Depression is a disease that has the potential to ravage the personal and professional lives of the estimated 350 million people around the world who suffer from it each year. It affects nearly five percent of the US population (15.7 million people) and costs our economy $210 billion each year in healthcare costs and lost productivity. The disease doesn’t discriminate— it impacts both genders, people of all ethnicities, income-levels and careers. It can ruin relationships, careers and can even lead to death in some cases. 

And yet, unlike many other diseases with similar impacts, medical treatment is extremely effective in treating many cases of depression. Therapy, medicines or some combination of both can significantly decrease or completely eliminate symptoms for those who suffer from the disease. 

But even though these effective treatments exist, somewhere between 50 and 75 percent of those who suffer from depression cannot obtain access to treatment or do not seek it. 

Overcoming these barriers and treating more sufferers has long been a goal of psychologists and psychiatrists. But budget cuts and limited time and resources have made it difficult. 

Perhaps that’s why a free app born at Duke University and called MoodTools has taken off so quickly. It’s earned a following and praise from both sufferers of depression and those trained to treat it because it’s design is rooted in some of the most effective psychological theories and practices developed to date. With more than 200,000 downloads in two years, it helps users determine if their symptoms are indeed related to depression, reduce those symptoms, and find local help. 

While students at Duke, recent grads Eddie Liu and Nancy Su designed the technology solution to help reduce the barriers preventing those who need treatment from seeking it. They don’t work full-time on the project and have a very limited revenue stream with no intentions of fundraising to support their work. Instead, the app is almost entirely a labor of love, built out of their genuine desire to help those who suffer from depression. Here’s their story:

Developing the Tools 

Liu grew up around science in Chapel Hill—his father is a professor in Duke’s chemistry department. But he became especially intrigued by psychology while taking a class taught by Lindy Krzyzewski Frasher (Coach K’s daughter) at his high school, the Durham Academy. As he relayed information he learned in his class to friends, they noticed his knack for understanding the human mind and began approaching him for advice, almost treating him as a stand-in therapist. 

Liu’s early interest in psychology only increased with time—he eventually focused on psychology and neuroscience as an undergrad at Duke and is now studying at the UNC School of Medicine to become a clinical psychiatrist.

The app is designed not to replace traditional therapy, but to reduce the barriers to seeking it and augment skills learned in official sessions with a place to practice them in the real world. And after years of sustained budget cuts to mental health providers and an ever changing healthcare and insurance industry, equipping practitioners with an additional treatment tool could increase their impact. 

Liu says he’s only received positive feedback from the medical community and Strauman says he’s even advised clients to use the app. But Liu’s favorite feedback has come from the 200,000 plus users who on average have rated the app with 4.5 (out of five) stars. Over 400 users have also left overwhelmingly positive public written reviews, which Liu notes is “pretty brave of them.” 

MoodTool’s Future 

Although Liu is in medical school and Su will soon pursue a doctorate in psychology, the pair continue to work on MoodTools—regularly publishing updates and ensuring the information is up-to-date. They’re also in the early stages of developing a similar app for those who suffer from Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) with seven other Duke and UNC students. Liu hopes to apply the app’s model to help treat other psychological disorders, like anxiety, in the future. 
Don’t expect to see the pair begin monetizing the app or form a traditional startup to support its development. Although Liu says medical school has exposed him to the funding possibilities available through grants, and MoodTools users can now make donations to the developers through the app, he’s yet to seriously fundraise to support the efforts. The pair will also be tied up in schooling and training for the foreseeable future, so simultaneously running a startup is unlikely. 
But since they’ve found this way of reaching and helping people struggling with depression, they’re also unlikely to abandon their efforts anytime soon. Even without advertising, press and budget, the app is downloaded between 500 and 600 times a day, and is on track to reach 200,000 new users each year. 
It might be a drop in the bucket compared to more than 175 million people suffering from depression and who aren’t receiving treatment, but it’s a labor of love worth continuing for the lives saved and helped each day by MoodTools.