Access to care is one of the largest barriers facing individuals with eating disorders. An innovational approach to eating disorder treatment is emerging, however, in response to this issue. Mobile applications have emerged that enable patients with eating disorders to connect with their treatment provider electronically between sessions. Patients can log their food intake/meals as well as thoughts, behaviours, and emotions (and more) throughout the day, which can be viewed by the treatment provider electronically. The application enables users and their respective health care providers to recognize patterns and associations regarding the disordered behaviour. 
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In addition, patients can communicate with their treatment provider electronically in between formal appointments. Such mobile applications have also offered user’s the ability to access acute crisis support services and chat lines. Mobile access to support may not only help in addressing the issue of access to care, but may be extremely valuable for those who are less comfortable seeking care in-person, those who are geographically isolated from treatment facilities, or those who are less confident in seeking help. It would also provide an opportunity for continued care and support between formal appointment sessions. 

Read more here:
http://abcnews.go.com/Health/treatment-eating-disorders-mobile/story?id=45898259

PokemonGo has quickly become a worldwide craze in just a matter of days. Since the app was released however, news has broke about the slew of motor vehicle accidents, injuries including individuals falling off cliffs, and even criminal incidents involving robbing that have resulted out of playing the game. 

Despite all the negative media attention, the global phenomenon may also be beneficial, as those with mental health conditions such as ‪‎anxiety‬ and ‪‎depression‬ are finding the game to be exceedingly helpful and possibly even therapeutic. Specifically, in the article below, those with ‪‎social anxiety‬ disorder speak out about how ‪#‎PokemonGo‬ has helped them develop the courage and desire to leave their house and begin interacting with others...

"Dr. Ganz Ferrance, an Edmonton psychologist, said the game could work as a positive catalyst for people who suffer from mental illnesses like anxiety, depression and possibly obsessive compulsive disorder.

"When you have a game like this, you are providing a purpose and a structure for the individual when they go out," he said. "What it does is, in a sense, it kind of distracts them from the anxiety they would normally feel, it breaks up the cycle.

"The person then gets the experience of being able to be successful at what they've been avoiding.""

For the full story, click here: http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/edmonton/how-pokémon-go-can-help-fight-mental-illness-1.3682714

Each day new apps are being released, some help to keep us entertained, others help keep us informed or aid in our education, and a growing number are aimed at keeping us fit, not just physically, but mentally as well.

Recently an app called Moodnotes was released, adding to the ever-growing collection of available mental health apps out on the market. In terms of its basic function, Moodnotes is designed to help people keep track of their moods. Though seemingly simple and aesthetically pleasing, the app is not just about swiping an on-screen face to the right level of happiness. Rather, the app was designed with cognitive behavioural therapy principles in mind, ultimately guiding users to "identify patterns in their moods ... understand those feelings, and use suggested CBT tactics to identify and avoid "thinking traps" that may lead them into a slump."

On top of that, Moodnotes is designed for everyone, not just those who may be struggling with depression. As well, the creators emphasize that Moodnotes is by no means another "happiness" app ...

""There are a lot of happiness apps out there, and we have specifically steered away from that. It’s important to recognize that positive and negative emotions are part of our lives: we didn’t want people to think that the goal is to be happy all the time,” she said.

“That would be quite unnatural! It’s important that we recognize and celebrate that you have negative emotions as well as positive ones, even if we are providing some help in breaking the cycle that you might be in if you’re mulling over something too much, or thinking negatively.”"

Would you use an app like this?

Find out more here:

• http://www.theguardian.com/technology/2015/aug/06/monument-valley-ustwo-mental-health-moodnotes-app

• http://www.wired.com/2015/08/moodnotes-app-like-personal-trainer-for-mental-health/
  

PTSD is an expensive injury to treat. 21% of American soldiers returning from Iraq and Afghanistan suffer from PTSD, with many more cases likely gone unreported. Soldiers with PTSD cost 3.5 times more to treat than soldiers without PTSD, equating to nearly $1 billion dollars annually. But now a new avenue for combating operational stress injuries and PTSD is finishing a major clinical trial; the Stress Resilience Training System, publicized by the US Navy in early 2013 here. 

It's an app developed for the iPad that works with a small heart monitor to provide soldiers with education and training supplemented by realtime biofeedback data. It purports to give soldiers the tools necessary to respond adaptively to real-world stress, reducing incidences of PTSD, reducing healthcare costs, smoothing transitions to civilian life, and improving lives. 

Here is a link to the instructional video that introduces soldiers to their new tools in the fight against PTSD. 

Alcohol is a common cause of hospital visits.  Particularly in the ER, doctors and nurses often see and treat patients who are in alcohol withdrawal which can be life-threatening.  

To help healthcare professionals evaluate if a patient is experiencing the symptoms of alcohol withdrawal like headache or anxiety, most of which are subjective, one ER physician at Mount Sinai Hospital in Toronto has come up with a brilliant new app to more objectively and accurately evaluate tremors, another key symptom of alcohol withdrawal.

"There are two dangers in misjudging the severity of tremors. First, an undertreated patient could suffer seizures if the tremors are underestimated. Second, doctors don’t want to overprescribe psychoactive medication to legitimate patients — benzodiazepines, usually Valium, are the primary treatment for alcohol withdrawal — or dole it out to people faking their symptoms in order to get high themselves or to sell the drugs on the street."

While the app is currently still a pilot project, initial tests of the technology are quite positive and many believe it could be used in numerous settings, not just in the emergency department.  Find out more by checking out the link below:

"Toronto doctor’s iPhone app diagnoses alcohol withdrawal" by Kate Allen (Toronto Star)

Quite often, individuals diagnosed with a mood disorder like depression or bipolar disorder, are often asked by their healthcare team questions like "How have you been feeling since the last visit?", "When was the last time you remember feeling yourself?", among countless other more specific questions about their moods and how they've waxed and waned over time.

While many try and simply remember their mood patterns and shifts, it can be challenging to accurately keep track of one's feelings and emotions, which are important for healthcare professionals to be aware of as such information can influence medications and therapy strategies.

Fortunately, there are a variety of new apps entering the market that are specifically designed to better assist those with mental health conditions monitor their emotional highs and lows.  Not only do they allow users to quickly and easily keep track of their feelings and how they change over time, but the hope is that one comes to better understand their disorder.   "Over time, the user may discover patterns or certain triggers that always precede a negative or positive episode. Becoming aware of mood patterns allows a person to learn more about their illness and begin to take positive steps to steer their emotions toward a stable and happier life."

To find out more about some of these new apps, check out the article, "Mood Tracking Applications for People with Bipolar Disorder" or find them on iTunes:

• Moody Me - https://itunes.apple.com/ca/app/moody-me-mood-diary-tracker/id411567371?mt=8
• T2 Mood Tracker - https://itunes.apple.com/ca/app/t2-mood-tracker/id428373825?mt=8
• Moodtrack.com - https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/moodtrack-diary-private-mood/id545536364?mt=8

CAMH - Centre for Addiction and Mental Health recently developed and released a new app, called 'Saying When', that's designed to help those concerned about their alcohol use track and manage their drinking behaviours.

Although there are plenty of apps devoted to drinking games and recipes, Saying When is thought to be one of the first mobile apps that actually helps individuals reduce or quit drinking.

"To make personal tracking easy and precise, the Saying When app describes and defines standard drinks through info-graphics. Each drink entered is measured when the app user fills the interactive glass and determines how many standard drinks they have consumed.

Throughout the tracking process, the app is programmed to offer tips for success as the user makes progress. The coping section of the app also provides users with the opportunity to learn what strategies work best for them as they rank the success of each one over time" (camh.ca).

For more information on this new app check out the link below or iTunes:

• "CAMH launches mobile app to help people reduce or quit drinking" (CAMH)