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Apple is working on iPhone features to help detect depression, cognitive decline

wsj.com

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Re: Apple is working on iPhone features to help detect depression, cognitive decline

#61

Post by ArchStanton »

BoorishBears wrote: post #60
ArchStanton wrote: post #54

I can imagine the advertising value of watching for depression and cognitive decline. In the latter case, you could probably sell a dozen extended warranties for the same item. EZ prediction of the day. Combine depression, cognitive decline, anger, etc. values against a database of gun owners (picked up through registration, social media posts, ATF background checks, etc.). Send police to house when some crossover po…

Or maybe detect people who might be unstable through paranoid ramblings about how Apple is out to get gun owners before they can "take a stand against the tyranny". Probably less work and marginally more fruitful.

I'll improve that...

...detect people who might be unstable through paranoid ramblings about how Apple is out to _fill_in_the_blank_.

The spice must flow to keep those stock options in Cupertino rising.

Re: Apple is working on iPhone features to help detect depression, cognitive decline

#62

Post by amelius »

mark_l_watson wrote: post #41
borski wrote: post #32

As a counterpoint to everything here, the Apple Watch just saved a friends life by telling them they were in AFib. Yes, it could be bad. Or it could be medically beneficial to people who are anxious and depressed and simply don’t have anyone to help them recognize it because they’re alone. Particularly during the pandemic, that would have been useful.

Great anecdote about your friend. As long as no health data leaves my Apple Watch + iPhone, I am OK with local deep learning (or other models) running on my devices. I do wish there were International standards and local laws supporting: all data staying on users' devices unless explicitly shared with health care providers, and also agreed upon standards for anonymizing explicitly shared data for the public good (res…

The problem here is the tight integration by Apple: the app and the networking services are implemented by the same company.

I'd be ok with an app by a third party which does not automatically gets network access on my phone explicitly or implicitly, so I know my data doesn't leave my phone.

Re: Apple is working on iPhone features to help detect depression, cognitive decline

#63

Post by cblconfederate »

From what i understand, absurd overregulation prevents hundreds of diseases to be diagnosed because ... reasons. They cant add various sensors, but they happily add useless and dangerous stuff like face recognition, even if it 's harder to implemetn. You can't even get a health report based on your genetic profile anymore. Which i understand can be a problematic in the US but it s happening in europe too

It is curious that they chose depression and cognitive decline because , even if you diagnose them , depression is iffy to treat and i dont know anything to prescribe for cognitive decline

Re: Apple is working on iPhone features to help detect depression, cognitive decline

#64

Post by ljm »

I suffer from bi-polar disorder and it's been difficult to get a referral to a psychiatrist who can confirm the diagnosis. The depressive phases are easier to spot and I get medication for that when it's too bad.

The thing is, there are already countless mechanisms that can track the obvious symptoms of a manic phase, but none of them have an incentive to tell you that you're suddenly spending too much. Frivolous purchases have increased, monthly spend is up, you're staying up late and buying shit on Amazon at 2am, etc. You're at the pub more often, and drinking more. You're working late or staying involved with work, late.

The data is all there, why can't it be used to say... maybe you're in a manic phase, you need to know this.

But more generically, if Apple invested in this but also kept the data open and portable (i.e. adhering to or contributing to FIHR and similar medical standards), I would switch back.

Basically, using the mass of data to understand your mental state and physiology, privately, instead of powering the ad industry.

Re: Apple is working on iPhone features to help detect depression, cognitive decline

#65

Post by johnfn »

maybelsyrup wrote: post #53
burnished wrote: post #35

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Clinical depression is different from feeling sad. Being able to detect cognitive decline would probably be a great boon in elder care.

> Clinical depression is different from feeling sad. I don't want to come off as a pedant on this, but the prevailing definitions of clinical depression show quite clearly that it's a difference of degree, and not of kind. Clinical depression can indeed be "feeling sad": > Criterion A.1: Depressed mood most of the day, nearly every day, as indicated by either subjec­tive report (e.g., feels sad, empty, hopeless) or o…

This isn’t actually true. It’s right there in the sources you quoted.

> either depressed mood or the loss of interest or pleasure in nearly all activi­ties

Note the “or” rather than an “and”, meaning it can be the second half only. And also note that lack of interest/pleasure does not mean you’re sad, it just means you don’t enjoy activities. It’s actually quite different!

Additionally, the DSM paints depression as a constellation of symptoms - so even if you don’t have A.1 you could have a couple of the others and still be depressed.

> clinical depression is indeed the blues, but also some other stuff on a list of 8, for an extended period of time

The most precise statement would actually be “clinical depression can be the blues, but could also be a set of other symptoms.”

Re: Apple is working on iPhone features to help detect depression, cognitive decline

#67

Post by yumraj »

If and when these become common, while there will be instances where such devices and detection is helpful and life saving, I'm wondering if for the larger population it will only lead to increased hypochondria. Only time will tell I guess..

Re: Apple is working on iPhone features to help detect depression, cognitive decline

#69

Post by BoorishBears »

ArchStanton wrote: post #61
BoorishBears wrote: post #60

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Or maybe detect people who might be unstable through paranoid ramblings about how Apple is out to get gun owners before they can "take a stand against the tyranny". Probably less work and marginally more fruitful.

I'll improve that... ...detect people who might be unstable through paranoid ramblings about how Apple is out to _fill_in_the_blank_. The spice must flow to keep those stock options in Cupertino rising.

Why do I get the impression this is an attempt at being mysterious because "can't openly state something that's wrongthink!"

When really no one would consider what you're vaguely implying "wrongthink" or inflammatory at all. They'd probably just consider it "normal wrong" and poorly supported by reality...

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