Woebot : Mental Health Chatbot used on Facebook Messenger now launches on Apple’s App Store
Intro to Woebot
Woebot is an automated conversational agent (chatbot) who helps you monitor mood and learn about yourself. Drawing from a therapeutic framework known as Cognitive Behaviour Therapy, Woebot asks people how they’re feeling and what is going on in their lives in the format of brief daily conversations. Woebot also talks to you about mental health and wellness and sends you videos and other useful tools depending on your mood and needs at that moment. You can think of Woebot as a choose-your-own-adventure self-help book that is capable of storing all of your entries, and gets more specific to your needs over time.
AI, Machine Learning and Mental Health
Woebot is using AI and NLP to build a chatbot that will help the millions of people who struggle with their mental health. Mental health is in crisis: Depression is the leading global cause of disability, and on US university campuses, about 50% of students report anxiety or depression so severe that they can’t function. In addition to the human anguish, it also imposes a huge economic burden: Heart disease costs the US healthcare system $147B annually; mental health costs even more, over $200B. Building a chatbot for mental health represents a grand challenge for AI and NLP, and will help millions.
Science and Technology
Woebot is built using a combination of natural language processing, therapeutic expertise, excellent writing, and sense of humor to create the experience of a therapeutic conversation for all of the people that talk to him.
In a recent study conducted at Stanford University, using Woebot led to significant reductions in anxiety and depression among people aged 18-28 years old, compared to an information-only control group. 85% of participants used Woebot on a daily or almost daily basis. You can read the entire peer-reviewed study here - https://mental.jmir.org/2017/2/e19/
Features and Benefits
Meet your own personal, charming Woebot. Chat, learn, and reflect. No couches, no meds, no childhood stuff. Just clinically tested techniques + the occasional dorky joke. Drawing from principles of Cognitive Behavior Therapy, Woebot helps you learn about yourself. Woebot asks how you’re feeling and what is going on in your life and sends you tools depending on your mood and needs at that moment. You can think of Woebot as a choose-your-own-adventure mental health manual that gets more specific to your needs over time. Woebot can:
- Track your emotions through friendly conversation - Guide you through science-based techniques for a range of problems - Help with mood management; relationship problems; grief; habits and addictions - Personalize your conversations the more you chat - Teach mindfulness
Cross Platform
Woebot is available on Facebook Messenger and iPhones and iPads. We know that lots of people also use Android phones, and an Android version of Woebot is in the works. Leave your email here so we can contact you when Woebot is available on the Google Play store.
Our mission is to make the best psychological tools radically accessible to those who need them. As such we are lucky enough to not have to charge users for Woebot’s services at this time. However, this may change at some point as we move towards establishing a sustainable business.
When using Facebook Messenger to chat with Woebot to deliver those therapeutic conversations, nothing is posted to your Facebook profile or newsfeed. If you “Like” our Facebook Page, your friends can see that.
iPhone App
Source : https://woebot.io/
