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Incapacitating anxiety and panic can strike at any time for any number of reasons, and each time, you can be at a loss of how to take care of yourself. Between the racing heartbeat, crippling fear and spiralling thoughts, it can feel impossible to bring yourself back into the present, but luckily Anxiety Canada (2024) created a resource in the hopes of addressing the impossible.
Anxiety Canada created an app available for Android and IOS users called, Mindshift CBT which involves strategies and principles rooted in cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) to target intrusive thoughts and symptoms related to phobias, worries, panic, and social anxiety. To summarize, CBT works by targeting one of three since they are all found to be interrelated to cause distress in an individual: thoughts, emotions and behaviour. It works on the belief that by targeting one in therapy, the other two can be impacted and changed. Because of the variation in how CBT can used with a client, CBT was found to be an efficacious treatment for a wide array of mental illnesses including anxiety disorders and depression. Whether a clinician targets the client’s emotions, behaviours or thought first, the impact of CBT is evident, even for those that experienced low intensity, remotely-accessed CBT (Trenoska Basile et al., 2022).
Mindshift has many features which makes it a remarkable tool for different people of all ages.
Setting and Track
The app can be used for goal setting and sending gentle reminders to stay on track or for doing daily check-ins to monitor your mood and anxiety. It can also be helpful for those learning to take smaller steps to tackle their phobias.
Immediate Relief
There is also an option for immediate relief, for those that may be consumed by their worries and need to find a way to ground themselves. Between assistance in shifting their thought pattern, reminders to do breathing exercises and suggestions on how to distract yourself, there is also more than one option how to calm yourself. It also provides the contact information for getting in touch with a crisis responder if talking or text is more feasible in the moment.
Education
The app can also be used for educating yourself about topics related to anxiety so you are more equipped on distinguishing the signs of social anxiety versus perfectionism. You can also learn new ways to cope, and practice mindful meditation with their guided recording.
Community Forum
I personally found the online community the most helpful because it can be validating to read another’s experience while having an option to respond to one another anonymously. Although you have to be 18 years and older to use the community feature, the support online is phenomenal and you never feel alone.
There really is something for everyone on Mindshift. I came across Mindshift back in 2020 from one of my coworkers when the pandemic was on the rise, and I still use it to this day. There are some months where I use it more often than not, especially with school but is a powerful tool for everyone I believe, even for those without a phobia or higher levels of anxiety. Guided meditation is a great way to unwind, be present and stayed grounded in the moment which is really important when everyone is living in the midst of hustle culture and being attuned with your body is something you have to force yourself to do. The app provides the short clips of meditations for free, accessible 24/7. Overall I would rate the app 9 out of 10 because the layout does take some time to get used to, but I do recommend everyone give it a try or recommend it to a loved one in need.
References
Anxiety Canada. (2024, June 25). MindShift® CBT App. Anxiety Canada. https://www.anxietycanada.com/resources/mindshift-cbt/
Trenoska Basile, V., et al. (2022). Remote cognitive‐behavioral therapy for generalized anxiety disorder: A preliminary meta‐analysis. Journal of Clinical Psychology, 78(12), 2381–2395. https://doi-org.proxy.lib.sfu.ca/10.1002/jclp.23360
Note: The Free Your Mind Mental Health Society is an independent youth-led organization. The contents of this blog are not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or another qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. In the event of a medical emergency, please call your doctor or 911 or other local emergency numbers immediately. Additionally, this post is not sponsored.