One man is doing his part to push back against the flood of mental illness

We all know someone with a mental health problem, even if we don’t realise it. The number of sufferers is staggering. One Psychologist, in Berkshire, has spent two years developing an app called ‘Panic Pit Stop’. The app provides Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), the most effective treatment, to anyone, anywhere in the world who wants to help themselves feel better. It’s free and it could change lives.

Dr David Purves, Consultant Psychologist with Berkshire Psychology Service was frustrated that the problems of depression and anxiety were getting worse not better. So he decided to take matters into his own hands. He transferred his knowledge and experience of treating panic, worry and anxiety into a mobile app that can be used by anyone.

Dr Purves said, “With modern technology, I am not restricted to my own clinic anymore. I can potentially help thousands more people with a mobile app. It has to be the future. It is the only way we can stem the tide of human misery and give people their lives back. Mental health services do their best to help people, but the NHS simply can’t cope. Student services are overwhelmed and many people are overlooked or face long waiting lists. That is just not how it should be. The truth is that many people can help themselves perfectly well, if they know how. They just need the tools to do it and that is what Panic Pit Stop provides. With an app like this, you don’t have to sit on a waiting list anymore, you can start to help yourself immediately.”

The Panic Pit Stop App is freely available on the App Store and on The Google Play Store.