About 3 weeks ago, I installed the Thrive app. I seen a request on Facebook asking people to try it out and review it. I thought it sounded interesting and potentially beneficial to people who use this site, so I said I’d give it a try and offer my thoughts.
So first I’ll list the positives:
- The app has a great design and is easy to use
- It monitors your feelings and responses over a long time. This allows you to keep track of what worked and if our mood is getting better or worse
- It checks how you’re doing every two week. While the app can’t diagnose you, it will recommend if it thinks you need further help
- There are loads of great videos for things like guided meditation and breathing exercises which is fantastic
- You have weekly goals to complete to help you stay on track
Now, the negatives:
- One of my main concerns was that when the app asks how you were doing in the last two weeks, the answers are coloured from green to red. To me it indicates green is good and red is bad and could influence how people answer
- I think it would be better for users to select weekly goals for themselves
- One of the breathing videos I tried stopped guiding you quite early. I would have preferred the voice through the whole session
Overall, I think this app is a great idea. There are a couple of things I would like to see change, but it’s still a work in progress so that isn’t surprising. I think it could really benefit those struggling with general anxiety day to day. It’s a very helpful way to track moods. I think it could really offer an impartial indication of how you’re doing over long periods of time, if used regularly. The videos are also great. It looks like there are going to be more features added that could be really good too.
The app is NHS approved and the links on where to get support are UK based. However, I do think it could benefit people from all over. You can keep an eye on the Thrive website here for further updates.