Digital Therapeutics: A New Treatment Method To Overcome Depression

Physical health or mental health? There is no debate about that. Both are of equal importance. What differs, however, are the causes of physical and mental disorders, and more importantly, the treatments associated with them.

Humans are complex organisms. Our mind consists of thought processes that are complex, and unfortunately, so are its disorders. Depression is one such mental disorder whose prevalence has been increasing. It is a debilitating illness accounting for 17.3 million cases in adults in the US alone. This misfortune, fortunately, has various treatment options.

Options include a large spectrum of methods embodied – from psychotherapy to medications like antidepressants. A new option has been added to this spectrum, and it has proven to be efficient in the prevention and management of many disorders, including Depression – Digital Therapeutics.

Digital Therapeutics (DTx) delivers health information, augments and strengthens treatment with medications, offers cognitive or motivational support, and helps in data collection. DTx products show considerable advantages in patients with various complicated and challenging disorders, particularly in mental health.

Ensemble, a product developed by Happify Health, treats Major Depressive Disorder (MDD) and Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD) patients and is the first and only trans-diagnostic prescription digital therapeutics in the world. Another DTx product – Abilify MyCite, a digital pill developed by Otsuka, is the first-ever drug-digital tracking tool having been approved by the US Food and Drug Administration for treating Schizophrenia, Bipolar disorder, and Depression.

Online platforms and mobile applications, wearable devices, online games, internet-based self-guides and programs, are other DTx products that assist patients in their ongoing treatments. Companies like MindDoc Health GmbH, Happify, Otsuka, Sanvello Health, Roble Ridge Software LLC, Touchkin, Cervelli, Neurolief Ltd., infinite game, Auckland UniServices Ltd., play a crucial role in the Digital Therapeutics market.

It is observed that Digital Therapeutics are effective in addressing the areas of unfulfilled needs in the mental health vertical. DTx is clinically proven and also fulfills regulatory standards for safety and efficacy while boosting patients’ confidence. It can be concluded that DTx as a mode of therapy will continue to accelerate in the coming years.