A quantum of solace in space

Davey Winder
Sunday, 26 October 2008 03:11

Science - Space

James Bond has a pretty stressful life, no doubt about that. But at least 007 can see a therapist when all the killing and snogging get too much. Astronauts have no such luxury. No, not with killing and snogging, but the access to a therapist. That may all be about to change...

Recently NASA has been in the news for some very unusual reasons: space smelling like steak, snow on Mars and worms on the space station for example.

You might be forgiven for thinking that news concerning NASA developing a virtual therapist to listen to stressed and depressed astronauts while on the International Space Station is more of the silly same.

However, think again, because this is deadly serious. Can you imagine what it is like being confined within such a small space (excuse the pun) with the same few people, so far away from home and without anyone to talk to about personal conflicts or psychological glitches?

Sure, astronauts are hand picked for their mental fortitude as well as their other skills. Yes, they are trained to deal with stress, and OK they don't get sent on a mission unless they make the grade.

But being up there is a whole different reality to training for it down here. Which is why NASA is spending the best part of USD $2 million on the Virtual Space Station project over the next four years.

Sponsored by the National Space Biomedical Research Institute, the VSS project makes good use of the problem solving treatment approach to depression therapy by giving them an interactive guide to what is eating them.

The computerized program helps to identify the root cause of the stress, produce a plan to deal with it and even 'role-play' with fellow astronauts to work through it.

The clinical tests should help to discover if the problem solving approach to depression can work without a real therapist being involved on a one-to-one basis. Most involved admit it can only work, however, if the astronaut consulting VSS is assured complete privacy.

And that might be the hardest thing of all on the Space Station.