market regulate itself?

Together with these questions, we can ask if the knowledge related to mental conditions and their treatment has evolved as much as digital technology. For example, one of the most fascinating subjects I had the pleasure to study at university was the intricacy of different mental conditions which present the same symptoms, and are hard to tell apart without special attention, patience and expertise. Have computer applications learned how to fulfill this task properly? Could ‘chatbots’ ever interpret unconscious contents?

In sum, the contrast between digital mental health and traditional psychology can be approached from different perspectives, especially because psychological wellbeing is not an exact science. While, in 2002, Lacan’s view of Saussure’s theory interested me, the possible uses of videogames to promote mental health is a trending topic in psychological research today. And this is why psychology always fascinates me.

1. Landi, H. (2021) The Digital Mental Health Market is Booming. Here’s Why Some Experts Are Concerned. Fierce Healthcare, 21st April. https://www.fiercehealthcare.com/tech/digital-mental-health-market-booming-here-s-why-some-experts-are-concerned, accessed 20 February 2022.

2. Blumenfield, S. and Levin-Scherz, J. (2020) Digital Tools Are Revolutionizing Mental Health Care in the US. Harvard Business Review (Health and Behavioral Sience), December. https://hbr.org/2020/12/digital-tools-are-revolutionizing-mental-health-care-in-the-u-s, accessed 20 February 2022.

Estevam Holpert, June 2021.