The Internet as a medium for delivering treatment for depression. Possibilities and challenges highlighted by our experiences with MoodGYM

Abstract

In this paper, I will present the current status of the use of the Internet as a medium for the treatment of depression. I will focus on the major challenges posed by the wide use of internet-based programmes. Recent and potential future developments of internet-based programmes for the treatment of depression will also be discussed.

I am a member of a research group at UiT The Arctic University of Norway (UiT). For the past seven years, we have been working with the internet-based depression-treatment programme MoodGYM. Our motivation to perform this research was partly based on local shortage of treatment capacity. These local problems are not confined to northern Norway. The world is presently experiencing a worldwide epidemic of depression with vast personal, social, and economic costs. Health-care systems strive to cope with these challenges and investigate whether internet-based programmes can help alleviate these problems with no or limited involvement of the health-care system.