We can tell how depressed or anxious people are from their language alone.

What is it about?

Far too many people suffer from depression and anxiety. What if we could examine someone's language (the words they speak) to detect if they are feeling depressed or anxious? That's what we did in this study. We analyzed text messages between more than 6,000 clients and their therapists, and we found that people who used less "distanced" language (i.e., they talked about themselves and the present moment more) were more depressed and anxious. This makes sense, because prior studies show that using less distanced language is associated with greater difficulties managing one's emotions. However, clients' language became more distanced over time in treatment, tracking their improved mental health. We could even categorize people into groups who differed in their treatment outcomes using their texting language alone. These results give us a foundation for developing language-based tools that can figure out who might be struggling emotionally and could benefit from psychological aid.

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Photo by Markus Winkler on Unsplash

Photo by Markus Winkler on Unsplash