HOMAGO
GOAL:
The topic I will be focusing on for this project is going to be mental health. This is something I struggled heavy with during middle school and I know a lot of middle schoolers still struggle with it today. My goal is to find plenty of resources for people to get the help they need as soon as possible. Sometimes it is hard to admit to others that you are struggling so I want to find other potential resources for young adolescents to seek the help they need.
HANGING OUT
Week 1:
Suggestions:
-MoodFit or Happify (overall mental health)
-Better Help or Talkspace (Therapy)
-MoodMission (Coping Skills)
-Sanvello or iBreathe (Stress Relief)
-Calm or Headspace (Meditation)
-eMoods (Bipolar Disorder)
-Bearable (Symptom tracking)
-Todoist (ADHD)
-PTSD Coach (PTSD)
-Better Stop Suicide (Suicide Awareness)
-Mindshift CBT (Anxiety)
-Quit That! (Addiction)
-Recovery Record (Eating Disorder)
-NOCD (OCD)
-Reframe or I Am Sober (Drinking)
Twitter Research:
-Adolescent Mental Health App (Mandate Health)
-Informed Minds
-MyndLink
-Better App
-STIGMA
REFLECTION:
Doing research on this topic was actually really interesting and eye opening. It was really heartwarming to find so many different options of apps for such a wide range of mental health disorders. It was also cool to see that there are apps that overall help with a wide range of mental health issues along with other apps focusing on just a particular one. However, one of the issues I faced while doing this research is that a vast majority of these apps do charge the user in order for them to use it. That is really unfortunate to me because I feel as though if someone is struggling and is looking for resources to help, they should be available and not cause the user stress when needed. I want to keep looking into this topic and these apps to find more accessible ones that may not charge the user. Another thing that really helped me during this week one process was communicating with my sister-in-law who is a therapist. It was interesting to hear her opinion and her intake on the matter.
Week 2:
During my week 2 research I discovered a lot of more apps that would pertain to my topic. All of the websites and research is discussed under the "research" button above. It was really interesting to me to hear about all of the different possibilities of apps and it is so hard to capture every single one of them. I feel as though every time I google different terminology to find more options, a million new options arise. It is also insanely cool to realize all of the different options in different countries. The first video I watched was of a doctor in the UK who was explaining apps that he knows of in the UK. I am especially excited to start researching these to determine if these are options for Americans as well.
MESSING AROUND
OCT. 9 -- WEEK 1
CHILL PANDA
In my opinion, I thought this app had a really interesting concept. It uses similar concepts as other classic video games. The user is asked to complete challenges and tasks while attempting to fill up a wellness bar. There are different "zones" including the chill zone, play zone, and do zone. In these areas the user can play games, color, complete breathing exercises, or do different workouts. I liked this app because I think it was very useful for people that struggle with anxiety. It is also very nonchalant in addressing the fact that it is intended for users with anxiety. As I said earlier, it is designed to be very similar to popular video games so even users who do not struggle with anxiety may find this game entertaining. One thing that I did not like about this game was that it seemed kind of glitchy. There were a few technical things that could use to be fixed to make it a little bit more user friendly. For example, when I started the game I was looking at my character at a view from above so I was able to see the surroundings of my player and get a more broad view of everything going on. Within a short amount of time it switched to a view directly behind the character so it was harder to navigate to different places. Overall, I think this app was a solid representation of what an app should look like when trying to address these issues.
OCT. 16 -- Week 2
ToDoist
My app for week 2 of messing around was ToDoist. This app allows the user to enter in important deadlines and events going on, it essentially acts as a planner. One thing I enjoyed about this app is that it allows you to create different sections based on different categories. For example, when I was setting up my own planner on this app, I was able to create different sections for my school work and personal life. This helps with organization and makes my schedule seem a lot less cluttered. A couple things I am not fond of in this app is the fact that it is not necessarily user friendly. I felt as though it was a very mature app so suggesting this app to a student in middle school might not be the best idea. I also feel as though common calendar apps are capable of doing the same things this app does i.e. the iPhone calendar app or google calendar. I do, however, feel as though this app could be helpful for teachers to implement throughout their classrooms. This is a great way to keep all deadlines organized with easy access to see what is due coming up.
OCT. 23 -- Week 3
eMoods
The third app I have started to explore is called "eMoods". This app is explained to help with mood disorders such as bipolar disorder. While exploring this app, I learned that it is a tool that one uses to track their various moods throughout the day such as depression, irritability, anxiety, etc. It also asks questions based on sleep routine and weight to keep track of your progress and to make sure nothing is out of place. A few things I really like about this app is that it uses a calendar to track your progress each day. Using the calendar, you are able to see yourself either progressing or declining throughout the weeks/months. Another thing I really liked about this app is the fact that it includes different resources available in case the user is struggling. It is utterly important for users to have quick access to people willing to help in case of an emergency. One thing I was not fond of in this app, once again, was the design of the app. It has a high maturity feel to it and may not be user friendly if the target audience is a middle schooler. Moving forward, I would like to explore more student friendly apps. While this app may not be able to be used directly in the classroom, I think the intensions of this app would be helpful for students who struggle with these emotions in order to reflect upon their day at school. Some students struggle heavily with these different feelings throughout the school day but have a hard time expressing their struggles with other people. This app is helpful in keeping themselves in check and tracking their progress.
OCT. 30 -- Week 4
MoodFit
This app has been my favorite one to experiment with thus far. I like this app because it seems to have a lot of the other qualities the other apps are trying to accomplish pressed into one app. Also, although the app creators are trying to fit a lot of ideas into one app, the app never feels cluttered or overwhelming with ideas. My favorite feature in this app is the tools tab. This tools tab is one spot where you can access almost anything this app does. It has all of the daily goals listed in there as well as different "assessments" you can give yourself (i.e. PHQ-9 Depression Assessment or GAD-7 Anxiety Assessment). Once you take these assessments, it will give you a score based on a professional opinion. Another part of this app that I really enjoy is the "insights" tab. In this tab, it tracks your answers on the various daily tasks and then charts them so the user can see their progress. This is helpful so that the user is able to see increases in mood, sleep habits, eating habits, etc. This is also helpful in case there is a decline in any of those topics, it makes the user aware that there may be an issue and the user should potentially seek help. The only real complaint I have about this app is that if I am going to try to enforce this onto middle school students, some of the topics/design might be a little mature for that audience. However, I feel as though people "babysit" middle school students and shadow them from content that they should really be exposed to because an adult thinks it is too mature. This app might be an example of that. I feel as though this app could really benefit students if used the right way. One way I may implement this into my classroom is as an SEL lesson. This app is a great way for students to check in on themselves socially, emotionally, and physically. Doing the daily tasks in this app could be a good way for the students to get settled in, acting as a bell ringer in some ways.
