I recently came across an Associated Press (AP) article[1] about an internet-based treatment for insomnia that is apparently netting promising results in an initial study that has just been published in the Archives of General Psychiatry.
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The study utilizes a program (cleverly named Sleep Healthy Using the Internet, or “SHUTi”) which participants access via a website.[2] The program is based on cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) approaches to treating insomnia that have been previously demonstrated to be very effective.[3]
This software, developed at the University of Virginia Health System in Charlottesville, Virginia,[4][5] could be a great alternative to treatment via medications. I am generally fairly cautious about melding counseling and technology because I think that our culture is already struggling with how to make use of technology and yet maintain healthy, face-to-face relationships. I do think that programs like SHUTi can be useful, however; especially if they are a part of a holistic treatment plan that addresses the entire person through face-to-face counseling.
Footnotes
- AP Article: Internet-based therapy shows promise for insomnia ↩
- SHUTi Website: http://www.shuti.net ↩
- Efficacy of an Internet-Based Behavioral Intervention for Adults With Insomnia, Archives of General Psychiatry, 2009; 66(7):690. ↩
- Need More Shut Eye? New Online Study to Help People with Insomnia ↩
- http://www.study.shuti.net ↩
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