Woebot is available on iOS and Android and is currently free to all users. The Topics section covers 10 concepts such as managing emotions, relationships, self-care, achieving goals, mindfulness Tools covers several therapy tools including Challenge Negativity and Challenge Stress and Journal consists of a mood tracker and a gratitude journal. Woebot features three main navigation tools that the user can select to start: Topics, Tools, and Journal. Users are provided psychoeducation and self-guided interventions in multiple areas of mental health wellness, including anxiety and depression, substance abuse, postpartum depression, sleep concerns, the impacts of COVID-19, and relationship issues. Woebot uses machine learning to generate “predictable responses” using techniques from Cognitive Behavior Therapy (CBT), Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), and Interpersonal Psychotherapy (IPT) theoretical approaches. Woebot is a chat/text-based app developed to provide adult users with access to mental health support around the clock. Next, our panel of psychologists share their own ratings, reviews, and recommendations for how these chatbots can be incorporated into mental health care. For each app, we provide guidance on several background factors practitioners should consider when selecting mental health apps for their patients. In this installment of “Let’s Get Technical,” our panel of experts review three mental health chatbots.
They do not always understand what the user is expressing and cannot replace professional help from a psychotherapist. They can guide users through how they are feeling, help users challenge negative thoughts, suggest tools and resources, and engage them in evidence-based therapy techniques including mood tracking and mindfulness. You might have come across one on your bank’s website or while looking for assistance with a medical diagnosis, for example.Ĭhatbots have also been incorporated into some mental health apps providing 24/7 support that mimics conversations with a real person though texts and instant messages. They are commonly used in customer service, answering frequently asked questions, acting in place of webforms, and guiding users through websites.
A chatbot is a conversational assistant that allows businesses to communicate with their audiences in a way that is both automatized and personalized. You’ve probably interacted with chatbots in your daily life, perhaps without realizing it.