MoodGym
http://www.moodgym.anu.edu.au
What is it?
MoodGym was one of the first interactive websites to help with treating depression. It uses Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) to help you take more control of your thoughts, to help overcome anxiety or depression, and to develop skills to cope better with life. According to the latest studies, CBT is as effective as antidepressants in treating mild to moderate depression. CBT delivered via a website, anonymously, has also been shown to be effective.
How Does It Work?
MoodGym consists of interactive modules which are delivered to you in a specific order. The modules are: feelings, thoughts, unwarping, de-stressing, and relationships. At the end of each module you can apply the material to your own circumstances through a series of activities.
As you move through the program, you are presented with all kinds of information, animated demonstrations, quizzes and “homework” exercises. Your answers to the exercises are recorded in your own personal MoodGym Workbook, which keeps track of your progress. At the end there is opportunity for you to view this progress and your results. It could almost be called a dynamic self-help book!
Who Is It For?
Anyone can use it. It was designed for young people but almost anyone would find it helpful. It is especially good for those who are unwilling or unable to seek help (apparently 60% of people with depression). It is geared to those with mild to moderate depression, but not designed to replace traditional medical treatment or medicines.
What Does It Cost?
Nothing. The program is free and completely anonymous. And there are no ads!
My Opinion?
MoodGym is free and anonymous, which is worth repeating. They are great benefits. MoodGym offers an easy entry point for someone wanting a quick picture of their mental health, or to take the first, difficult step towards full treatment.
I have used MoodGym on and off for a few years now. If you have a username you can return whenever you like. I find it pitched at a younger audience, but I have still enjoyed benefits. Admittedly, I have a biological, “melancholic” kind of depression, so CBT is of limited use. But it has helped many thousands of others, so for anyone who struggles with negative self-talk then it is definitely worth a look.
Links:
Overview of MoodGym research
Summary of journal article
Jane Chin 3 Jun 2007 @ 3:13 pm
What a wonderful resource. thank you for sharing it!
amanda 23 Jun 2007 @ 10:23 pm
thanks for sharing! i will try it!
AH 31 Aug 2007 @ 1:06 am
Now i know, and i wanna try it.. thanks for the info.
Tammie 14 Nov 2009 @ 5:34 am
Thanks for sharing this. I will have my 13 yr old give it a try. I do believe she will be willing to do this as she’s quite inclinded to be on the computer. She has mild depression due to “negative thinking”. Blessings…
LittleSmittle 30 Apr 2010 @ 11:08 am
Hello, i am new, and i would like to ask the address for MoodGym, the site doesnt tell me where MoodGym is, i cannot go to the MoodGym if it doesnt tell me the address/location. Someone help me please, i am so depressed.
james 30 Apr 2010 @ 12:44 pm
Hello. The address is http://www.moodgym.anu.edu.au/.
Lat Pulldown Machine 11 Jan 2011 @ 6:17 am
I immediately skipped to the cost and since it happens to be free I will get a friend of mine to try it. She has been through hell with the death of her husband. She happens to be pregnant as well with their soon to be born daughter. Since I am not a person of wealth I will give this as a gift along with my undying support. MoodGym might just be good for her.
priyal 29 Apr 2011 @ 12:12 pm
hi
i hated mood gym at first but now i like it as a student of a high school. it is a good program to learn about stress.
Jenny Ledd 22 May 2011 @ 5:21 am
Techniques employed in CBT include keeping a diary of significant events and associated thoughts, feelings and behaviours; questioning those which may be unhelpful and unrealistic; trying out new ways of reacting to these situations; and gradually facing situations and activities that may have been avoided in the past.
Leo 15 Jul 2011 @ 3:27 pm
I love the CBT technique especially since it helps with depression. But I am not sure I am clinically depressed and I want more inspiration. I found clarifylife that helps to inspire me in addition to an online conversation. I found an explanation of the differences here:http://www.clarifylife.com/moodgym.html
I use both of them to deal with depression but from a different angle.
Emmerson Maslow 14 Aug 2011 @ 6:28 am
The CBT technique is not for everyone, just as online therapy is not for everyone. Moodgym was my favorite but there are better tools and techniques. Self help books help me but not all the time.
Clinical depressions needs to be dealt with by a professional. There is a difference between sadness and depression that people do not pay attention to. I don’t think Moodgym or clarifylife or any online tool will be able to deal with severe cases.
Having said that for self exploration, clarifylife is great. The other tools are the psychological forums. Lots of great feedback there.
Another human is needed to detect the lies that you tell yourself. So whatever you do, there has to be some human intervention.
cumrew 16 Sep 2011 @ 10:38 pm
well it is great that it is free and might help me help myself- the first section did help immediately – but 2nd section too hard to remember all details of labels at one reading.so no i have to go back over the definitons and write them out.
'Hyper97' 18 Oct 2011 @ 11:19 pm
I am 14 and my GP recommended MoodGym as i have hyperhydrosism in my hands (excessive sweating), and he thought it may have something to do with anxiety.
I thought that the idea of having sweaty palms was disgusting and that if people found out they would turn against me, I also can’t hold a pen at school which makes things very difficult during exams. I also constantly fear that someone will ask to ‘hi-5 me’ and i get terrified when a teacher asks the class to hold hands to demonstrate atoms or something else (which they do and have done in the past)!
At first I was angry and upset, I thought it was my fault and that nobody would ever want me… and I didn’t tell anybody for nearly 3 years, when i finally got the courage to tell my parents at the doctors I felt a bit better that I was no longer carrying what felt like the world on my shoulders. I was given an anti-pespirent treatment that unfortunately hasn’t work as well as we hoped.
Later I was told it may have something to do with anxiety, I was only introduced to this website about a week ago but i’m already noticing differences in the way i think. I know know that it isn’t my fault and i am think the worst of the situation and jumping to conclusions.
In the short I highly recommend this site and I want to say thank you to what it has done for me.
james 19 Oct 2011 @ 11:05 am
I had very sweaty hands during my teens and into my early 20′s. I never associate it with anxiety, but it may well have been linked. Being older now I’ve learned from experience that many teenagers have sweaty hands. You’re not alone there, at all.