2025 has been dubbed the Year One of AI Adoption. As artificial intelligence seeps into every corner of our work, learning, and daily life, education — humanity’s core tool for shaping cognition — now stands at a historic crossroads.

I. Kevin Kelly’s Forecast: Two Ways AI Will Reshape Education

Kevin Kelly, founding editor of Wired and bestselling author, believes the disruption AI brings to education will follow two main tracks:

1. Traditional One-Size-Fits-All Education Is Over

Students receive tailored AI support for weaker areas while diving deeper into subjects they’re passionate about. The purpose of education is shifting — from imparting standardized knowledge to nurturing individual potential: curiosity, creativity, collaboration, and systems thinking (the ability to “see both forests and trees”). In this model, education is not about memorizing content, but about training minds to think critically and act resourcefully.

2. The Reinvention of the University Model

As more highly educated individuals take on entry-level or even gig economy jobs (a rising number of master’s and PhD graduates are now delivery drivers), the value of a traditional college degree is being questioned.

Kelly argues that universities offer three main assets today: brand prestige, alumni networks and social capital. But in 25 years? He envisions:

• Skills and portfolios may outweigh diplomas. AI-powered lifelong mentors may replace professors for lifelong upskilling.
• Virtual platforms, the emerging “mirror worlds”, could replicate or surpass the social and learning experiences of physical campuses.
• Learning will become continuous, borderless, and embedded in our daily lives.

II. China’s Shift: From Degree Obsession to Skills-First Thinking

In 2025, Zhengzhou Railway Vocational and Technical College made headlines by admitting bachelor’s degree holders into its associate-level technical programs in high-speed rail maintenance. These programs lead to a lower-level diploma than the one students already have—but offer higher employment potential.

This counterintuitive trend challenges the long-standing belief that more education automatically equals better opportunities. The college first launched this program in 2022 and nearly doubled its enrollment in 2025, signalling a strong demand for skill-based education.

Last year, I visited Guizhou University of Applied Technology and was struck by the energy of its students and the relevance of its curriculum. For example, in the industrial robotics program, students must master both theoretical knowledge and hands-on skills in the installation, debugging, and maintenance of industrial robots. Graduates are in high demand. 

In the Yangtze River Delta region alone, over 6,000 companies currently use industrial robots. The talent gap for skilled technicians in smart manufacturing and high-end equipment is projected to widen dramatically over the next 3–5 years. In this context, hybrid talent—those with both domain expertise and technical know-how—are emerging as the winners of the job market.

III. The Rise of Vocational Education in the U.S.

This isn’t just a Chinese phenomenon. The U.S. is undergoing its vocational renaissance:

In the United States, a quiet revolution in career and technical education (CTE) has been unfolding for years. It gained national attention with the passage of the Strengthening Career and Technical Education for the 21st Century Act (commonly known as Perkins V) in 2018. The legislation allocates over $1.4 billion annually to support CTE and sends a clear message: a university is not the only path to success. Hands-on, practice-based learning is quickly becoming one of the most viable routes to upward mobility.

This policy shift is echoed in the job market. According to Fox Business, unemployment among recent U.S. college grads has risen to 5.8% — the highest since 2021 and significantly above the national average of 3.5–4%. Meanwhile, those with vocational associate degrees — especially in technical fields — enjoy much lower unemployment rates.

This demand surge has also fueled investor interest in “edtech for skills.” One standout example is Lumion, a company originally focused on student financing. Sensing the opportunity in vocational education, Lumion pivoted to provide SaaS solutions for technical schools. It raised $10.7 million in seed funding — backed in part by the state of Wyoming.

Since then, Lumion’s growth has been explosive: its revenue, customer base, and team have all tripled in the past year. Today, it serves over 260 schools across 29 industries and supports more than 100,000 students. Its software powers student recruitment, tuition management, and performance tracking. To date, it has facilitated over 140,000 tuition transactions, supported 1,690 school administrators, and is estimated to contribute $20 billion in workforce value. This thriving “policy + market + capital” ecosystem mirrors the momentum behind vocational education in China.

IV. Final Thoughts: From Degree Premium to Skills Premium

From Zhengzhou’s unconventional admissions, to Lumion’s VC-backed rise; from China’s high job placement for vocational grads, to America’s growing preference for skills over diplomas—a global shift is underway.

The common thread? Vocational and technical education is no longer a fallback option. It’s becoming a strategic choice.

This transformation is not just about education—it’s a collective human response to the AI-driven economic shift. In a world where algorithms reshape industries daily, skills that convert knowledge into action are proving to be more valuable than credentials alone.

Even more profound is how this evolution is redefining success itself. When practical skills outweigh university rankings, when professional dignity is no longer tied to academic pedigree, we may be witnessing the most meaningful form of educational equality: the ability for every worker to find purpose, value, and opportunity in an age of rapid change.

The future belongs to problem-solvers, not just degree-holders. Education, at its best, is not about producing diploma owners—it’s about cultivating people who can create real-world impact.

2025 年被标记为 AI 使用元年。当 AI 如空气般渗透进工作、学习与生活的每个缝隙，教育这一塑造人类认知的核心领域，正站在被重塑的十字路口。

著名科技畅销书作者、《连线》杂志前主编 Kevin Kelly 的前瞻性预判，正在中美两国的教育实践中逐渐显影 —— 一场从 “学历导向” 到 “技能为王” 的变革，已在全球范围内悄然拉开序幕。

一、AI 重构教育的未来图景：Kevin Kelly 的预言启示

在 Kevin Kelly 眼中，AI 对教育的颠覆将沿着两条主线展开。

其一，是个性化教育的全面普及。未来课堂将彻底告别 “统一进度” 的标准化模式，学生依托 AI 按照自身节奏推进学习 —— 基础薄弱处有针对性辅导，兴趣擅长点能深入拓展。这意味着教育核心目标将从灌输共性知识，转向强化每个人的独特性：呵护好奇心、激发创造力、锻造协作能力，培养 “见树又见林” 的全局视野与 “见终局” 的前瞻思维。

其二，是大学形态的深度重塑。当 “高学历者从事基础职业” 的现象渐增（“研究生、博士生加入外卖队伍” ），“上大学的意义” 被重新追问。Kevin Kelly 将当下大学价值归结为三点：名校光环与校友网络、社交圈子构建、非线性且高度虚拟化的学习体验。

而未来，学历价值可能持续弱化 —— 一个人参与过的活动、展现的能力特质，将比文凭更有说服力。他甚至畅想，25 年后社交与学习可能分离：AI 专属助理成为 “终身导师”，在线课程完成知识传递，“镜像世界” 等技术创造超越校园的社交体验。未来终身学习将成为常态，教育不再是 “青春限定”，而是与生命同频的持续成长。

二、中国教育新趋势：从学位竞争到技能为王

Kevin Kelly 的预言，正在中国教育场域中上演具象化实践。

2025 年，郑州铁路职业技术学院的招生简章意外刷屏 —— 该校首次面向本科毕业生开放 “动车组维修技术”“高速铁路综合维修技术” 等专业，毕业后颁发专科文凭。这一 “本科进、专科出” 的选择，打破了 “学历越高越好” 的固有认知。事实上，该校自 2022 年起试点本科招生，2025 年计划招生 135 人，较 2024 年增长近一倍，释放出明确信号：技能型人才培养正在抢占高等教育 “C 位”。

这并非个例。去年感谢古姐，我有幸跟随贵州电视台前往贵州应用技术学院参加活动。校园规模宏大，环境宜人，学生们充满活力。拿工业机器人应用和维护专业举例。该专业学生不仅要掌握专业理论知识，还要精通现代工业机器人安装、调试、维护等实操技能，这类毕业生在市场上供不应求。单在长三角地区，使用工业机器人的企业就超过六千家，预计未来3-5年该领域高技能人才缺口将持续扩大。

在智能制造、高端装备等战略新兴领域，”专业知识+实操技能”的复合型人才将成为最大赢家。

三、从中国到美国：职业教育的全球共振

这种技能导向的教育变革并非中国独有。在美国，一场由政策、市场与资本共同推动的职业教育转型早已启动 ——2018 年《加强 21 世纪职业技术教育法案》（PerkinsV）的通过，标志着联邦政府将职业教育（CTE）提升至战略高度：该法案每年投入超 14 亿美元，明确传递出 “大学并非唯一成功路径” 的信号，而以实践为核心的技能培养，正成为对接现代职场的重要通道。

政策风向的转变，在劳动力市场数据中得到直接印证。据福克斯商业新闻报道，美国应届大学毕业生失业率近期已升至 5.8%，为 2021 年以来最高，显著高于该国 3.5%-4% 的整体失业率；反观拥有职业副学士学位的群体，尤其是掌握特定技术的毕业生，失业率远低于普通学位持有者。

市场需求的爆发，更催生了职业教育科技赛道的资本热潮。2020 年成立的 Lumion 就是典型案例：这家原本聚焦学生融资的平台，敏锐捕捉到职业教育的增长红利，果断转型为职业技术学校提供 SaaS 解决方案，并在种子轮获得 1070 万美元融资（投资方包括怀俄明州政府）。

转型后的 Lumion 增速惊人：过去一年收入、客户群和员工数量均增长两倍，目前已服务 29 个行业的 260 多所学校、10 万余名学生。其核心产品覆盖招生（全流程数字化管理）、付款（多元支付方案提升入学率）、学生信息系统（全周期数据追踪）三大环节，累计处理 14 万笔学费支付，支撑 1690 名学校管理者，预计带来 200 亿美元人力资本价值。

这种 “政策输血 + 市场造血 + 资本活血” 的生态，与中国高职教育的扩张形成跨洋共振。

四、结语：技能溢价时代，教育回归价值本质

从郑州铁路职业技术学院的招生扩容，到 Lumion 的资本追捧；从中国高职毕业生的就业优势，到美国职业教育群体的职场竞争力 —— 中美两国虽教育体系各异，但在 AI 重构全球劳动力需求的浪潮中，都指向了同一个趋势：职业技术教育正从 “备选方案” 升级为 “战略选择”。

这场变革的深层意义在于：它正在解构工业时代建立的学历崇拜体系。当算法和自动化不断重新定义工作岗位，教育回报率的衡量标准正从”学历溢价”转向”技能溢价”，新的人才价值公式愈发清晰：解决问题的能力＞理论知识的储备。

教育的终极命题或许正在回归本质：不是制造文凭持有者，而是培养能创造真实价值的问题解决者。当职业尊严不再取决于学位等级，当个人价值更多由实际贡献而非学历背书决定，这或许才是教育公平最深刻的体现——让每个人都能在技术变革中找到自己的价值锚点。

If you’re investing in AI, building with it, or worried about being replaced by it, there’s one principle you need to understand: Verifier’s Law.

Last Friday, we hosted a session as part of the MANS International AI Strategy Series, where we unpacked Verifier’s Law — developed by Jason Wei, a leading AI researcher who recently left OpenAI to join Meta’s Superalignment team.

This under-the-radar principle explains why AI is transforming some industries faster than others — and how to anticipate what’s coming next.

What is Verifier’s Law?

“Any task that is possible to solve and easy to verify will be solved by AI.”
— Jason Wei

In simpler terms: if a machine can be trained to judge whether an output is good or bad—quickly, accurately, and at scale—it will master that task faster than we expect.

What Is the “Asymmetry of Verification”?

The Asymmetry of Verification refers to tasks that are difficult to perform but easy to verify. In other words, while producing the solution requires significant time or expertise, checking whether the solution is correct is fast and straightforward.

Here are some everyday examples:

• Sudoku: Solving a puzzle can take 20 minutes, but verifying a completed solution takes just 2 seconds.
• Software development: Writing backend code may take weeks; running it to check if it works takes only seconds.
• Research questions: Finding a reliable answer might take hours; verifying it can take just a few clicks.

This asymmetry is exactly what today’s most advanced AI systems — like ChatGPT, GitHub Copilot, and AlphaEvolve — are harnessing at scale. They don’t just solve problems — they thrive in domains where verification is easy, allowing them to learn faster, adapt quicker, and outperform expectations.

Five Criteria That Make a Task “AI-Solvable”

According to Verifier’s Law, developed by AI researcher Jason Wei, certain tasks are particularly well-suited for AI. They share five key characteristics:

1. Objective truth — There’s a clear standard for what’s correct, with little room for disagreement.
2. Fast verification — You can quickly determine whether a solution is right or wrong.
3. Scalable verification — It’s easy to verify many outputs at once, enabling rapid learning.
4. Low noise — The verification process reliably reflects the true quality of the solution.
5. Continuous reward — Solutions can be ranked along a spectrum from poor to excellent, not just right or wrong.

If a task meets three or more of these criteria, it’s a strong candidate for AI automation — and likely to be transformed sooner than expected.

Case Studies: How OpenAI and Google Brain Apply Verifier’s Law

AlphaEvolve (Google Brain)

Challenge: “What’s the smallest hexagon that can fit 11 unit hexagons?”
 Insight: Solving this geometric optimization problem is difficult — but verifying a solution is instant.
 Result: AI explored solutions at scale, uncovering designs that human experts hadn’t imagined.

GitHub Copilot (OpenAI)

Challenge: Automating code generation
 Process: Copilot generates code → automated tests verify correctness → feedback refines future outputs.
 Result: A continuous improvement loop powered by fast, scalable verification.

These breakthroughs didn’t just rely on AI’s intelligence — they were engineered around verifiability, accelerating progress in ways traditional approaches couldn’t.

What This Means for You

For Investors

Use Verifier’s Law as a lens for evaluating AI startups. Ask yourself:

• Can the AI’s output be tested and measured quickly?
• Are feedback loops built into the product design?
• Does the task satisfy three or more of the five AI criteria?

Invest where verification is fast and iteration is cheap. That’s where AI compounds value quickly.

For Founders

Want to build a high-impact, defensible AI product?
 Focus on:

• Tasks that are time-consuming or expensive to solve manually
• But cheap and fast to verify

Don’t just solve problems — engineer them to be verifiable.
 That’s where you unlock scalable feedback and competitive advantage.

For Professionals

Concerned about being replaced by AI? You’re not alone.
 Here’s the hard truth:

AI will dominate tasks where solutions are easy to verify.

Resilient jobs will involve:

• Ambiguity, complexity, or nuance in defining a “good” result
• High-context decision-making
• Human trust, ethics, or emotional intelligence

The more difficult it is to verify your work, the longer it will take for AI to replace it.

Ready to Apply Verifier’s Law?

We’re opening 2 spots for investors who want expert support evaluating their AI portfolios — and 3 spots for founders seeking feedback on whether their project has real market potential.

Get personalized insights. Build smarter. Invest wiser.
 → Message us to claim your spot.

The MANS International AI Strategy Series is currently available exclusively to our valued clients, strategic partners, and registered members.

你身边有没有那种变化大到让人心疼的人？我有个朋友，曾经是圈里的『小太阳』周末探店打卡，工作日晚上学唱歌，练跳舞，到各地旅行，浑身散发着对生活的热忱。

直到半年前的一个活动，她来办理退款。那天她站在我对面，眼神空洞得像蒙了层灰，和从前那个神采飞扬的模样判若两人。后来才知道，她女儿的抑郁症加重了，这大半年，她像被抽走了所有力气，几近崩溃。

如果你也是抑郁症患者的家属，或许能懂那种无力。今天想分享三个最容易被抑郁症患者家属忽略的真相：

一、“想开点” 救不了 TA，这不是你的错

朋友刚知道女儿生病时，做过很多现在想来 “徒劳” 的努力。她觉得 “行动能打败情绪”，特意规划了三亚的旅行，想着阳光沙滩总能让女儿开心起来。

结果呢？到了三亚，孩子把自己反锁在酒店房间，一天没出来。她坐在海边的礁石上，眼泪混着海水，默默抽泣。

《三联周刊》曾经报道过一位抑郁症的男朋友的亲身经历，我把链接放在这里，供您参考。陪伴女友治疗抑郁症近3年后，我们还是分手了-三联生活网

一位男友得知女友患抑郁症后，查遍了 “抗抑郁指南”，坚信 “运动和晒太阳能治愈一切”。他从一开始的 “求着出门”，到后来的 “命令下楼”，直到某天女友突然捂着脸大哭，他才发现 —— 那些他以为 “有益” 的事，对她而言竟是翻不过去的高山。

有位精神科医生的比喻很贴切：“你不会跟哮喘病人说‘别喘气’，对吧？” 抑郁症同样是大脑的生理病变 —— 就像免疫系统出问题会感冒，神经递质失衡也会让情绪 “生病”。它不是 “想不开”，更不是 “不够坚强”。

家属最该做的第一步，不是急着推 TA “好起来”，而是先接纳这个事实：这需要时间，更需要专业的帮助。你的 “努力” 没能立刻见效，从来不是因为你做得不够好。

二、你不用做 “拯救者”，“陪着” 就够了

去朋友家时，我看到她家冰箱上贴着的 “康复计划”——A4 纸打印，密密麻麻写满了时间节点：“7:30 必须吃含 Omega-3 的早餐”；“15:00 晒太阳不少于 30 分钟”；“20:00 亲子阅读（禁止负面话题）”……

她指着计划说：“我怕漏了什么，万一因为我没做好，孩子更严重了怎么办？”

这大概是很多家属的误区：把自己当成了 “拯救者”，觉得肩上扛着 “治好 TA” 的重任。可事实上，家属的陪伴，更像黑夜里陪对方坐一会儿。你不用点燃火把照亮前路，只要让 TA 知道 “你不是一个人” 就够了。

就像医生说的：“骨折的人需要拐杖，但拐杖从不会自责‘为什么不能代替腿走路’。你现在做的，就是让 TA 靠着你时，伤处能少受点力。”

TA 不想说话时，不用逼 TA 开口；TA 反复焦虑同一件事时，不用急着劝 TA “别多想”；TA 今天比昨天多吃了一口饭，哪怕只是对着你笑了一下，都是值得被看见的微光。

你在，本身就是一种力量。

三、别忽略自己，你的疲惫也该被看见

有次在超市，朋友拿着两瓶酸奶站了很久 —— 一瓶是黄桃味的，她自己爱喝；另一瓶是无糖款，是患抑郁症的女儿常喝的。最后她放下了黄桃味，攥着无糖款转身时，突然蹲在货架旁哭了。

“女儿都这样了，我哪还有资格想自己喜欢什么？连选瓶自己喜欢的酸奶都觉得是错的。” 她的话像根针，扎得人心里发疼。

她的手机相册，最新的 100 张照片全是女儿的：吃药的时间、今天吃的饭、坐在窗边发呆的侧影…… 朋友像把自己的生活彻底 “清空” 了，只装下了女儿的喜怒哀乐。

可你有没有想过：如果连你自己都在枯萎，又怎么能给TA浇水？

每天留哪怕 10 分钟发会儿呆，每周和我们这些朋友打个电话说说近况，甚至允许自己躲在卫生间哭一场 —— 这些 “微小的自私”，从来都不是对 TA 的辜负。

照顾好自己，才能更久地站在 TA 身边。你值得被看见，也需要被关怀。

最后想说的话

抑郁症患者的家属，就像走在一条没有路灯的路上。一边要扶着身边的人慢慢走，一边要给自己找光。这条路很难，你或许会疲惫、会自责、会无数次想放弃，但请一定记得：你不是孤军奋战。

那些你悄悄抹掉的眼泪，那些你强撑着的微笑，那些你深夜查过的资料，都在悄悄支撑着你们往前走。

愿每一个在黑暗中默默支撑的人，都能被这个世界温柔地接住。

如果你身边也有正在经历抑郁阴霾的人，请把这篇文章转发给TA。

把这句话轻轻说给TA听：

“再坚持一会儿，你不是一个人在战斗。”

Depression doesn’t just affect one person—it casts a shadow over everyone who loves them. If you’re walking alongside someone in this struggle, here are three often-overlooked truths that may help guide the way.

1. “Just Cheer Up” Won’t Help Them—And It’s Not Your Fault

When my friend first learned of her daughter’s illness, she thought sunshine and the ocean might help lift her daughter’s spirits. She carefully planned a trip to Hawaii. But when they arrived, her daughter locked herself in the hotel room and didn’t come out all day. My friend sat alone on the rocks by the sea, tears mixing with the saltwater as she quietly sobbed.

Depression isn’t something that sunshine or sheer willpower can fix. Just as you wouldn’t tell someone with asthma to “just breathe,” you can’t expect someone with major depressive disorder to “just think happy thoughts.” Depression is a medical condition—a neurochemical imbalance—not simply a matter of mindset.

The first and most important step for family members isn’t to rush their loved one into “getting better,” but to first accept this simple truth: healing takes time—and professional help. If your efforts haven’t brought immediate results, it’s not because you haven’t done enough or haven’t tried hard enough.

2. You Don’t Need to Be a “Saviour” — Just Being There Is Enough

When I visited my friend’s home, I noticed a printed “Recovery Plan” taped to the fridge — an A4 sheet filled with tightly packed schedules and rules:

“7:30 AM — Must eat a breakfast rich in Omega-3s”

“3:00 PM — Minimum 30 minutes of sunlight”

“8:00 PM — Parent-child reading (no negative topics allowed)”

Pointing to the plan, she said, “I’m scared I’ll miss something. What if things get worse because I didn’t do enough?”

This reflects a common misconception among families: thinking they have to be the “rescuer,” carrying the burden of “fixing” their loved one.

But the truth is, being there for someone with depression is less about lighting the path and more about sitting with them in the dark.

You don’t need to carry a torch — just let them know they’re not alone. That’s enough.

As one doctor wisely put it: “A person with a broken leg needs crutches, but the crutches don’t blame themselves for not being the leg.” What you’re doing now is offering something to lean on, to take the pressure off the pain.

If they don’t want to talk, don’t force it.

If they repeat the same worries over and over, don’t rush to say, “Stop overthinking.”

If they eat one more bite than yesterday, or even just manage a small smile in your presence, that’s a flicker of light worth noticing.

Your presence alone is a quiet, powerful form of support!

3. Don’t Forget Yourself — Your Exhaustion Deserves To Be Seen Too

Another time, at the grocery store, my friend stood frozen, holding two yogurt: her favourite peach, and the sugar-free one her daughter preferred. She put back the peach. Then, she crouched down by the shelf and cried. “With my daughter like this, how could I possibly care about what I like? Even picking a yogurt feels selfish.”

Her words cut deep. Her phone’s album told the story: the last 100 photos, all of her daughter — medication schedules, meals, a profile staring out the window. It was as if she’d emptied her own life just to make room for her daughter’s every emotion.

But have you considered: if you’re withering inside, how can you truly water someone else?

Ten minutes a day to just zone out. One call a week to chat with friends. Even allowing yourself to cry behind a bathroom door. These small acts of “selfishness” are not betrayals. These are ways to sustain yourself, so you can keep standing beside your loved one for longer.

You deserve to be seen. You need care, too.

Final Words

Family members supporting someone with depression are like travellers on a road without streetlights. You have to gently help your loved one take each step, while also finding your own source of light. This path is incredibly difficult — there will be exhaustion, guilt, and moments when you feel like giving up. But please, always remember: you are not fighting alone.

The tears you wipe away in secret, the smiles you force when you feel broken, the late nights spent researching — these quiet acts of love carry both of you forward.

May everyone silently supporting someone in the darkness be gently embraced by this world.

If you know someone currently experiencing the shadows of depression, please share this message with them. And quietly, softly, whisper these words:

“Hold on a little longer — you’re not fighting this battle alone.”

In past articles, we’ve focused mainly on innovative treatments for mild depression. Today, we turn to a breakthrough in the treatment of major depressive disorder (MDD) — a condition that affects millions worldwide. For the first time, patients with major depression can access a prescription digital therapeutic via their smartphone: Rejoyn.

What is Rejoyn?

Rejoyn is currently the only mobile app approved by the U.S. FDA as an adjunctive treatment for adults (22+) diagnosed with MDD who are already on antidepressants. Available by prescription only, Rejoyn offers a 6-week course that combines proprietary brain training exercises with medication to reduce depressive symptoms, with no significant side effects reported.

Unlike typical wellness apps, Rejoyn is classified as a medical device. It earned FDA approval in 2024 after successful Phase 3 clinical trials, with strong scientific evidence supporting its safety and efficacy.

How Does Rejoyn Work?

In many patients with depression, communication between the amygdala (emotion centre) and prefrontal cortex (thinking centre) becomes impaired, making emotional regulation increasingly difficult over time.

Rejoyn’s exercises are based on neuroplasticity, the brain’s natural ability to rewire itself. By simultaneously activating emotional and cognitive regions, Rejoyn strengthens these connections, helping the brain better manage emotional responses.

EFMT: The Emotional Faces Memory Task

One of Rejoyn’s key technologies is the Emotional Face Memory Task (EFMT), a scientifically validated exercise. Users are asked to recognize facial expressions (e.g., happy, sad, angry) and recall matching ones from earlier. This trains both working memory and emotional processing, gradually increasing in difficulty to challenge the brain to stay focused even in the face of emotional distraction.

In addition to EFMT, Rejoyn offers short skill-building lessons that teach users how to manage strong emotions, combat negative thinking, and take positive actions. Each lesson is around 5 minutes, and it is recommended to do it three times a week. Motivational reminders are sent to help users stay on track.

Importantly, Rejoyn is not a replacement for medication, but a complementary tool prescribed alongside existing antidepressant treatments. For patients seeking accessible, structured support in their daily lives, Rejoyn is a promising new option.

Advances in medical science have led to FDA-approved devices like Rejoyn, opening new pathways for treating depression. Still, even the most advanced technologies must be supported by compassionate, human-centred care to have a meaningful impact.

In our next issue, I want to speak directly to the families and loved ones standing by someone with depression. There are important truths you may not yet recognize, but understanding them can make all the difference in your journey together.

在过往的分享中，我们更多聚焦于轻度抑郁症的创新疗法。而今天，我们将目光投向重度抑郁症领域，为关注这一领域的读者介绍一项重要进展：重度抑郁症患者如今可借助手机应用进行辅助治疗。

这款名为 Rejoyn 的应用，是目前唯一通过美国食品药品监督管理局（FDA）认证的重度抑郁症辅助工具，其适用人群为 22 岁及以上、正在接受抗抑郁药物治疗的成年重度抑郁症（MDD）患者。

与普通健康类应用不同，Rejoyn 被归类为医疗器械，并于 2024 年在完成三期临床试验后获得了 FDA 的批准，其安全性和有效性具有坚实的科学依据。

值得注意的是，该应用需凭处方获取。Rejoyn 在抑郁症症状治疗方面有着独特的机制。对于部分抑郁症患者而言，大脑中负责情感处理的杏仁核与负责思维活动的前额叶皮质之间存在沟通障碍。这导致大脑难以正常处理情绪，随着负面情绪的不断累积，情绪处理的难度会呈螺旋式上升。

Rejoyn 的核心原理是激发患者大脑自身的潜能来对抗抑郁症。它运用了神经可塑性这一科学原理 —— 即大脑天生具备改变和重塑的能力。

在为期 6 周的疗程中，它通过专利性的大脑练习与抗抑郁药物协同作用，旨在同时激活大脑的思考区域和情感区域，以此加强两者之间的联系，促进它们的有效沟通，进而帮助大脑更好地处理情绪，改善抑郁症状，且未发现明显副作用。

Rejoyn 的核心原理是激发患者大脑自身的潜能来对抗抑郁症。它运用了神经可塑性这一科学原理 —— 即大脑天生具备改变和重塑的能力。Rejoyn 设计的大脑训练练习，旨在同时激活大脑的思考区域和情感区域，以此加强两者之间的联系，促进它们的有效沟通，进而帮助大脑更好地处理情绪，改善抑郁症状。

情绪面孔记忆任务（EFMT）

Rejoyn 在重度抑郁症治疗方面有着独特的机制，技术之一便是情绪面孔记忆任务（EFMT）。

在 EFMT 任务中，用户需要识别一系列面部表情所传递的情绪，并回忆之前看到过的相同情绪。这项练习巧妙地结合了工作记忆训练与情绪处理两方面内容：工作记忆训练要求用户记住各种模式或序列，情绪处理则通过展示快乐、悲伤、愤怒等不同情绪的面孔来实现。随着用户操作的深入，任务难度会逐渐增加，以此挑战大脑在应对情绪干扰的同时保持专注。

除了这些核心的大脑训练练习，Rejoyn 还提供简短的技能治疗课程，教授用户一些有助于管理抑郁症状的实用技能，包括应对强烈情绪、抑制消极思维以及采取积极行动等。每节课程时长约 5 分钟，建议每周进行 3 次。改变大脑的运作模式需要持续的努力，为此，平台会发送激励短信，以强化用户对练习和课程的坚持。

需要明确的是，Rejoyn 并非一种独立的治疗方法，不能替代患者目前正在使用的药物，患者必须遵照医嘱将其作为辅助治疗手段。对于正在接受药物治疗的重度抑郁症患者来说，Rejoyn 无疑为他们提供了一种可随时使用的 “大脑锻炼工具”，是该领域一个值得关注的新选择。

医学的进步带来了像 Rejoyn 这样的 FDA 认证医疗器械，为抑郁症治疗开辟了新路径。然而，再先进的技术也需要温暖的人文关怀来支撑。

下期我想和所有陪伴在抑郁症患者身边的无名英雄 – 家属们聊聊：有些容易被忽视的真相，也许你还没意识到，但它真的很重要。

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