Can your smartphone detect depression?

Your mobile could potentially spot behavioural patterns that might indicate if you are depressed, according to new research

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Can your smartphone detect depression?

They’re called smartphones for a reason.

Apparently, our mobiles can now detect when we’re feeling depressed, according to research published in the Journal of Medical Internet Research this year.

Using daily geographical reports and by tracking the number of minutes you use your phone each day, our mobiles can now detect the signs of depression, as the more time we spend on our phones, and the more time we spend at home and a limited number of locations, the more likely we are to suffer from it.

Researchers hope it could help monitor and support people at risk.

Photograph: iStock