beyondblue App Helps Keep Exam Stress At Bay

All through her VCE year, Emma Missen felt like she was drowning. A high achiever, Ms Missen had won a scholarship to her private school and felt under pressure to perform well in the exams. Those close to her knew what she was going through, but most friends at school had no clue.

“I think it would have been helpful if some of the people who I was at school with were able to talk to me about the fact that underneath the kind of mask I was putting on I didn’t feel like I was coping, and I was feeling really anxious about things. I felt I was drowning in this exam period and all the pressure that went with that.”

Now a beyondblue app, aimed at 12- to 24-year-olds, is hoping to help young people check in with each other and start a conversation about mental health.

Available from the Apple store or Google Play, The Check-in offers step-by-step advice. It suggests ways to raise mental health, questions to ask and even places to have the conversation. Users can set reminders for follow-up chats with their friend and link in with professional support services.

beyondblue chief executive Georgie Harman said the app was designed to help young people have difficult conversations that could have a positive impact on a friend’s mental wellbeing.

For information go to www.youthbeyondblue.com/thecheckin

– Neelima Choahan

Image by Marvin Meyer from Unsplash