Calm Harm - Detailed Review
Self Improvement Tools
Calm Harm - Product Overview
Introduction to Calm Harm
Calm Harm is a highly regarded mobile app developed by the mental health charity stem4, with the primary goal of helping young people manage and resist the urge to self-harm. This app was created by Dr. Nihara Krause, a Consultant Clinical Psychologist, in collaboration with young individuals who have experienced self-harm.
Target Audience
The Calm Harm app is recommended for individuals aged 13 and above. While it is primarily aimed at teenagers, it is also used by young adults, with the majority of users falling between the ages of 14 and 25, and a significant proportion being female.
Primary Function
The app’s core function is to provide immediate techniques to help users manage the urge to self-harm using strategies from Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT). DBT is an evidence-based treatment approach that focuses on impulse control, emotional regulation, and identifying underlying triggers to harmful urges.
Key Features
- Activity Categories: Users can choose from several categories to help manage their urges, including:
- Distract: Activities to help combat the urge through self-control.
- Comfort: Activities to care for oneself instead of harming.
- Express Yourself: Ways to express feelings in a different manner.
- Release: Safe alternatives to self-injury.
- Random: A random activity from the above categories.
- Breathing Techniques: A breathing exercise to help reduce stress and anxiety and stay mindful.
- Journaling and Self-Reflection: Users can make journal entries and reflect on their feelings and triggers.
- Safety Net: The app helps build a safety net of helpful thoughts, behaviors, and access to supportive people.
- User-Friendly Interface: The app features a calming design, enhanced animations, and various color schemes. It also includes passcode or facial recognition protection for the self-monitoring section.
Additional Benefits
- Immediate Support: The app provides immediate access to support, which is crucial for managing impulsive behaviors.
- Privacy and Anonymity: The app is private and anonymous, ensuring user safety and comfort.
- Clinical Approval: Calm Harm is built to NHS standards and approved by ORCHA, ensuring it meets high clinical standards.
Usage and Impact
The app has seen significant usage, with over 800,000 downloads globally and more than 500,000 users who have used it more than once. A notable 93% of users reported a reduction in the urge to self-harm after completing an exercise on the app.
While Calm Harm is a valuable tool, it is important to note that it is not a substitute for professional mental health treatment and should be used in conjunction with individualized therapy.
Calm Harm - User Interface and Experience
The Calm Harm App
Developed by the mental health charity stem4 and clinical psychologist Dr. Nihara Krause, the Calm Harm app offers a user-friendly and supportive interface aimed at helping individuals manage self-harm behaviors.
User Interface
The app is structured around several key categories:
- Comfort: Activities that provide a sense of comfort and security.
- Distract: Tasks designed to distract the user from the urge to self-harm.
- Express Yourself: Creative outlets for emotions.
- Release: Activities to help manage and release tension.
- Random: A mix of activities from the other categories.
Each category offers a variety of activities that users can engage in, often based on principles from Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT). The app also includes breathing techniques to help users stay mindful and regulate their emotions.
Ease of Use
The interface is intuitive and easy to use. Upon opening the app, users are presented with a simple and clear menu that allows them to choose an activity category. The activities themselves are straightforward and can be completed within set time frames, such as 5 or 15 minutes. This structured approach helps users stay focused and engaged.
User Experience
The overall user experience is highly positive, as reflected in the app’s reviews. Users appreciate the anonymity and safety of the app, which ensures their privacy. The app’s activities are designed to be accessible and helpful, even in moments of crisis. Features like the ability to add favorite activities, enhanced mascots with animations, and various color schemes make the app more engaging and personalized.
Additional Features
- Journaling: Users can make journal entries at any time to reflect on their feelings and experiences.
- Favourites List: Users can save their favorite activities for quick access.
- Immediate Help: Easy access to breathing activities and other immediate help options via the app’s footer.
- Passcode Protection: The self-monitoring section can be protected by a passcode, facial recognition, or Touch ID, ensuring user data remains secure.
Feedback and Support
The app encourages users to build a ‘safety net’ of helpful thoughts, behaviors, and access to supportive people. It also provides signposts to additional help resources. User feedback is highly positive, with many users expressing gratitude for how the app has improved their lives.
Conclusion
In summary, the Calm Harm app offers a user-friendly, supportive, and engaging interface that is easy to use and highly effective in helping users manage self-harm behaviors. Its structured activities, journaling features, and immediate help options make it a valuable tool for those seeking to manage their mental health.
Calm Harm - Key Features and Functionality
The Calm Harm App
Developed by Dr. Nihara Krause MBE and the teenage mental health charity stem4, the Calm Harm app is a valuable tool for young people to manage the urge to self-harm. Here are the main features and how they work:
Activity Categories
The app offers activities categorized into Comfort, Distract, Express Yourself, Release, and Random. These categories help users manage their urges in different ways:
- Comfort: Activities that help users care for themselves instead of harming.
- Distract: Activities aimed at diverting attention away from the urge to self-harm.
- Express Yourself: Activities that allow users to express their feelings in a healthy manner.
- Release: Safe alternatives to self-injury.
- Random: A random selection from the above categories.
Breathing Techniques
The app includes breathing exercises to help users be mindful, stay in the moment, regulate difficult emotions, and reduce tension. This technique is crucial for managing stress and anxiety.
Journaling and Self-Reflection
Users can make journal entries at any time to reflect on their feelings and experiences. This feature helps in identifying and managing underlying trigger factors and in building a ‘safety net’ of helpful thoughts and behaviors.
Safety Net and Support
The app helps users build a ‘safety net’ by identifying supportive people and resources. It also signposts users to national resources and emergency numbers if the urge to self-harm remains high.
Personalization
Users can mark activities as favorites, hide activities they find triggering, and select multiple reasons for their urge to self-harm after completing an activity. This personalization ensures the app is safe and effective for each user.
Security and Privacy
The app is private, anonymous, and safe. Users can set a passcode or use facial recognition/Touch ID to protect the Self Monitoring section where journal entries and other private information are stored. However, if the passcode is forgotten, it cannot be reset, and the app must be reinstalled.
Integration of Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT)
The app uses strategies from DBT, an evidence-based treatment approach, to help users manage their emotional mind, practice impulse control, and track underlying triggers to harmful urges. This approach is effective in teaching users to ‘surf the wave’ of difficult emotions.
AI and Technology
While the Calm Harm app itself does not explicitly integrate AI, it is developed based on evidence-based psychological treatments and user feedback. The activities and features are designed and updated regularly based on user suggestions and clinical reviews, ensuring the app remains effective and safe.
Conclusion
In summary, the Calm Harm app provides a comprehensive set of tools and activities to help young people manage the urge to self-harm, emphasizing immediate support, personalization, and safety, all grounded in evidence-based psychological treatments.
Calm Harm - Performance and Accuracy
Performance and Accuracy of Calm Harm
Engagement and User Experience
Calm Harm is an app that has been well-received for its simplicity and effectiveness in helping teenagers manage the urge to self-harm. Developed by Clinical Psychologist Dr. Nihara Krause MBE in collaboration with young people, the app uses principles from Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT). The app is user-friendly, offering activities categorized into Comfort, Distract, Express Yourself, Release, and Random. These activities are designed to help users “ride the wave” of the urge to self-harm, providing immediate and practical strategies to manage their emotions. The app also includes a breathing exercise to help users stay mindful and regulate their emotions.Accuracy and Effectiveness
While Calm Harm is based on evidence-based psychological treatment (DBT), there is a lack of comprehensive scientific evidence specifically on the app’s effectiveness. The app was developed from scientific principles, but like many mental health apps, it lacks extensive research to fully validate its outcomes.Limitations and Areas for Improvement
Lack of Scientific Evidence
Despite being grounded in DBT, there is limited scientific research to confirm the long-term effectiveness of the app. This is a common critique of many mental health apps.Limited Interaction
The app does not offer social interaction features, which are often cited as important for user engagement and support. Implementing such features would require careful consideration of privacy and cyber-bullying protection.Adjunct to Treatment
Calm Harm is recommended as an adjunct to professional treatment rather than a standalone tool. It works best when used in conjunction with therapy sessions, where a therapist can review the user’s progress and logs.Practical Use
The app is free and available on both Google Play and the App Store, making it accessible to a wide audience. Its simplicity and the variety of activities make it a practical tool for managing self-harm urges in the short term. However, for sustained improvement, it should be used as part of an ongoing treatment plan under the guidance of a mental health professional. In summary, while Calm Harm is a valuable tool with a clear and user-friendly approach, its effectiveness would benefit from more comprehensive research and the addition of social interaction features to enhance user engagement. Calm Harm - Pricing and Plans
The pricing structure for the Calm Harm app is relatively straightforward and user-friendly.
Free Option
- The Calm Harm app is primarily free to download from both the App Store and Google Play. This free version provides full access to its core features, which include activities categorized as Comfort, Distract, Express Yourself, Release, Random, and Breathe. These activities are designed to help users manage and resist the urge to self-harm using principles from Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT).
One-Time Payment (Australia)
- For users residing in Australia, there is a one-time payment of $1.99 to access the app. This is a minor exception to the otherwise free access.
No Tiers or Subscriptions
- There are no different tiers or subscription plans for Calm Harm. The app is either free or, in the case of Australia, requires a one-time payment. All features are accessible without any ongoing subscription fees.
Summary
In summary, Calm Harm is largely free, with a small one-time fee for users in Australia, and it does not offer multiple pricing tiers or subscription plans. This makes it an accessible tool for anyone looking to manage self-harm urges.
Calm Harm - Integration and Compatibility
The Calm Harm App
The Calm Harm app, developed by the mental health charity stem4, is designed to help individuals manage self-harm urges and is compatible across various platforms and devices.
Platform Compatibility
Calm Harm is available for download on both the Google Play Store and the Apple App Store. It is compatible with iPhones requiring iOS 13.4 or later and iPads requiring iPadOS 13.4 or later.
Device Compatibility
The app can be used on a range of devices, including smartphones and tablets, as long as they meet the specified operating system requirements. This ensures that users can access the app on their preferred device, whether it is an Android or iOS device.
Integration with Other Tools
While Calm Harm does not integrate directly with other apps or tools in the sense of sharing data or functionalities, it is intended to complement professional mental health treatment. It encourages users to share their progress and journal entries with mental health professionals and caregivers, although this would need to be done manually as the app does not support automatic data sharing.
Privacy and Safety
The app is private, anonymous, and safe, which is crucial for users who may be hesitant to seek help due to privacy concerns. It does not collect personal information, making it a secure option for those seeking to manage self-harm urges.
User Experience
Calm Harm offers a variety of activities categorized into Comfort, Distract, Express Yourself, Release, and Random, along with breathing techniques to help users manage their emotions and reduce self-harm urges. Users can select activity blocks of 5 or 15 minutes, track their progress, and journal their experiences. These features make the app a standalone tool that can be used independently, although it is emphasized that it should not replace professional treatment.
Conclusion
In summary, Calm Harm is a widely accessible app that can be used on multiple devices and platforms. While it does not integrate with other tools, it serves as a valuable complement to professional mental health care.
Calm Harm - Customer Support and Resources
The Calm Harm App
Developed by the teenage mental health charity stem4 and Clinical Psychologist Dr. Nihara Krause, Calm Harm offers several customer support options and additional resources to help users manage the urge to self-harm.
Customer Support
While the app itself does not provide direct customer support in the form of live chat or phone lines, it is designed to be user-friendly and intuitive. Here are some key points:
- The app is private, anonymous, and safe, ensuring users can use it without worrying about their data being shared.
- If users forget their passcode and security answer, they will need to reinstall the app, as these cannot be reset due to the app’s privacy and security measures.
Additional Resources
Calm Harm provides several resources to support users:
App Features
- The app categorizes tasks into five main areas: Comfort, Distract, Express Yourself, Release, and Random. These categories offer various activities to help manage self-harming behaviors.
- It includes breathing techniques to help users be mindful, regulate difficult emotions, and reduce tension.
- Users can journal and self-reflect, and the app helps in building a ‘safety net’ of helpful thoughts, behaviors, and access to supportive people.
External Resources
- The Calm Harm website offers downloadable resources free of charge, which can be useful for both users and professionals.
- The app signposts users to additional help, directing them to resources and support services when needed.
Community and Reviews
- The app has received positive reviews from users, many of whom have found it highly beneficial in managing their self-harm urges. These testimonials can be a source of encouragement and support for new users.
Professional Guidance
- While the app is not a substitute for professional treatment, it encourages users to seek assessment and individualized treatment from health or mental health professionals. This ensures that users can integrate the app’s tools into their broader treatment plan.
By leveraging these resources and features, Calm Harm provides a comprehensive and supportive environment for individuals to manage their self-harm urges effectively.
Calm Harm - Pros and Cons
Advantages of Calm Harm
Effective in Reducing Self-Harm
The Calm Harm app has been shown to be highly effective in helping users manage and reduce the urge to self-harm. Statistics indicate that 92% of users reported that an activity helped reduce this urge, and there was an 84% reduction in self-harm behaviors between therapy sessions.
Evidence-Based Approach
The app is developed using principles from Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT), an evidence-based treatment approach. It was created by Dr. Nihara Krause, a Consultant Clinical Psychologist, in collaboration with young people who self-harm, ensuring it is both clinically sound and user-friendly.
Immediate Support
Calm Harm provides immediate techniques to help users manage strong emotions and urges to self-harm. It offers activities categorized into Comfort, Distract, Express Yourself, Release, and Random, which can be completed in 5 or 15-minute blocks to help ride out the urge.
User-Friendly and Accessible
The app is simple to use, with a user-friendly interface and attractive design. It is free, private, and anonymous, making it accessible to a wide range of users. It has been downloaded over 3 million times and is available on smartphones, which many young people have access to.
Clinical Safety and Monitoring
The app has a Clinical Risk Management Plan and a Clinical Safety Case Report. It undergoes regular clinical safety reviews, ensuring that any risks are monitored and mitigated effectively.
Positive User Feedback
Users have reported positive benefits from using the app, with many stating it has significantly improved their lives. The app has also received several awards for its effectiveness and innovation.
Disadvantages of Calm Harm
Not a Substitute for Professional Help
While the app is highly effective, it is not a substitute for professional mental health treatment. It is recommended to be used as an adjunct to therapy, with regular reviews by a therapist to ensure ongoing support and progress.
Limited Adaptiveness
The app’s simplicity, while a strength in terms of usability, can also be a limitation. It lacks some of the adaptive and motivating features that could make it more engaging as a standalone tool.
Dependence on User Motivation
The app requires users to have a certain level of energy and motivation to “ride the wave” of the self-harm urge. This can be challenging for some users, especially during periods of high distress.
Accessibility Barriers
There is a remaining barrier for young people who do not have access to a smartphone or personal device, limiting the app’s reach to those who need it but lack the necessary technology.
Overall, Calm Harm is a valuable tool for managing self-harm urges, but it should be used in conjunction with professional therapy and support.
Calm Harm - Comparison with Competitors
Unique Features of Calm Harm
- DBT Principles: Calm Harm is built on principles from Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT), a well-established and evidence-based psychological treatment. This sets it apart from many other apps that may not be grounded in such specific therapeutic frameworks.
- Immediate Techniques: The app provides immediate techniques to help manage self-harm urges, categorized into Comfort, Distract, Express Yourself, Release, and Random activities. These activities are designed to help users “ride the wave” of the urge to self-harm.
- Breathing Exercises and Journaling: Calm Harm includes breathing exercises to help users stay mindful and regulate difficult emotions, as well as a journaling feature for self-reflection and tracking progress.
- Privacy and Anonymity: The app is private, anonymous, and safe, which can be particularly important for users who are hesitant to seek help due to privacy concerns.
Potential Alternatives
AI Life Coach Apps
While Calm Harm is specifically focused on managing self-harm urges, AI life coach apps offer broader personal development and mental health support.
- Rocky.AI: This app focuses on personal growth through self-reflection and accountability, using neuroscience-based techniques. It offers daily personal development prompts, goal setting, voice input options, and mindfulness training. Rocky.AI is more geared towards general personal development rather than specific self-harm management.
- TextMei: This app provides emotionally intelligent conversations and practical coaching, including habit tracking, AI journaling, and daily reminders. TextMei is more about emotional support and self-reflection, which might be beneficial for users who need a more holistic approach to mental health.
- Woebot: Woebot is an AI-driven mental health chatbot that uses cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) techniques. It helps users challenge negative thoughts, track their mood, and offers mental health education. While not specifically focused on self-harm, Woebot can be a useful tool for overall mental health management.
Other Mental Health Apps
- Replika: This app acts as an AI companion, offering life coaching and mental wellness tools. It focuses on creating meaningful emotional connections and provides conversational coaching, mindfulness exercises, and stress relief tips. Replika is more about emotional connection and general mental wellness rather than the specific management of self-harm urges.
Key Differences
- Specific Focus: Calm Harm is uniquely focused on managing self-harm urges, whereas other apps like Rocky.AI, TextMei, and Woebot have a broader focus on personal development, emotional support, and general mental health.
- Therapeutic Basis: Calm Harm’s foundation in DBT sets it apart from apps that may use other therapeutic approaches or more general coaching methods.
- Immediate Support: Calm Harm’s immediate techniques and breathing exercises are specifically designed to help users manage urgent self-harm urges, which is not the primary focus of the other apps mentioned.
In summary, while Calm Harm is an excellent tool for managing self-harm urges with its DBT-based approach and immediate techniques, users looking for more general personal development or broader mental health support might find alternatives like Rocky.AI, TextMei, or Woebot more suitable.
Calm Harm - Frequently Asked Questions
Frequently Asked Questions about the Calm Harm App
What is the Calm Harm app?
The Calm Harm app is a free mobile application designed to help young people manage the urge to self-harm. It was developed by Clinical Psychologist Dr. Nihara Krause MBE in collaboration with young people and is based on principles from Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT).
Who is the Calm Harm app for?
The Calm Harm app is intended for young people over the age of 13 who need help managing self-harm urges and overwhelming emotional reactions. However, it can be beneficial for anyone over 13 who struggles with distress and self-harm.
What activities and categories does the Calm Harm app offer?
The app provides several categories of activities to help users manage their urges:
- Comfort: Helps users care for themselves instead of harming.
- Distract: Aids in learning self-control.
- Express Yourself: Allows users to get their feelings out in a healthy way.
- Release: Offers safe alternatives to self-injury.
- Random: Provides a mix of activities.
Additionally, there is a breathing exercise to help users stay mindful and calm.
How does the Calm Harm app help users?
The app helps users by providing immediate activities and techniques to break the cycle of self-harm behavior. It assists in exploring underlying trigger factors, building a ‘safety net’ of helpful thoughts and behaviors, and accessing supportive people. Users can also journal and self-reflect within the app.
Is the Calm Harm app a substitute for professional help?
No, the Calm Harm app is not a substitute for assessment and individualized treatment by a health or mental health professional. It is meant to complement existing treatment and provide additional support when needed.
Is the Calm Harm app private and safe?
Yes, the Calm Harm app is private, anonymous, and safe. It does not collect any personal information, ensuring user confidentiality.
How can I access the Calm Harm app?
The Calm Harm app is available for free download on both the Google Play Store and the Apple App Store.
Can I customize the activities in the Calm Harm app?
While the app offers pre-set categories and activities, users can select activity blocks of 5 or 15 minutes to suit their needs. However, there is no option to create fully customized activities within the app itself.
What if the activities in the Calm Harm app do not help immediately?
If an activity does not help, the app prompts users to try another activity. Users can also journal their experiences and feelings, although this is currently only possible after the urge has passed. There are plans to consider user feedback for future updates.
Are there any awards or recognition for the Calm Harm app?
Yes, the Calm Harm app has received several awards, including the Health Tech Awards Winner for ‘Best Healthcare App of the Year’ 2021, Digital Leaders 100 Awards Winner for ‘Tech for Good Initiative of the Year’ 2020, and Third Sector Awards Winner for ‘Digital Innovation of the Year’ 2019.
Calm Harm - Conclusion and Recommendation
Final Assessment of Calm Harm
Overview and Purpose
Calm Harm is a highly regarded mobile app developed to help individuals manage and resist the urge to self-harm. Created by Clinical Psychologist Dr. Nihara Krause in collaboration with the teenage mental health charity stem4, the app is grounded in principles from evidence-based Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT).
Key Features
- The app categorizes tasks into several categories: Comfort, Distract, Express Yourself, Release, and Random. These categories offer a variety of activities aimed at coping with self-harming behaviors by fostering self-care, redirecting attention, expressing feelings healthily, and providing safe alternatives to self-injury.
- It includes a breathing technique to help users stay mindful, regulate emotions, and reduce tension.
- Users can track their progress, journal, and self-reflect, which helps in identifying and managing emotional states effectively.
- The app is private, anonymous, and safe, ensuring user confidentiality.
Who Would Benefit Most
Calm Harm is particularly beneficial for individuals aged 12 and older who struggle with self-harming behaviors, often associated with anxiety, depression, or other mental health issues. It is especially valuable for teenagers, given that one in 12 teenagers, mostly girls, engage in self-harm according to some studies.
User Experience and Impact
The app has received positive reviews from users, who report significant improvements in their ability to manage self-harming urges. Users appreciate the variety of activities and the app’s ability to help them through tough times. The app’s effectiveness is also recognized through several awards, including the Health Tech Awards and Digital Leaders 100 Awards.
Recommendation
Calm Harm is a valuable tool for anyone struggling with self-harm. It offers immediate techniques to help break the cycle of self-harming behaviors and provides a supportive environment for users to explore their emotions and develop healthier coping mechanisms. While it is not a substitute for professional treatment, it can be a powerful adjunct to therapy, helping users manage their urges and track their progress.
In summary, Calm Harm is a highly recommended app for those seeking to manage self-harm, particularly adolescents and young adults. Its user-friendly interface, diverse range of activities, and evidence-based approach make it a valuable resource in the self-improvement and mental health toolkit.