Episode 13: Hacking Mental Health

What if technology had our best interests in mind? What if the largest technology companies in the world were measured by how much they benefited our well-being rather than how effectively they could exploit user behavior to earn attention and dollars? We live in a technological world driven by a deluge of media content and the platforms delivering that media to achieve certain business goals. Paralleling this rise in technology and media is a rise in depression, especially among millennials. While it is inconclusive whether or not specific forms of media such as social media cause increase rates of depression, the power of technology in its many forms to influence our mind and behavior is evident. It has permeated our politics, the fabric of our relationships, and our everyday decision-making. In fact, many of the platforms you use every day were designed to be addictive by people just like you.  In this episode, we are joined by two guests, Stephen Cognetta and Anne Wu. Stephen and Anne are the founders of Hack Mental Health, a non-profit focused around the belief that technology can help revolutionize mental healthcare. Last April, HackMentalHealth hosted its second annual 24-hour mental health hackathon in San Francisco. This hackathon paired mental healthcare professionals such as therapists, psychologists, and psychiatrists with tech-savvy programmers and engineers. In 24 hours, these interdisciplinary teams went on to develop software prototypes addressing many problems in cognitive health including trauma recovery, dementia, and compulsive behaviors. Stephen and Anne share their philosophy behind Hack Mental Health as well as some of the challenges that still remain including data privacy concerns, social media's impact on our psychology, and the persistent stigma of mental health. If you are interested in getting involved with Hack Mental Health's 2020 conference from March 21st to 22nd, please check out www.Hackmentalhealth.care to join their mailing list and register for the event.