Nick Titov

Professor Nick Titov, Founding Executive Director of the Australian MindSpot Clinic, reflects on
ten rewarding years delivering digital mental health care to people across Australia.

Using artificial intelligence (AI) in mental health services and research has potential, but a new study finds significant shortcomings that may indicate overly accelerated promotion of new AI models that have yet to be evaluated as viable in the real world.

People are using ChatGPT, a chatbot powered by artificial intelligence for advice on their mental health, even though it wasn’t designed for that. While the chatbot is knowledgeable about mental health it can’t be relied upon for an accurate diagnosis, advice or treatment and is therefore not a substitute for a licensed therapist.

Four digital technologies that can help children and young people with mild to moderate symptoms of anxiety or low mood have been recommended for use in the NHS once they achieve regulatory approval.

The authors of this study measured the influence of a daily virtual nature intervention on symptoms of anxiety, depression, and an underlying cause of poor mental health: rumination. The findings reinforce a growing body of literature that finds virtual nature is an effective, safe, and acceptable intervention for mental health promotion.

Teni, a 14 year old girl diagnosed with sepsis experienced persistent low mood following her recovery. By participating in a virtual reality exercise organized by the Arts In Medicine Projects in Lagos, Nigeria, she was able to distract her mind from the pain and anxiety through immersive experiences and improve her mood. The Arts in Medicine Project outreach has since been expanded to older adult homes.

Wearables offer addiction treatment providers tantalizing opportunities to improve care outcomes. […] But there’s a serious problem. Researchers and practitioners still need to figure out what to do with the mountains of data that wearables could produce.

eMHIC and UNICEF’s Europe and Central Asia regional team have been in conversation since 2018 with a focus on developing practical online solutions for helping “connect kids to care”. The eMental Health International Collaborative (eMHIC) was an important source inspiration, providing international leadership for building USupport, set to be launched later this year.

Behavioral health will continue to take center stage in 2023. It is critical that industry stakeholders collaborate to identify critical mental health needs and leverage available technology to produce meaningful change.

This report is designed to inspire and inform the indisputable and urgent transformation required to ensure better mental health for all. While promoting a multisectoral approach, this report is especially written for decision-makers in the health
sector. This includes ministries of health and other partners in the health sector who are generally tasked with developing mental health policy and delivering mental health systems and services.