Podcast: How Technology Is Augmenting Therapy

The Global Burden of Disease study estimates that over 1.1 billion people worldwide lived with a mental or substance use disorder in 2016. According to the World Health Organisation, more than 300 million people of all ages suffer from depression alone. With around one-seventh of the world's population affected by mental health issues, how do we get everyone treated?

Wall Street Journal’s Future of Everything host Jennifer Strong brings another complex topic to life with her attention to detail and her storytelling capabilities. In the episode produced by Anthony Green and Daniela Hernandez, she discusses how technology has been transforming the mental health care industry. It's not only Artificial Intelligence, as the podcast's title suggests, but also mobile apps, chatbots and virtual reality that could improve society's state of mind.

"The need for clinical professionals to help with cases of depression, suicide and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) far exceeds supply. With millions of people affected by mental health issues that are often left untreated and undiagnosed, researchers are looking at ways technology could fill the gaps," says Strong.

But the podcast isn't all about the host. In fact, mostly it gives voice to pioneering psychologists and scientists who try to harness machines to help manage our psychological well-being. For example, it takes us to a virtual reality (VR) simulation room, where we get to hear from Dr Skip Rizzo talk about VR's potential to reduce trauma. The WSJ reporter even gets to put a VR headset on to take a walk around a virtual war zone. Most remarkable, though, and most moving, is a testimony by a U.S. Navy veteran who eased his severe trauma and depression with the aid of technology.