A mobile app for youth dealing with mental health challenge has been updated thanks to funding by a local organization.
Anyone aged 15 to 24 years of age, dealing with mental health concerns can download an app called BoosterBuddy to check in with their feelings, keep track of appointments and medications, use coping skills, and follow self-care routines.
Users choose an animated ‘buddy’ who helps them through the day.
The app was developed by a design team that included those who have experiences with psychosis, anxiety, depression and other mental health challenges.
“Having basically a cartoon character that’s smiling and fun and bright puts me in a good mood and for me, it’s been a positive experience,” said Isabel Steinberg, a university student from Victoria who uses the app. “And I think it also de-stigmatizes these things because playing on your iPhone looks normal.”
By 40 years of age, one in two Canadians will suffer from mental illness. The first episode usually occurs in teens or young adults and can have lifelong negative consequences.
Most mental health challenges can be treated successfully when symptoms are recognized early.
BoosterBuddy was initially funded by Coast Capital Savings through the Victoria Hospitals Foundation and created in partnership with Island Health.
The most recent contribution from Coast Capital allowed developers to build on the positive feedback from both app users and mental health professionals.
New features include:
- Check in multiple times per day;
- Schedule repeating to-dos in the calendar;
- Android medication reminder bug fix;
- Improved quests; and
- More inclusive language
Since its release in September 2014, BoosterBuddy has been installed over 130,000 times primarily in the United States and Canada.
It is available for free on the App Store and Google Play.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YiihOomSYI0
