App Vision:
A Free, Accessible, and Buildable Mental Health Resource.
From one mental health patient to another - I built this application by designing the wireframes myself and then ethically outsourcing the development to a team of 25 developers. I came up with the idea one day as I was thinking of better ways to inform my friends that I was feeling down than just using the Close Friends Stories feature on Instagram. I found that I need an app that would:
allow me to easily check in on my friends
allow them to easily check in on me in real-time
have a record of how I was feeling so I would remember my mood history for my therapy and psych appointments
allow me to use social media in a healthier way that is less a “scroll for hours” app and more of a “quick check-in” type of app
Vision: Free, Accessible, and Buildable.
Free
Cost is often a barrier to those seeking help. For that reason, I’ve employed advertisements in the app to keep the resource free for all adults, regardless of socioeconomic status - which can often directly impact mental health and the ability to seek help.
Accessible
The application is easy-to-use and open to download for any adult with a smartphone. My next dream is to make it fully accessible for the visually-impaired or those with different disabilities by employing ADA standards throughout the app. I am currently a team of one, if you are a mobile developer looking to get involved with this effort, please join the team!
Buildable
My hope one day is to partner with other companies or applications to offer in-app therapy measures, other mental health resources, education, more advanced mood tracking, and more. Please use the in-app feedback form or App Store rating system to help me build on these ideas; crowdsourcing ideas is the best way to work toward a more useful application for all.