We are living in an exciting age for mobile communication. We can chat instantly with groups of friends, pose questions to and receive answers from global communities, and video message loved ones from across the world. And in the mental health world, we’re using technology in new ways to connect with each other more conveniently than ever before.
 

In 2013 alone, a review of 43,698 health apps available from the Apple iTunes App store found 1,980 to be related to specific therapy areas (see below).

But can this digital communication be a viable substitute for human connection? A recent article in Scientific American describes that when we create digital tools for mental health, we lose the benefits that come with face-to-face interactions. When we connect with other people in-person, we establish “trust, empathy and support,” all of which positively affect our well-being in the long-term.

Scientific American discusses that one unique benefit of using digital mental health as therapy is that it allows for a less stigmatizing way of accessing support.
 

“People sometimes feel too ashamed to open up honestly about their struggles to another person, even when that person is an accepting, nonjudgmental therapist…technology enables people to bypass this barrier”
 

At Find Your Ditto, we believe that it is possible to have the best of both worlds. By facilitating that in-person connection, we make sure that your support goes beyond the digital screen. And by meeting someone who shares your same condition, we’re connecting you to a community of individuals you can trust; people who just get it.
 

What are your thoughts about using technology for an in-person connection?

– Parisa
 

Source: Patient Apps for Improved Healthcare: From Novelty to Mainstream, IMS Institute for Healthcare Informatics, 2013