Psyberguide.org: Where Technology and Mental Health Meet

The world is becoming more and more tech-savvy so it makes sense that the field of mental health is starting to go digital. But with new mental health software and smartphone apps released almost everyday, people need a trusted source to review these products. That is where Psyberguide.org comes in. Psyberguide is a website that is dedicated to helping consumers find the right mental health technology that is both user-friendly and research backed. This website also helps professionals find resources and information about mental health technology.

Psyberguide.org is a project of IMHRO (One Mind Institute) which works to help neuroscientists and researchers advance treatments for mental illness. The website’s project manager, Dr. Michael Knable is also Executive Director of the Sylvan C. Herman Foundation and Medical Director of Clearview Communities, LLC. Along with his team of Expert Reviewers, Dr. Knable makes sure consumers knows what they are getting into when they download a piece of mental health technology. The Product Guide is the largest part of the website where each piece of technology is given a percentage score based on the Psyberguide scoring system. The areas of review are based on a point system in categories including the specificity of purpose, source of funding, basis in research and how often it is updated. This quantitative style of ranking makes sure that Psyberguide is not producing willy-nilly reviews; there are certain hoops that the technology has to jump to prove itself.
Psyberguide details the score of each product as well as a description of the product accompanied with various details such as which company or organization makes the product and where it can be downloaded or purchased. The site also incorporates the consumer’s feedback on the website in the comments section where you can rate the product if you have used it before. The easy navigation of the site helps consumers find the right piece of technology for their unique situation. When you click on “Product Guide” on the home page, it takes you to a page where each product is organized by the disorder that it treats: Schizophrenia, Mood Disorders, PTSD and Anxiety Disorder as well as which method is being used in the treatment: CBT, Cognitive Remediation, Cognitive Training, Mindfulness or Symptom Tracking. This is very helpful for family members of someone living with a mental illness since they can jump straight to the particular condition their loved one has or which type of therapy a mental health professional recommended. The site also has a blog section which keeps readers up-to-date on the latest events, research-findings and advances in mental health and technology.

When looking for the treatment or management of mental health disorders, the last thing you need is technology offering you false promises based on inaccurate research. Recovering from a mental health disorder is a difficult and often confusing process. Psyberguide helps simplify that process by pointing both consumers and practitioners in the right direction. Make sure you check in with Psyberguide.org the next time you are about to download any mental health technology.

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