PRESERVING MENTAL HEALTH in Severe Mentally-Draining Conditions

PRESERVING MENTAL HEALTH in severe mentally-draining conditions

Mental health - n. a state of well-being in which every individual realizes his or her own potential, can cope with the normal stresses of life, can work productively and fruitfully, and is able to make a contribution to her or his community. (defined by the World Health Organization)

1 Introduction

01 Introduction...... 5 02 Coping Methods...... 15 03 Seeking Help...... 25 04 Interviews...... 31 05 Survey...... 39 06 Ideation...... 49

2 3 Introduction

Design Intent

Explore the topic of mental health in order to develop a tool in the form of a product or service to help people experiencing situations that may severely impact their mental well-being or aid their therapists in helping them.

4 01 5 The Idea

A smart device within the A Summary of Information user’s comfortable space that is Gathered in this Research available for immediate comfort, but also encourages the user to consider From my research, I found that there is a plethora of effective methods seeking recovery methods without for overcoming mental health issues available for people who are looking for them. These can range from various forms of therapy and medication imposing on their safe space. to finding someone who they can connect with and talk about your experiences with. Every case is different and some methods might work better for one individual than another. The idea is to cancel out the reasons that the user might have for avoiding help by providing them with something that they commonly The problem lies in the fact that most of the people who need these own or use for support on a regular basis. Common comfort objects services are not actively seeking them. Whether it is the fear of facing include blankets, pillows, dolls. Oher people mght soothe themselves by discrimination, financial reason, or other, the fact is that they are either listening to music. The hope is that reaching out to the user’s where they refusing to seek help or unaware of their own condition. Identifying and are the most comfortable will make it easier for them to open up. acknowledging the problem is a crucial first step to recovery. Once the user’s gains confidence in the device, it will gradually ease the However, rather than looking ahead and exploring options for long term process of reaching outside of their comfort zone and subtly encourage recovery, these people tend to reach out for temporary stress-relievers. the user to consider seeking help. I believe that evensimple suggestions allowing the user to know what is out there will help get the idea of recovery in their minds. The suggestions will be mixed in with other more immediate stress relieving suggestions such as breathing excercises and meditative practices.

6 7 Some experiences that may What makes them similar? severely impact mental health

Although, each of these experiences Abuse are very different and require very different things for a positive recovery, they share n. cruel and violent treatment of a person or animal. violent treatment involving sexual assault, especially on a regular basis. insulting and offensive language. certain qualities that allowed me to group them together.

Trauma • People in one or more of these situations are likely to develop another. n. powerful psychological shock that has damaging effects. a deeply distressing or disturbing experience. emotional shock following a stressful event or a physical injury, • People in any of these situations are likely to be which may lead to long-term neurosis. in denial or just be unaware of their own condition.

• People in one or more of these situations are likely to refuse help even though the knowledge is there for various different reasons. Depression • It is usually difficult or even impossible to tell from an outside n. a state of sadness, gloom, and pessimistic ideation, with loss of interest or pleasure in perspective that this is going on if the person does not seek help. normally enjoyable activities, accompanied in severe cases by anorexia and consequent weight loss, insomnia or hypersomnia, asthenia, feelings of worthlessness or guilt, diminished ability to think or concentrate, or recurrent thoughts of death or suicide. It appears as a symptom of many mental disorders.

Anxiety

n. a state of uneasiness, accompanied by dysphoria and somatic signs and symptoms of tension, focused on apprehension of possible failure, misfortune, or danger.

8 9 (7) Why? The Stigma

“One in four people in the world “Over the years, I’ve heard many will be affected by mental or neurological creative names for therapy... hocus pocus, disorders at some point in their lives. mental brainwashing, and headshrinking... Around 450 million people currently suffer Unfortunately, to this day, the realm of from such conditions, placing mental therapy or counseling still remains quite disorders among the leading causes of mysterious to most people, somewhat like ill-health and disability worldwide.” a magic trick.” - World Health Organization - Dana Gionta Ph.D.

It is very likely that everyone reading this has been affected or knows someone close to them who has been affected by a mental health issue. People associate the word “mental” with the word “crazy.” All things In most cases, it is nearly impossible to tell whether a person is suffering- mental health related has built up a very negative conotation within the from poor mental health unless they verbalize it, but desppite this cover, society and modern culture. Often when referring to seeing a psychiatrist it is nevertheless very prevalent in our society, No one is not affected by or psychotherapists, people will first think of mental hospitals, and insane mentla health related problems in one way or another so there is no rea- asylums as portrayed in modern media. son why anyonw should not care. This is one of the biggest detterents that keep people who need help from seeking help. They do not want to be associated with the stigma of mental health issues. They fear being judged by their loved ones or their peers. In most cases, they also avoid seeking help because they do not want to acknowledge their condition. They do not want to consider that they may be mentally unstable. Being “mentally unstable” also holds a very negative conotation and could become the cause of discrimination, loss of a job, loss of friends and family, and in turn the cause of the increased severity of the issue at hand.

10 11 (10) (8) Some Stats #faceofdepression

This hashtag was started to show how hard it can be to tell if a person is going to depression. It is rare that a person experiencing depression will openly express their emotional experiences openly from the start. In most cases, they will doubt themselves and blame themselves and force them- Depression affects 19 million American in any given year selves to appear normal or een extra bright and cheery in front of other 1 in 4 Americans will develop depression at some point in to avoid the idea of burdening those aroudn them with their emotional troubles. Every day people who you may never suspect may be suffering their lives from depression. And, unfortunately, this can also apply to those who are suicidal, in some caes, until their death. 80-90% of people who receive treatment feel better within weeks

Only one third of these people receive treatment

10 million men and women in the US are abused in one year

18.5% of returning veterans reported symptoms consistent with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) or depression

The prevalence of domestic violence among women in the United States ranges from 9% to 44%, depending on definitions

12 13 (10) Coping Methods

What type of sources are people turning to to cope with their situation? What kind of products are available to help people overcome episodes of severe stress?

People going though anxiety, withdrawal, or depression instinctually search for something to help them cope with the feelings they are experiencing. They seek comfort in objects or services that are easily accessible and can relieve some of the stress. This can include objects that facilitate comforting gestures or amplifies a soothing sensation. This can also include meditative activies.

14 15 photo from02 desertserenityfloat.com Comfort Objects

“In a study that will surprise few parents, it was found that children preferred their cherished comfort blankets or favourite raggedy bear over duplicates apparently identical in every way.” - The Gaurdian

70% of children develop strong attachments to inanimate objects. Some common objects include dolls or blankets. Many studies have been conducted in which children are given something they own and an exact replica or that object and in almost every case, the child chose the one they owned even if the exact replica was newer. What’s even more sur- prising is that the same results were shown in a study conducted on adults.

According to Psychology Today, adults who hold on to their childhood comfort objects are less likely to suffer from anxiety disorders and adults who have a comfort object like a favorite blanket are likely to do better in high-stress environment

According to Brittany Loggins, “..millennials are the largest group that still photo from desertserenityfloat.com sleeps with that sentimental something into adulthood.”

16 17 (11) Weighted Blankets “In psychiatric care, weighted blankets MFEEL Mini USB are one of our most powerful tools for Essential Oil Diffuser helping people who are anxious, upset, “This one is perfect for work. I work in a and possibly on the verge of losing call center so it can get a little stressful control,” -Karen Moore at times.”

Nayoya Acupressure Mat HealthmateForever Pressure “The Nayoya acupressure mat has tons Activated Massage Pillow of carefully-placed spikes that promote “Some people find that gentle vibrations circulation and stimulation. It also comes are extremely helpful when it comes to with a neck roll, and it’s helpful with easing feelings of over-stimulation.” back pain as well as stress.”

Huggaroo Neck Wrap Bamboo Sleep The “It’s filled with heat-absorbing clay Noodle Adjustable Pillow beads, safe for the microwave or the Hypoallergenic and made with a bam- freezer, and shaped to hug your neck boo cover, this shredded memory foam and shoulders...It’s even filled with herbs pillow has an adjustable plastic spine like lavender, lemongrass, chamomile, core structure allows you to play with and peppermint to relax your mind and shape unlike any other pillow will. calm your body.”

18 19 (3,4) Mindfulness

“Mindfulness is the basic human ability to be fully present, aware of where we are and what we’re doing, and not overly reactive or overwhelmed by what’s going on around us.” Mindful Staff

Mindfulness is a form of meditation. It increases the awareness of what is going on in that moment and steers the attendtion away from anything else happening outside of your immediate reach. A mindfulness coach might tell you to focus on certain bodily functions such as your breathing or heartbeat or tell you to focus on a specific body part and your bloodflow to and through that part of your body. Often the mind drifts off into an untangible space whether that is worrying about the future or pondering on something that has already happened. Mindfulness is meant to bring the ind back to the now.

photo from desertserenityfloat.com

20 21 (14) Float Therapy

“Floatation therapy is a powerful tool for overcoming Acupuncture addictions and trauma. Studies have found that the immediate effects of floating, stress reduction and deep “evidence for the use of relaxation, alleviate withdrawal symptoms and promote acupuncture. . .to treat anxiety a sense of tranquility and well-being. Within the safe disorders is becoming stronger.“ womb-like environment, it is possible to work through Anxiety and Depression Association of America emotional crises and phobias in a calm, objective way. “ BodyMind Float Center

Acupuncture revolves aroundthe idea of “qi” or the flow of enerrgy throughout the body. It uses the inserrtion of needles to clear out block Float therapy is a form of sensory deprivation. A participant goes into the passageways where this energy flows. Acupuncture is known to release dark float therapy capsule. The capsule is filled partially with skin tempera- endorphins and participants come out feeling more positive. A study ture water infused with epson salt. The room temperature water adds to from the University of York in the UK of 755 participants with moderate to the sensory deprivation to hide the sensation of the water and keep the severe depression showed that the overall depression level was reduced participant from feeling warm or cold. The epson salt not only has thera- from 16 to 9 out of 27 and the benfits lasted for three months after the putic effects, but also allows the participant to float effortlessly. Once the session. participant is inside, the door is shut and the sensory deprication begins. Float therapy provides an ideal meditative environment where all forms of distrations are eliminated. One sesion usually last from an hour to and hour and a half. According to the BodyMind Float Center, float therapy aids in injury recover, pain relief, sleep disorders, and stress, PTSD, and addiction control.

22 23 (5) (9) Seeking Help

80-90% of people who receive treatment feel better within weeks

All cases are different and sometimes it requires a little bit of searching, but most people who seek help will eventually find form of professional help that will work for them if they take action. This could mean meaning with a psychiatrist and recieving medication or finding a therapist who they connect with and decide to meet with regularly. It can even be a form of group therapy. Learning that there are other people who understand what they are going through and being able to talk 03 about it is key to recovery. Any form of discussion will help the individual define their problem in more tangible terms and work toward a solution.

24 25 photo from desertserenityfloat.com Crisis Text Line National Suicide Prevention Lifeline

Text 741741 Call 1-800-273-8255

The Crisis Text Line allows peope experiencing episodes of severe anxiety, The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline is specific to the suicidal. This call withdrawal, or depression or in other words, a “crisis” to text their number line is geared specifically toward suicide prevention and the counselors and speak with an anonymous counselor. This is a one time service and are trained for the purpose of talking callers out of commiting suicide does not replace a long-term counselor. However, it is a great outlet for but are also available for emotional distress counciling to prevent suicidal people who are in a crisis and have not sought long term help. thoughts before they develop.

In a survey I conducted of people struggling with mental health issue, In the survey I conducted, “talking to a counselor on an anonymous call participants ranked “texting an anonymous counselor througha crisis line” was ranked lower than the anonymous text line. text line” as the second most prefered method of talking about their ex- periiences for the first time. It was second after “meeting with a long-term The lifeline is available 24/7 across the country with over 160 local crisis counselor.” centers. Aslo, like the Crisis Text Line, the National Suicide Prevention Life- tine website also provides a plethora of other resources for thsoe who are The Crisis Text Line website provides a survey for texters when they are struggling, but refer not to call. experieinces a high-volume of texts. The survey helps the users identify their struggles and provides alternative resources for help if the survey shows that they are not in an immediate crisis. The line shows priority for those who are suicidal when they are experiencing a high-volume but is otherwise open to all experiencing a crisis.

26 27 (7) (2) Therapist

Psychologist

28 29 (15) Interviews

Counselors Anonymous Interviewees

30 31 photo from desertserenityfloat.com04 “Access is huge component that deters people from seeking help”

It took me a month to schedule an interview time with the SU Counseling Center and even then I did not get to see the counselors that I had originally asked to meet with, so I asked Cory about access. Cory Wallack “In a lot of cases group therapy is Counselor better for them, but most people who SU Counseling Center come in want to talk one-on-one”

Cory stressed the importance of community in recovery. For a lot of his clients, finding a community on campus that they fit in with really helped them in their recovery process. And sometimes that is enough.

“If they are not doing anything to help themselves then they are stuck...”

Rebecca is trained to suggest very specific coping methods or ask the clients to do specific things to remove hazards from around them, but if they are not responsive to the things she says and refuse to cooperate, Rebecca Duke there is only so much she can do. Counselor Crisis Text Line “I would tell them to try getting some sleep but a lot of the times they are people who have been having trouble sleeping” Rebecca is trained to suggest very specific coping methods or ask the clients to do specific things to remove hazards from around them.

32 33 “Destigmatizing mental illness and disorder the ﬁ rst step. I think encouraging people to consider therapy even if they think everything it their life is ﬁ ne. Catching the signs early makes them easier to understand in the long run. I Anonymous 01 (Amy) Relationship Abuse think that if more people logically Depression understood their mental processes it Bipolar Disorder could prevent suicides.” This anonymous Interviewee was given a false name for reference purposes. Amy talked briefl y about what she believed was the biggest problem preventing people from recovering.

“I read this thing online a few years ago about how your body regenerates all of the cells every 7 years. So every 7 years you basically have new skin and hair and a new body sort of.

Amy had very specifi c things that helped her get through. None of which were long term though. This quote for example, shows something came across on the internet that made her think about her situation a little bit diﬀ erently. She was still struggling with herself at the time of the interview, but i believe she could help someone with a similar experience if she shared small things such as this that has helped her get by.

34 35 “I thought my family would blame my mom for my death and my mom would not be able to bare the thought that she had caused it. Also, I was afraid my little Anonymous 02 (Sarah) brother would think of Depression suicide when things got tough if I set that example.”

This anonymous Interviewee was given a false name for reference purposes. Sarah described how it was really her family that got herr passed her suicidal state. It wasn’t the idea that they would be hurt, but rarther the tangible experiences that would come as a result of her death.

“No one knew what I went through. Not a single person in my life, until very recently. I didn’t want to be a burden. I am lucky to be where I am now as happy as I am now.”

Sarah described feeling as though she didn’t deserve to cry.

36 37 Surveys

A survey of 12 questions was sent out to college students and various support groups. All participants were affected by one or more mental health illness.

38 05 39 Which of the following best describes your experience?

ABUSE 95% The majority of people who described experiencing any of ASSAULT 85% these mental health issues CHRONIC STRESS 92% also described having depression. EXTREME PHOBIA 100% TRAUMA 84% OTHER 86%

40 41 Were you ever suicidal?

responses of people who described their experiences as the following

ABUSE yes no 76% 94 of 134 people surveyed ASSAULT yes no 81% were suicidal at one CHRONIC STRESS yes no 78% point in their lives. DEPRESSION yes no 76% 59 chose not to answer the question. EXTREME PHOBIA yes no 85% TRAUMA yes no 69% OTHER yes no 62% *those who omitted this question are not pictured in the data set above

42 43 What prevented you TIME/MONEY/RESOURCES/ACCESS “Time and Money” from seeking help? “Money” “Time, resources” “I didn’t want to be a financial burden” “lack of resources, unfamiliarity of resources” “Consistently being able to leave my home and go weekly” “I can’t afford the therapy I would prefer” THE STIGMA/SHAME

“Fear of being judged” NO ACKNOWLEDGEMENT ““Mental health is stigmatized in my country” OF CONDITION/SELF BLAME “I don’t want others to know” “I’m afraid of judgement from the people” “Fear of being judged” ““I’m scare dwhat they’ll think” ““Mental health is stigmatized in my country” “I’m afraid of judgement from these people” “I don’t want others to know” “I’m scared I will scare others and they will think of me badly” “I’m afraid of judgement from the people” “Embarassed about the situation” ““I’m scare dwhat they’ll think” “I was so ashamed of the person I had become” “I’m afraid of judgement from these people” “I was afraid of the stigma and how other would view me” “I’m scared I will scare others and they will think of me badly” “Embarassed about the situation” “Never viewing my problems as important enough” REFUSAL TO SEEK HELP “It seemed normal” ASUMPTIONS “I thought my troubles were insignificant” “I felt like it was my fault for a long time” “Thought I was to be blamed for the situation” “I don’t want my family to worry” “I thought that I could get through it on my own, without real- “I felt like it was my fault for a long time” izing how sick I actually was” “Lack of motivation” “Didn’t want to relive the experience” “Just not sure how to ask for help and put anything in words that make sense” DISCOMFORT/UNFAMILIARITY “It would upset my family” “felt like I would be bothering them” “Scared” “They wouldn’t understand” “I wasn’t ready. I was afraid” “I felt my problems were so sever that I had lot hope that any- “I was uncomfortable with it” thing could possibly help me” “The first experience was traumatic to make me want to ask “I wasn’t ready” for help again” “I feel uncomfortable talking to them” “Hard to talk about” “Guilt. Wanted to avoid confrontation.” “Can’t get myself to talk”

44 45 Anonymous Interviewees were given common phrases that appeared in the survey answers to the question “What coping method worked for you that you would recommend to someone with a similar experience?”and asked to organize them in this chart.

What do they tend to do? What do they need to do?

“Meditation” “Distractions” “See a therapist” “Be alone” “Seek help” “Finding Hobbies” “Be open to recovery” “Go for a drive” “Talk to people” “Excercise” “Take action toward recovery” “Talk about it” “Cleaning” “Medication” “group therapy” “Find someone “Watching tv” “Keeping a journal” “Identify” who will listen even “Watching a clock” “Writing” “Acknowledge” if they are not “Crying it out” “Critical Thinking” “Talking to a counselor” a professional” “Deep breathing” “Talking” “Listening to music” “go to a psychiatrist” “Play games” “Medicine” “Take a long walk” “go to immediately to a “Hug a stuff ed animal” mental health professional“ “Remove yourself from the environment”

Short term beneﬁ ts. Immediate therapy. Seek long term help. 46 47 Ideation

A blanket that keeps track of your movements and vitals and connects you with people who have similar patterns. Once connected the 2 users would be 06 given suggestions of recovery methods.

48 49 photo from desertserenityfloat.com Possible Solution

A blanket that keeps track of your movements and vitals and connects you with people who have similar patterns. Once connected the 2 users would be given suggestions of recovery methods.

What might this device do?

1. Provide immediate stress relief 2. Track vitals of user 3. Track movements and sleep patterns 4. Notify authorities or a close person(s) if need be 5. Subtly encourage user to seek help by providing suggestions 6. Non-intrusive or forceful

7. Create a presence with data collection 8. Connect with people based on vitals and sleep pattern 9. Allow user to see connections, if they choose, via smart phone app 10. Provide the option to remain anonymous until they choose otherwise 11. Give suggestions to mindfulness/meditation/breathing practices 12. Give suggestions to free or affordable counseling options 13. Provide options for group therapy

14. Have the capability of being passed on once the user feels they have recovered enough to not need it.

50 51 Google’s Project Jacquard

Google’s Project Jacquard uses special threads that can conduct electricity. This thread is women into your everyday fabrics. In this way, any of your everyday soft goods, such as your clothing, bags, and shoes, can easily be turned into a smart object. Currently, Jacquard has partnered with Levi’s to develop it’s first piece of smart clothing.

This new smart denim jacket sells for $350. It recognizes gestures such as swiping and tapping. The jacket can be connected to your phone to perform certain actions. With the brush of the cuff, you can change your music volume or get directions to a place.

This revolutionary technology has the potential to become much more than a different fun way to change your music.

I believe with a little bit of development and research it will have the capability to track the movements of the wearer and recognize specific gestures that can suggest discomfort or high levels of anxiety.

52 53 Moving Forward Questions I want to answer

Further developement of Idea 1. Can vitals and movement identify a specific mental health issue? 2. Will there need to be a mic to detect noises created by yelling or toss- Prototyping ing of object? What other components are necessary within this device?

Testing 3. Will people want to use this device? How can I encourage people to use it? What atracts people experiencing mental health issues when they don’t know the state of their condition? When they do?

4. What is the point of contact? What will encourage people to obtain the device in the first place? Is it free? Affordable?

5. Association of Object: Objects take us back to a place, a person, or a time period in our lives that the object is associated with. At what point would this associationchange?

54 55 photo from desertserenityfloat.com Works Cited

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