Purpose of review Increasingly, digital technologies, especially mobile telecommunications and smartphone apps, are seen as a novel tool for managing severe mental disorders (SMDs) in low-income and middle-income countries (LMICs). However, there is a need to identify best practices in the use of digital technologies to effectively reach, support, and manage care for patients living with SMDs. In this review, we summarize recent studies using digital technology to manage symptoms and support clinical care for this patient population and discuss new opportunities to advance digital psychiatry research and practice in LMICs. Recent findings Studies evaluating digital interventions for clinical populations living with SMDs in LMICs are limited. Yet, across recent articles surveyed, digital technology appears to yield diverse benefits for this at-risk patient population. These benefits include improved medication adherence, appointment adherence, reduced instances of relapse, and fewer re-hospitalizations. Summary Continued rigorous research evaluating effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of digital technologies in reaching, treating, and managing symptoms and supporting clinical care for patients with SMDs in LMICs is vital. The urgency for remote approaches for delivering specialized psychiatric care is particularly pronounced because of the immediate and long-term impact of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic on access to in-person services. Future research should emphasize participatory approaches rooted in a process of codesign with target users, in order to achieve clinically effective remotely delivered digital mental health interventions.

This study investigated whether with disruptions in care due to the COVID-19 pandemic, persons who self-identified as living with a mental health condition increased their usage of an online peer support community. We also explored whether study participants who self-reported usage of online peer support communities were interested in using these communities to connect with evidence-based interventions and mental health services. This study employed a cross-sectional online survey design. The survey was disseminated by the Inspire online peer support community and Mental Health America through various social media channels. Descriptive and inferential analyses were conducted to summarize participant demographics, investigate patterns of use of online peer support communities, and interest in accessing additional programs through these platforms. There were 369 survey respondents, with a mean age of 49 (SD = 15.6), of which 77% were female. Most respondents self-reported having depression (34%), post-traumatic stress disorder (25%), and anxiety-related conditions (20%). The number of respondents who reported accessing online peer support platforms multiple times a day appeared to double after March 2020. We also found an overall positive association between frequency of community use and self-reported benefit to mental health. Approximately 81% of respondents expressed interest in accessing mental health services via an online peer support community. Persons who self-report living with mental health conditions and who engage in online peer support communities expressed interest in accessing evidence-based interventions via these online platforms. Participants were most interested in services related to enhancing coping mechanisms and skills, enabling overall wellbeing, and accessing therapy.

June 14, 2020. On this day, Sushant Singh Rajput, a well-known Bollywood actor, died by suicide. Sushant’s celebrity status meant that his tragic death made national news in India.1 Unfortunately, Sushant’s story is not atypical. In 2016, India recorded 36% of the world’s female suicides and 24% of the world’s male suicides.2 These summary statistics are outlined in a study by Rakhi Dandona and her colleagues, published in the Lancet in 2017. The study also reveals a chilling fact. Suicide was the primary cause of death among the 15-39 age group, implying that this malaise disproportionately affects young adults, the promise of any country’s future.2 The coronavirus pandemic has compounded these concerns. A recent systematic search of online news media reports compared suicidal behavior during India’s COVID-19 lockdown to corresponding dates in 2019. The analysis found a 67.7% increase in online news media reports of suicidal behavior during the lockdown, suggesting that there may have been an increase in suicidal behavior.3 Furthermore, in 2020, suicide rates went up in Japan for the first time in 10 years with a particular increase in the rate of female suicides.4 These findings are congruent with the evidence from recent pandemics. During the Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) outbreak in 2003, the suicide rate in Hong Kong reached a historical high, with the most significant increase recorded among older adults aged 65 or above.5 A rise in suicide rates was also recorded in the United States during the Great Influenza Epidemic of 1918.6