A hug for your brain

Susie, a college student is struggling from significant anxiety and depression. She feels heavy pressure from her parents to do well but she also feels pressure to fit in at school.  She feels torn between the peer pressure of social events and the stress incurred from her parents. She feels she may be inadequate to handle her schoolwork but is scared to ask for help.  She constantly fears what will happen if her grades are low. 

She worries incessantly and has started drinking to cope with her anxiety. She knows she needs help but doesn’t know who to tell or what to do.  She doesn’t really know how to access the student wellness therapy offerings and she really does not want to tell her troubles to a stranger.  How will they help, she thinks?  They don’t know what my parents are like or what stress I’m under.  She hasn’t made enough close friends at school yet to talk to, plus everyone is too caught up in partying.  She feels lost and alone.

Susie’s story is all too common.  She needs a warm handoff to someone she knows and trusts, who can then encourage her to seek professional help if  needed.   How do we bridge from Susie’s needs to the professional services the college offers? And how do we secure enough help that we can meet the need of all the Susie’s at college? How do we even find out who is suffering and needs help?

With NeuraBoot, Susie, in a time of intense uncomfortable emotions, is immediately connected to one or more of her closest supporters, without having to personally reach out.  With the app’s patent pending mood collaborator technology, her supporters are alerted (with Susie’s permission) when Susie is feeling overwhelmingly anxious, heavy with sadness over a bad grade, or extremely upset.   Once alerted by the detailed custom text, her supporter can reach out, listen, validate and help encourage Susie to seek professional help if needed.  

In a time of crisis, students often hesitate to turn to a stranger, even if they are a therapist.  In that moment, often what they first need is a warm, familiar voice.