Monday, September 27, 2021

Anxiety: Using an App to Help Manage Your Symptoms

Disclaimer: This post was sponsored by Happify and all opinions expressed in my post are my own. Happify is not meant to be a substitute for mental health services. If you are experiencing a mental health crisis, contact your healthcare provider or call the National Suicide Prevention Hotline 1-800-273-8255.

I don't know about you, but 2021 feels more stressful to me than 2020. In 2020, I had all the optimism that there was an endpoint to all the turmoil. I had the expectation that things would be better in 2021. Instead, we continue to battle COVID-19 and deal with all the fallout from 2020. According to the CDC, the percentage of adults with anxiety and depression increased to almost 42 percent by February of this year. The largest increases were in young adults ages 18-29. Access to mental health services has been stretched and it is estimated that only 37 percent of adults with an anxiety disorder are actually receiving treatment. 

Anxiety is a very treatable problem. There are a variety of options for anxiety sufferers besides psychotherapy and medication. Relaxation techniques, meditation, yoga, exercise, and acupuncture are some alternative options for the treatment of anxiety. 

Earlier this year, I shared my own struggles with anxiety. I also shared some of the tools I've been using to help me manage my stress and anxiety. Recently, I had the opportunity to try out Happify, an app full of science-based activities and games to help manage stress and anxiety. The Happify app aims to help people build their well-being skills and develop positive life-changing habits. Optimism, resilience, gratitude, positivity... these are some of the skills that can be learned to lead to a more happy life.

Can an app do that? 

Happify is an evidence-based app that helps people focus on developing skills to help manage negative thoughts and anxiety. You initially take an assessment to help the app determine what tracks will help work towards your individual goals. The assessment is repeated every couple of weeks, which will help you follow your progress. You can track your stats as you continue to use the app. According to Happify Health, 86 percent of regular app users saw happiness improvements in two months. 

The tracks have all been developed by experts in the field of psychology. I was quite impressed with the wealth of expertise on the Happify Health team! In addition to the tracks, there are informational articles and videos available within the app that provide additional information on topics related to happiness and stress management. Guided meditation is available in several different formats. There is also a community forum where people can post and receive feedback. 

I eagerly downloaded the free version of Happify to my phone and started off by taking a survey to assess my Happiness Score. I'm a pretty happy person, but there is definitely room for improvement...that was reflected in my score. I moved on to begin my first track: Conquering Negative Thoughts. While I may seem positive here on the blog, in real life, I can get pretty negative at times. I answered a few questions and my customized track was prepared for me. A virtual assistant asked me pertinent questions and the dialog was tailored to my responses. The activities were fun and didn't take a lot of time to do. 

I also checked out some of the Instant Play Games, which you can access all the time. One of my favorites was 'Negative Knockout', which reminded me of Angry Birds, except you knock out your negative emotions instead of the birds. 'Uplift' was fun, clicking on the balloons with all the positive words.

While Happify is a great tool for anxiety and mild depression, it may not be helpful for people with more serious mental health issues. You definitely have to be self-motivated to use the Happify app, although the app is so fun to use, that even people who aren't may find themselves becoming more driven to complete the daily activities. I trialed the free version, which is helpful but somewhat limited. Happify Plus, the paid version, provides full access to all the tracks and an individual's stats. 

Both the free and paid versions of Happify are available in the App Store, the Google Play Store, and for your desktop device. When using the free app, there are frequent reminders to upgrade. You can easily upgrade from the free version to the paid version through the app. The app is available in a variety of languages. There are accessibility settings within the app as well. 

Even though I'm currently using the free version of Happify, I really feel like I'm getting a lot out of it. It's easy to use and I've been logging in every morning. The daily activities really help me set a positive tone for my day. As a science girl, you know I loved all the expert input and scientific evidence behind the activities. I did find the free version a little limited. Would I pay for the full app? Absolutely. This is a fun app that helps you feel good. Who couldn't use that right now?


Can an app help make you happy? Happify aims to make you feel well again! /via @oldrunningmom @happify #sponsored #curearthritis #running #runchat #depression #anxiety

Have you ever used an app to help you with anxiety? Or other mental health issues? Did you find it helpful? 

I'm linking up with Kim and Zenaida for Tuesday Topics.




28 comments :

  1. This does sound interesting, and it's useful to know that you were motivated to look at it regularly.

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    1. Happify sends reminders, which helps! I'm hoping that with consistent use, I'll feel less anxious overall.

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  2. Very interesting! With people spending so much time on their phones, why not use an app that encourages positive thinking? I once kept track of negative thoughts over a 2 week period for a study and was surprised how often I had them. I am sure an app like this could be helpful to those having minor anxiety issues. nice review

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    1. That would be really interesting! Did you ever get the results of the study?

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  3. I need to try this. Like you, I am basically a happy person, but there is always room for improvement.

    One thing that is always at the back of my mind are environmental issues...this might develop into full-blown anxiety if I don't watch it. Thanks for the review, Wendy, that was very helpful!

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    1. That's just one of my many triggers, lol! But I've been feeling particularly overwhelmed lately.

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  4. That sounds pretty neat! I think that the digital space is catching up and I think that apps like these may help more people reach out and get the help they need. This app may be the first step and then maybe they'll be a bit more courageous to reach out to a professional to continue their mental health journey. Thanks for sharing!

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    1. With the explosive increase in mental health issues this year, it's nice to have an alternative to therapy to help with anxiety!

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  5. Incredible - An App - Well, Of Course There Is - More Importantly, I Am Thankful That The App Was Beneficial For You - Centering And Calming Ones Self Is A Difficult Task When It Is Not A Daily Chore - Keep Breathing My Friend And Thanx For Being You - Yo To The Hubby

    Cheers

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  6. I love that there are so many ways to get help for so many different issues these days! Thanks for reviewing this app, Wendy -- I'd never heard of it before. And I think we all have a fair amount of negative voices in our heads!

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    1. Times are tough right now. I was really glad to learn about the app! I hope you'll check it out.

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  7. great review! It sounds like a useful app- I could use some "happy" from my phone instead of the stress of the news I read there!

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  8. This app sounds so interesting! I like that it offers personalized tracks based on your answers. I agree that in so many ways 2021 has been more anxiety-filled than last year. Nice to have one more tool available to people to manage the stress. Great review Wendy!

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  9. This sounds like a great app! I think just about anyone could benefit from some help with managing stress and anxiety, especially this year. I'm going to check this out!

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    1. It's been a tough couple of years for a lot of people. It's great to have something like this that everyone can access!

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  10. Sounds like this app came along at a good time...glad to hear it's been a great help!

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  11. This is really interesting. I'm glad that you found something that helps you manage your anxiety.

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  12. Thanks for the review. I never heard of this.

    Yes on the stress. Thank God for running.. but if I couldn't I would need something like this I think.

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  13. Wow, this is cool! I agree that 2021 certainly is not any better than 2020, although the absence of a presidential election is definitely a plus.
    42% is a huge number, but I believe it. So many people I know are suffering right now- I'm going to pass this along. Do you think it would be appropriate for a 12-year-old girl? I think my daughter could use it.
    Thanks for the review!

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    1. I think it would be great for your daughter. The games in particular are really good--slingshotting negative thoughts is therapeutic!!!

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  14. This is great! I am going to check it out. And I also agree that it has been a very stressful year. I do wonder how it is going to be next year. That also stresses me every more. Will there be an ending?

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    1. I try to live in the moment and not think about what's down the road. But I agree with you 100%--it has been an incredibly stressful couple of years. Let me know what you think of the app.

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