IIT Kanpur Develops Online Mental Health Tool for Depression

An online tool to help people cope with mental health problems has been developed by a research team at the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), Kanpur. The new tool is called “TreadWill” and is designed to help people deal with stress, low mood, lethargy and other depressive symptoms through different online exercises, questionnaires and games.

The tool is based on cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) and may be helpful for people dealing with depressive symptoms such as feeling low and lack of pleasure in usual activities.

The tool uses simple forms (thought record worksheet, core belief worksheet) and games to practice the techniques of CBT in an engaging manner. It can recognize differences in users' history and customize the tool accordingly. It then sends personalized SMS alerts to users to help them complete the program. Once a user completed the program, a personalized email is sent to track the long-term effectiveness of the online program.

According to Nitin Gupta, a professor at the Biological Sciences and Bioengineering department of the IIT, “TreadWill would offer a free and easy accessible alternative for those who are wary of attending in-person sessions at clinics.”

“Every user of TreadWill can use support groups to share their experiences and to get support from other users. The smaller groups of users, called Peer Groups, have also been set up as private spaces where they can follow each other’s progress. This will help them form bonds and enhance their feeling of belonging”, Gupta said.

Source-Medindia