Device, system, and method for treating psychiatric disorders

1. A computer-based system for treating a patient having a psychiatric disorder, the system comprising:

a memory; and

a processor configured to perform the steps of:

recording a patient's recounting of an event that was experienced by the patient;

parsing or dividing the recounted event into one or more stimuli for subsequent playback to the patient;

generating a mental state metric for each of the one or more stimuli, wherein each mental state metric is indicative of a mental state of the patient at a time when an associated stimulus was being recounted; and

causing a selected one of the stimuli to be played back to the patient one or more times,

wherein a mental state of the patient is monitored as the selected one of the stimuli is played back one or more times, and

wherein a different one of the stimuli is selected for subsequent play back to the patient based on the monitored mental state of the patient.

2. The computer-based system of claim 1 , further comprising:

a patient interface for playing back one or more of the stimuli, including providing or directing visual and audio exposure; and

a sensor for monitoring the mental state of the patient, including sensing a level of patient anxiety or distress.

3. The computer-based system of claim 1 , wherein the processor is further configured to perform the steps of:

associating, with each of the stimuli, a first mental state metric value representative of the monitored mental state of the patient when the patient recounted the stimulus; and

associating, with each of the stimuli, a second mental state metric value representative of the monitored mental state of the patient when the stimuli was played back to the patient.

4. The computer-based system of claim 3 wherein the processor is furthermore configured to perform the step of:

varying a sequence of the stimuli to be played back to the patient in correspondence to the second mental state metric value until the second mental state metric value indicates habituation of the patient as compared with the first mental state metric value.

5. The computer-based system of claim 3 Wherein the processor is furthermore configured to perform the step of:

varying an intensity of at least one of the stimuli in correspondence to the second mental state metric value until the second mental state metric value indicates habituation of the patient as compared with the first mental state metric value.

6. The computer-based system of claim 3 wherein the processor is further configured to cause the system to provide a course of imaginal exposure therapy.

7. The computer-based system of claim 6 wherein the imaginal exposure therapy is implemented by playing back a recording in the voice or image of the patient.

8. The computer-based system of claim 3 adapted to provide a course of in vivo exposure therapy.

9. The computer-based system of claim 8 wherein the in vivo exposure therapy is implemented through use of a portable computing device that guides the patient to approach and be exposed to at least one of the stimuli.

10. The computer-based system of claim 3 wherein the first and second mental state metric values are based at least in part on. self-reported mental state information.

11. The computer-based system of claim 3 wherein the first and second mental state metric values are based at least in part on speech of the patient.

12. The computer-based system of claim 3 wherein the first and second mental state metric values are based at least in part on facial affect of the patient.

13. The computer-based system of claim 3 wherein-the first and second mental state metric values are based at least in part on at least one biological or physiological characteristic of the patient.

14. The computer-based system of claim 13 wherein the at least one biological or physiological characteristic includes a characteristic selected from the group consisting of breathing, heart rate, blood pressure, peripheral resistance, skin temperature, skin conductance, sweat gland activity, facial electromyographic response, peripheral muscle activity, restlessness, and shifting in chair.

15. The computer-based system of claim 3 wherein the processor is furthermore configured to perform the step of:

delivering coping statements to the patient in correspondence to the second mental state metric value.

16. The computer-based system of claim 1 , wherein the processor is further configured to store in the memory a psychiatric disorder treatment data structure, the data structure comprising:

a plurality of the stimuli parsed from the event recounted by the patient; and

a historical record of the mental state metrics respectively associated with each of the stimuli;

wherein the mental state metrics respectively indicate monitored mental state of the patient during the recounting of the event by the patient and during at least one instance when at least one of the stimuli was used to administer exposure therapy to the patient.

17. The computer-based system of claim 3 , wherein the processor is further configured to perform the steps of:

associating with each of the stimuli a mental state metric value representative of the monitored mental state of the patient when the patient experienced the stimulus; and

identifying one or more of the stimuli as being salient to treating the patient based on the mental state metrics associated with each of the stimuli.

18. The computer-based system of claim 3 further comprising:

hierarchy assembly means for creating a treatment hierarchy based on input from the patient; and

hierarchy navigation means for navigating within the treatment hierarchy in response to the mental. state of the patient.

19. A non-transitory computer-readable medium having stored thereon computer-executable instructions for configuring a processor to perform the steps of:

monitoring a mental state of a patient;

recording an event being recounted by the patient;

parsing the event into a plurality of stimuli;

controlling a sensory environment of the patient so as to administer exposure therapy to the patient based on at least one of the stimuli;

associating, with each of the stimuli on which the exposure therapy is based, a first mental state metric value representative of the monitored mental state of the patient when the patient recounted the stimulus; and

associating, with each of the stimuli on which the exposure therapy is based, a second mental state metric value representative of the monitored mental state of the patient when the exposure therapy based on the stimulus was administered to the patient.

20. A computer-readable medium according to claim 19 having further stored thereon computer-executable instructions for configuring a processor to perform the step of:

varying a sequence of the stimuli on which the exposure therapy is based in correspondence to the second mental state metric value until the second mental state metric value indicates habituation of the patient as compared with the first mental state metric value.

21. A computer-readable medium according to claim 19 having further stored thereon computer-executable instructions for configuring a processor to perform the step of:

varying an intensity of at least one of the stimuli on which the exposure therapy is based in correspondence to the second mental state metric value until the second mental state metric value indicates habituation of the patient as compared with the first mental state metric value.

22. A computer-readable medium according to claim 19

wherein the controlled sensory environment is an. imaginal environment implemented by playing back a recording of the voice or image of the patient.