Innovative app to help patients with schizophrenia launched in Sussex

The digital therapy SlowMo, helps patients control paranoid thoughts.

Sussex Partnership Foundation Trust and the University of Sussex are leading the trial and recruiting participants over the next two years.

Pharmacological and psychological treatments can have limited effectiveness for some patients, so this trial is causing a lot of excitement among clinicians keen to find a solution to help patients manage their symptoms and lead a better quality of life.

Angie, who has had psychotic symptoms for many years, said the app had revolutionised her life, enabled her to travel on buses and get out more. She said: “I’ve tried all sorts of different therapies, and medications.

“I don’t panic on the bus so much any more and if I do, I look at the phone they gave me with the app on it. This has helped me to go out so much more socially.

“I used to think people were looking at me and talking about me but since using SlowMo I’ve managed to go out more, which is a really good thing. I do like people but the way my voices work made me think these things and made it difficult to go out.”

Senior research therapist Dr Alison McGourty said: “Using SlowMo, we work with the person to identify their worries, and then help them find ways to slow down and take a moment when they notice their worries. The idea is that using the app to slow down and take another look at the situation, people can often realise that things aren’t as bad as they first feared or find other ways to manage their worries.

“Having worked as a psychologist with people who experience psychosis for over ten years, this is a really exciting therapy to be involved with. It builds on decades of research by leading clinicians and academics in this field.”