There’s an irony that digital media is seen as a source of mental health issues (Digital Journal recently ran a story about social media use leading to increased feelings of loneliness) and also a means to address mental health problems, especially in the form of self-help and guidance apps.
In recent years, there has been a proliferation of mental health apps available to smartphone users. These apps particularly appeal to those who cannot afford therapy. Such apps offer a wealth of resources that make therapeutic techniques more accessible. They also have the advantage of being portable and they are often cost-effective.
The rise of health apps represents a major growth area. An example of this trend has been seen with Wisdo, where the firm has secured $11 million in seed funding from Intel Capital plus some other smaller investors.
Wisdo’s company philosophy is to help people to take on life’s challenges and opportunities, by equipping them “with wisdom from those who’ve been there.” The new app matches these aims and values.
The app from Wisdo focuses, as TechCrunch reports, on several topics centered on physical health, mental health, self-growth, sexuality, identity and family. The app using a community platform, and functions to connect people together who are seeking help with others who are able to provide help, including people who have been through similar experiences.
With the app, users outline their experiences as a series of steps. Based on the steps, the app creates an outline and this helps to match the user who needs help with a user who is prepared to offer help. This is in-line with the way that many social media sites are established.
In discussing the origins of the app, Wisdo CEO Boaz Gaon states: “Wisdo grew out of my own personal experience when my father was diagnosed with cancer – I had no experience with cancer and there was no ‘map’ for what I should do next, no one to give me direction.”
He expands further on the origins of the e-health solution: “This was the seed of Wisdo – connecting people around these experiences, finding the everyday wisdom that we all need, sharing the earned wisdom that we all have, building a map for life’s emotional challenges, and giving people insight into what happens next.”
