Why Suffer When You Can Use The Phone To Gain Control of Your Life?

WHEN YOU CAN USE THE PHONE TO GAIN CONTROL OF YOUR LIFE

New self-help program for depression and stress provides support 24-hours a day.

By Sharyn Alden

Clinical depression is on the rise says the World Health Organization (WHO). The organization’s 1990 report said depression was the world’s fourth most serious health threat. But over the next few years, WHO predicts depression will affect more people as the population ages. By 2020, it’s expected to be the second most serious health threat in the world.

According to the National Depressive and Manic Depressive Association (NDMDA), about 20 million Americans are affected by depression each year. Nine out of 10 people aren’t getting the help they need, says the NDMDA, because they don’t recognize the symptoms, or they feel trapped and don’t know where to turn to help.

Many don’t seek treatment because of the stigma attached to mental health issues. Seeking help for depression is often viewed as a sign of weakness.

People scarred by trauma and stress often think the "blues" will eventually go away. But when feelings of hopelessness, irritability and sadness interfere with a person’s ability to get on with life, they may have clinical depression.

The cost of therapy, though, prevents a number of people from getting the help they need. In the recent New England Journal of Medicine study, for example, the average number of sessions was eighteen, with an approximate total cost of $1,800. Others don’t seek therapy because of time, distance, confidentiality or an aversion to traditional therapy.

Breakthrough for depression and stress

Record numbers of Americans are turning to alternative health therapies. Now, those who feel weighted down and struggling with life’s pressures, have an innovative

way to connect with the kind of guidance people get from leading psychiatrists and psychologists.

It’s called COPE, and it’s the first interactive, self-help tool of its kind, designed to fight depression and stress. It was developed and refined over five years by John Greist, MD, CEO of Healthcare Technology Systems, LLC, of Madison, Wisconsin, who has been involved with computer applications pertaining to psychiatry for over 20 years. Healthcare Technology Systems is a clinical research, education and technology group which develops healthcare programs in the field of psychiatry.

Greist, a clinical professor of psychiatry at the University of Wisconsin, developed COPE along with Isaac Marks, MD, Institute of Psychiatry, London, England; Lee Baer, PhD and Deborah Osgood-Hynes, PsyD, both of Harvard Medical School.

During COPE’s clinical trials in two U.S. cities, and one in the United Kingdom, 68 percent of phone calls made to COPE came between 5 p.m. and 9 a.m. As a result, the program was developed for use as portable round-the-clock therapy.

People can work on individual concerns, from wherever they are, anytime of the day or night, as long as they use a touch-tone phone.

COPE can be used as a complementary program for traditional therapy or as an individual self-help program. Peggy Martin of Madison, Wisconsin (see accompanying story) sees a therapist on an irregular basis, but likes the portability of COPE when "the doctor isn’t in."

"COPE makes more sense for me because it’s so convenient. I don’t have to schedule an appointment with a therapist. With COPE I just pick up the phone and work on personal issues whenever I want."

To hear a demonstration of COPE call (877 272-3393. Or visit www.copewithlife.com to take a free depression test. The cost of COPE is $195 for six months (90-day money back guarantee).

ONE WOMAN’S STORY

SIDEBAR

The din of downtown fades quietly away in the cool hush of the insurance company’s sun-washed pastel lobby. On the fringes of downtown Madison, insurance agent Peggy Martin is going home to her stylish residence, a genteel mix of antique furnishings, crisp white and sea-green gingerbread accessories---like a dinner mint framed upon a lace doily.

No detail is missed. Godiva chocolates rest on the coffee table, fresh flowers grace a library table. Sentinels of palms and hibiscus frame the deck. Serenity crescendos across the rooms. The atmosphere, though, is deceiving.

Martin has been creaking along, muddling through life most of her adult years. She has experienced an endless cycle of winning and losing battles over stress, anxiety and depression. Both of her parents died when she was a teenager; she lost a 25-year old sister to cancer, another sister was recently diagnosed with a terminal illness, and a close life-long friend died a few months ago. She has sought help through traditional therapy a few times in her life, with mixed results.

Now she is trying a nontraditional approach to coping with life’s ups and downs, with as she points out, "no paper trails."

On her dining room table is COPE, an interactive, cutting edge, alternative healthcare program. With COPE, Martin calls her "therapist"---a computerized program she accesses through her touch-tone phone, anytime of the day or night.

Martin sees COPE as being particularly helpful to women. "Women tend to prioritize their needs. After they take care of everyone else, their needs usually fall to the bottom of the list. I like the idea of being able to turn to COPE in the middle of the night if I want to or need to. I control the level of involvement, it doesn’t control me."

The more you call the better you feel

COPE callers participate in interactive therapy sessions, and between phone calls, work on activities in corresponding booklets. They report on their progress during the next therapy "session."

"I was willing to try something new," says Martin, "because I remembered how interruptive it felt when I’ve seen a therapist and the session was over after 50 minutes. I couldn’t pick up the thread again for a week or more, even though I was sometimes ‘on to something?insightful. That’s why I’ve gotten stuck in the process with traditional therapy."

Greist says an average COPE call lasts about 10 minutes, and most people feel better after eight weeks.

COPE is a convenient option for many people, but it’s also proving to be helpful for those who respond better with anonymous help. Martin comments, "I like the fact that when I call, I don’t feel intimidated, like I did when I was sitting in a therapist’s office." Greist adds, "Some patients are more apt to reveal intimate thoughts through computer technology than they are face-to-face."

For some people, computer-assisted self-help has another advantage. "Alternative therapy like COPE is a lot quicker than the usual course of anti-depressant drugs, and it has none of the side effects," says Greist.

Is COPE for everyone? No, it’s geared to those with mild to moderate depression and stress, and is not to be used if a person has suicidal tendencies or is severely depressed. During the first call, a person’s level of depression and stress is reviewuated to determine if COPE is right for them.

The best news about depression is that it’s been proven to be highly treatable---the American Psychiatric Association reports that 80-90 % of people affected by depression can be effectively treated.

The best news for those who want the convenience of getting help---whenever they need it--without having to wait for a future appointment, may be COPE.

Martin is not alone when she says she’s begun to feel better since she’s used COPE. According to Greist, "In our clinical trials, approximately 75% of those who completed the program and were surveyed, felt that COPE had improved the quality of their lives."

Greist adds, "We have a large undertreated, unrecognized group of patients suffering from depression in our society. Many of these people ‘fall through the cracks.?Most primary care clinics, for example, don’t have mental health care specialties on site. AS a member of the medical community, I’m aware of how difficult it is to find, diagnose and assist all those who need help. Computer-based assessment and self-help programs are effective options."

---END---