Computer program to help astronauts with depression by Zuzana Zelenakova

The work of an astronaut is one of the most stressful. Isolated space you share with few colleagues for several month even years can really start to get on your nerves and make you feel depressed. And that is why NASA is seriously trying to fight this problem. It plans the long-duration missions to the Moon and Mars for astronauts it means a lot of psychological pressure, interpersonal conflicts and subsequently also depression. "If things go down the wrong pathway, you're depending on each other for your survival. So you want to make sure you're working together well and trust each other implicitly," said Dr. Jay Buckey, a former astronaut on the Space Shuttle Columbia who's collaborating on the program. Such a research can help to understand how isolation affects human mental health in general, not only in space environment but also here on Earth. Group of scientists is working on a series of interactive computer programs that are together called “Virtual Space Station”. Onboard the astronaut can access the program, which is basically a recording of Dartmouth psychologist Dr. Mark Hegel, through his own personal laptop. Such a virtual therapist at first helps you indicate the source of the depression, after you type in the symptoms, and then will guide you to make a plan to relieve your problem. "Before being used by astronauts, this system needs to be further developed and tested for efficacy in an analog population. The countermeasure we are developing is intended for use both in pre-flight training and on the International Space Station. The program has substantial Earth benefits,” says the project webpage. So the project could very well help also the patients on Earth, who refuse to visit a therapist because of various reasons, whether it is pride or the cost of treatment. And it will be these ordinary citizens that will take part in the initial tests in Boston, not astronauts.


related story: http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20081025/ap_on_hi_te/tec_depressed_in_space;_ylt=AjBJm7uwE41K3BRgxc2tVQqs0NUE

by Zuzana Zelenakova for PocketNews (http://pocketnews.tv)

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