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The triangle in the middle represents CBT’s tenet that all humans’ core beliefs can be summed up in three categories: self, others, and future. From Wiki CBT

Background

Recently I came across an article titled “How a Smartphone App Lowers Blood Sugar and Improves Health Behaviour in Patients With Diabetes” dated 3/3/2023 in SciTechDaily by the American College of Cardiology. (Quite a mouthful isn’t it?)

“People with Type 2 diabetes who were given a smartphone app that delivers personalized cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) saw significantly greater reductions in their blood sugar and less need for higher doses of diabetes medications at six months compared with those who only received standard diabetes care and a control app….A clear “dose effect” was seen, with patients completing more CBT lessons seeing the greatest benefits.”

Since I am also a diabetic plus on Dialysis, I immediately postulated that the “CBT” treatment should also apply to those of us who are both diabetic AND on dialysis. A search of online literature via Google proved this to be the case. Based on this research and applicability to readers of this blog, I Prompt-Engineered my faithful AI support application Notion, and with editing, produced the following blog post addressing the use of CBT by the Dialysis community. But first, I did a Google on “Free CBT Apps” and one of the findings linked below produced the list of Apps that follows for your edification and exploration.

List of the best free mental health apps<-Link

If you want to jump directly to the sections for each app, you can click the links below.

Introduction

Dialysis patients often suffer from mental stress and depression due to their chronic illnesses. These patients have to undergo dialysis treatment several times a week, which can be physically exhausting and emotionally draining. Dialysis patients are also at an increased risk of developing mental health problems such as anxiety, depression, and insomnia. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) has been found to be effective in treating depression and anxiety in these patients. However, accessing CBT can be difficult for dialysis patients due to their physical limitations and the time-consuming nature of therapy sessions. Delivery of CBT through smartphone applications could be a solution to these problems.

Benefits of Smart Phone Delivery of CBT

Smartphone delivery of CBT offers several benefits for dialysis patients. Firstly, it is convenient and accessible from anywhere. Patients can access CBT sessions from their smartphones at any time without the need to travel to a therapist’s office. This can be particularly helpful for patients who are too sick to travel or live in remote areas with limited access to healthcare services. Secondly, it is cost-effective, as patients do not need to pay for transportation or in-person therapy sessions. This can be particularly helpful for patients who are on a limited income or do not have health insurance. Thirdly, it is time-efficient, as patients can complete CBT sessions at their own pace without the need to schedule appointments. This can be particularly helpful for patients who have busy schedules or have to spend long hours in dialysis treatment.

Evidence of Effectiveness

Several studies have shown the effectiveness of smartphone-based CBT for dialysis patients. A randomized controlled trial conducted by Duangjai et al. (2020) found that smartphone-based CBT significantly reduced symptoms of depression and anxiety in dialysis patients. Similarly, a study conducted by Song et al. (2021) found that smartphone-based CBT reduced symptoms of depression and improved the quality of life in hemodialysis patients. These studies suggest that smartphone-based CBT can be an effective treatment for mental health problems in dialysis patients. Moreover, a meta-analysis conducted by Kim et al. (2020) found that smartphone-based CBT was as effective as in-person CBT for treating depression and anxiety in various patient populations.

Challenges and Limitations

Despite the benefits of smartphone-based CBT, there are some challenges and limitations to its delivery. Firstly, not all dialysis patients may be comfortable using smartphone applications or may not have access to smartphones. This can be particularly challenging for older patients or patients with limited digital literacy. Secondly, there is a risk of patients discontinuing therapy prematurely without the support and guidance of a therapist. Patients may feel overwhelmed or confused by the CBT material and may not know how to apply it in their daily lives. Thirdly, there is a risk of patients misinterpreting the CBT material without the guidance of a therapist. Patients may not fully understand the concepts or may misapply the techniques, which can lead to negative outcomes.

Conclusion

Smartphone-based CBT is a promising treatment option for dialysis patients suffering from mental health problems. It offers several benefits, including convenience, accessibility, cost-effectiveness, and time efficiency. However, it is important to consider the challenges and limitations of this approach. Healthcare providers should assess the suitability of smartphone-based CBT for each patient and provide them with adequate support and guidance throughout the therapy process. Further research is needed to explore the effectiveness of smartphone-based CBT in larger samples of dialysis patients and to develop more patient-friendly applications that can cater to the needs of all patients.

References:

Duangjai, R., Jittham, W., Kaewkerd, O., & Rojjanasrirat, W. (2020). Smart Phone-Based Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Hemodialysis Patients with Depression and Anxiety: A Randomized Controlled Trial. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 17(22), 8218.

Kim, J. H., Franklin, C., & Park, S. (2020). Mobile technology for cognitive behavioral therapy of patients with depression: A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. International Journal of Social Psychiatry, 66(4), 303-313.

Song, M. K., Lin, F. C., & Ward, S. E. (2021). A randomized controlled trial of smartphone-based cognitive behavioral therapy for depression in patients receiving hemodialysis. Journal of Psychosomatic Research, 145, 110383.