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Project Overview
Anxiety is one of the most common mental health problems. Chances are that up to 2 in 10 will suffer from moderate to severe anxiety.
Now sufferers the world over are learning how to manage their anxiety using SAM.
User Review - "This is amazing! I downloaded it while I was having an anxiety attack thinking it probably wouldn't work but tried it and ten mins later I was fine again! Wonderful app!! Seriously recommend it to everyone who has anxiety disorder!”
We are humbled by the enormous impact this app is having on people's lives.
Nomination Commissioner
University of the West of England
Nomination Creator
MyOxygen
Team
Phil Topham, Praminda Caleb-Solly, Paul Matthews, Shashank Singh Kushwah, Chris Mash, Andy Farmer
Project Brief
User Review - “Life Changing- This app is truly the best app I've ever downloaded. Its techniques are very helpful and work very well. You could even save them in case you want to try them. What I like best about this app is the “Social Cloud”. The other users on the Social Cloud are very sympathetic and understanding. They got me through so much. Get this app. Now."
SAM is a psycho-educational tool that help users understand and manage their anxiety. It incorporates a range of established self-help activities that are available 24/7 on the users' device.
The therapeutic structure and usability characteristics of SAM were guided by research on common factors in face-to-face therapy. Thus we wanted users to experience SAM as engaging, credible, optimistic, adult in tone and adaptable to individual needs. The number of downloads and the positive reviews indicate that this is a workable model for mobile self-help.
Project Need
User Review – “I love it!!! – Up until now I've literally had no idea where to start with my anxiety. This app has saved me during two panic attacks already and during several situations in which I was beginning to get too stressed out and revved up. Thank you.”
A unique feature of the SAM technology is the ability for users to personalise their own 'Anxiety Toolkit' of anxiety management resources. There are 37 self-help options including a variety of long and short relaxation exercises, meditation, calming images and interactive games.
The project team consulted student advisors and counsellors within the University and with independent and NHS practitioners in counselling, clinical psychology and psychiatry, as part of developing the content.
Social Cloud, a community forum where users can support each other anonymously is another popular aspect.
User Review - "I have never rated an app before but this compelled me to do so. There are many excellent coping mechanisms explained on this app. There are also fun and helpful tools to use to calm yourself. I am so happy to have found the SAM app. I hope others are helped by it as I am. I also love the anxiety tracker."
User Experience
As quoted by the NHS Health Apps Library - "SAM is a self-help app for people who want to learn to manage their anxiety. Established methods of self-help have been combined with high standards of usability to provide an engaging, flexible, and practical resource."
User Review - "Great App For Anxiety!! - I usually don't do reviews but I must for this app. I've struggled with anxiety for a very long time and this app has been so helpful. The relaxation mental exercises are simply amazing and so are the physical exercises. The anxiety tracker helps me a lot as well as the list so I am aware of what makes me nervous so I know how to handle those situations better. I definitely recommend this app to people with anxiety, people who are very easily stressed, etc."
User Review - "If anxiety is making you feel alone with no hope this app is the tool you need. Work with it and understand your anxiety and make yourself well again I think the people that created this app knew exactly how to manage anxiety. This app can help you. It will make you feel safe and be your companion through anxiety. Brilliant app. Five stars :)"
It is only through following a user-centred design process, involving all stakeholders at every stage, has it been possible to realise a solution that has a clear and usable interface, supports the right functionality for the target user group.
Project Marketing
Following a stringent review by a panel of clinicians, SAM has also been endorsed by the NHS Health Apps Library and is available to download from their website.
User Review - "I love this app, and so I recommended it to Tumblr"
... and it took off from there.
A number of universities and counselling services have also recommended it on their websites.
The highly positive and heart-felt reviews posted by users both on the Android and Apple store must have helped tremendously to achieve a rating of 4.3*.
Since its launch in July 2013, SAM: Self-help for Anxiety Management, has been in the top 100 Health and Fitness app in 52 countries, with 89,507 iOS and 67,090 Android downloads in total to date. It has been downloaded in 100 countries world-wide.
Project Privacy
The personal information collected on the app is processed by the University in accordance with the terms and conditions of the 1998 UK Data Protection Act. The data is kept on a secure server and is not made available to any third party unless permitted or required to do so by law. Storage and deletion of user information is in accordance with the University’s Records Management Policy. User logins (pseudonyms) and passwords are encrypted.
The app does not collect personally identifiable data from users with the exception that there is an optional e-mail address for password reminder purposes. The app enables users to send social cloud data to other servers in the UK via the internet using an encrypted channel - Secure Sockets Layer protocol.
Medical
This category relates to applications that provide or promote a medical service or information.
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