Can it be that I can no longer live without the Internet? Without buying a book while travelling by train? Without booking a hotel while having a cup of tea with a friend? Without listening to new songs from all over the world before going to sleep? But at the same time being aware that not everything can be seen and bought instantly?
Separate the machine from the person. To recognise my emotions, to explore them, to put them out into the world. To understand that I don’t buy and reserve feelings as I walk along, like a movie I download to watch while waiting to board a plane.
Technology has revolutionised many aspects of our lives, including the way we approach and manage our mental health. In an increasingly digitally connected world, technology has proven to be a powerful tool in facilitating our lives. It gives us access to all kinds of information, from a recipe to the most distant place and culture in our world, to being able to see my family at all times wherever they are, but it is also demonstrating the potential to promote mental wellbeing and provide support to those in need. Below, we will explore some of the key benefits that technology offers in the field of mental health.
Benefits of technology in health
First, technology has significantly expanded access to mental health resources and services. Online platforms, mobile applications and telemedicine programmes allow people to access therapy, counselling and self-help resources from the comfort of their homes. This is especially beneficial for those who live in remote areas or have difficulty accessing traditional mental health services due to barriers such as mobility or lack of financial resources.
In addition, technology has made it easier to monitor and track mental wellbeing. Wearable devices and mental health tracking apps allow users to record their mood, sleep patterns, stress levels and other relevant factors. This data can provide valuable information for both individuals and mental health professionals, helping to identify trends, triggers and areas for improvement.
Moreover, easy access to digital communities specialising in these matters allows people to also share their experiences, seek advice and receive emotional support from others who can understand and empathise with their struggles. This is especially important for those who may feel isolated or stigmatised because of their mental health.
In addition, technology has enabled the development of innovative therapeutic interventions, such as virtual reality and artificial intelligence-assisted therapy. These modalities that I am learning about can be effective in treating disorders such as post-traumatic stress disorder, anxiety and depression, offering patients new ways to explore and address their mental challenges in a safe and controlled environment. There are therapies that deal with exposing your fears in order to overcome them and this is a means of doing so gradually, and progressively building a healthy relationship with your emotions.
My personal experience with yoga
So after years of having the mentality of an electronics engineer, it occurred to me to practice yoga, and over the years to become a yoga teacher. It is an experience to walk into a room with strangers and lie down to relax. To be in silence with my thoughts, to do postures pushing my balance, my strength, my stamina to the limit and above all to do it without competing with anyone. Just me. I found it more difficult than studying for my degree, but with patience, little by little, my me comes out… and with a lot of effort I look for the balance of my two minds.
And a question comes to me, can I feel this peace and still be a lover of technology? How can artificial intelligence and the Internet help me to be balanced? I am discovering, but yes, it can, and I will tell you about it….
For now, I’m reading a lot and scheduling myself for my two passions. I read as I write this: If you don’t pursue what you want, you’ll never get it. If you don’t ask, the answer will always be no. If you don’t step forward, you will always get it. If you don’t step forward, you will always be in the same place.
I have decided to pursue it, to seek answers and to take that step. A better place. Where technology serves me in my pursuit of social wellbeing and mental wellbeing. Not only to help me to have what I want, but to know how I want it. How I want to live it and how I want it to affect me. Where it helps me to help my co-workers, friends and family.
Conclusions
In summary, technology plays an increasingly important role in our mental health. Technology can guide us on the path to care for ourselves and others. After all, we live in community and although it may seem that technology is individualistic, it is in our hands to use it for the opposite, to connect us to others, to be closer in every way…. Sometimes, quality is more important than quantity. Connect with quality. Contribute, build, be open and enjoy this beautiful world.
Technology offers a diverse range of benefits that can improve the quality of life for people living with mental disorders. However, it is important to use technology in a responsible and balanced way, recognising its benefits, but also its limitations and potential risks.
I’m going now…because knowing that I can have it all by knowing how to use it is the key. I have a lot to do to achieve this. See you soon.
