Panic Attacks iPhone App

[skippy66]

Hi,

I've been a member of this forum for a long time having suffered terribly with health anxiety and panic attacks which started 10 years ago when I was 21 years old. I was getting daily panic attacks and found that nothing was helping to relieve the symptoms except leaving the situation I was in (supermarket queue, restaurant, crowded place etc). The problem is that leaving isn't always possible (eg if you're on a plane or train), and it's a vicious cycle anyway - if you avoid situations due to panic attacks you only make the panic attacks more frequent, which in my case led to agoraphobia.

It was these panic attacks which led me to develop an iPhone app designed to lessen the symptoms. It's designed to help people cope better with the symptoms without them having to leave the situation they're in. The app is called Panic Attack Aid, and I have based each section of the app on CBT techniques I have learned from all the self-help books I have read about panic attacks.

The sections in the app are:

- Breathing: a visual breathing guide designed to replicate the normal respiration rate of a relaxed individual at rest, which will regulate your fast breathing caused by your panic attack.

- Reassurance: this section explains the many scary symptoms of a panic attack helping you to calm down and feel at ease. The reassurance is tailored to your location, for example at the airport, in a queue, at home, in a crowd.

- Distraction: this section is filled with games and simple mental exercises designed to distract you from your panic attack symptoms. The science being that as soon as you forget about your symptoms and focus on something else, the symptoms diminish.

There are also links to helpful resources for people who suffer from panic attacks, like this excellent website.

Panic Attack Aid is available on iTunes all around the world, has received very good reviews and has been endorsed by leading anxiety charity Anxiety UK as an excellent resource for panic attack sufferers in times of crisis.

If you think that this app will be useful to you, you can download it from the Apple app store here:


https://itunes.apple.com/gb/app/panic-attack-aid/id396659945?mt=8


Thanks for reading, and any feedback/reviews would be much appreciated.


Mike

[owlkeeper]

Sounds great. I don't have an Iphone but I'm very happy there are people that are designing apps. Because we have phones with us wherever we go it's an excellent way to help in anxiety/panic situations.

[skippy66]

Thanks for the feedback. Do you have an android phone?

[owlkeeper]

Yes :) A Samsung galaxy note 2

[sandralynn92]

thank you very much for this Mike, I have been searching for something to distract me on my phone when I have attacks. Luckily I have an iPhone. I am very excited to try this out :D

[Shinymonkey]

An app for the Samsung would be really helpful, i sometimes look at facebook or the Sun website to distract me on my phone when i feel anxious or an attack coming on but usually come across something regarding some illness or someone dying that makes me worse!

[Jan11]

Hya, is this app available for a Samsung Galaxy 3 as I find myself trying to distract myself but panic always seems to creep back and win the battle so would love to try this is if it is?

[Laura1989]

I downloaded the lite version, I like the distraction ideas, very useful :)

What do I get in the full version? Is it the breathing stuff etc that you mentioned above??

So far, I like it
Thank you :)

[CameronG]

Absolutely rubbish, not worth downloading! Loads of much better free apps out there

[skippy66]

owlkeeper, Shinymonkey, Jan11 - there is an Android version currently being developed, I will let you know as soon as it's released.

Sandra, Laura - thanks for the feedback. The full version contains the breathing section and the reassurance section, you can read about them here: www.panic-attack-aid.com

[skippy66]

News about our Android version below:

Today, Panic Attack Aid announced the upcoming release of the Android version of its popular iPhone app.
This revolutionary new application is designed to provide instant calming relief to sufferers of panic and anxiety attacks ‘on the go’. Panic Attack Aid will be available to purchase on Android phones for $4.99. A free ‘lite’ version is to be released simultaneously.
Panic Attack Aid uses a combination of breathing techniques, reassurance about the scary symptoms of panic attacks and distraction exercises, all designed to calm down the sufferer before the panic really takes hold.
The app has been designed as a short-term aid to the vast amount of people who suffer from panic and anxiety attacks every year. This is an estimated 6 million American adults aged 18 or over, and at least 1 in 10 people in the UK have occasional panic attacks. Longer term therapy may be required for individuals whose panic attacks become frequent and sustained.
“The Panic Attack Aid app is an excellent resource in times of crisis,” said Nicky Lidbetter, CEO of the well-established, national anxiety disorders charity Anxiety UK. “At Anxiety UK many of our helpline callers are looking for immediate relief from the overwhelming feelings of panic that may engulf them, the techniques in this program cover many of the main coping strategies, and would be of help to panic sufferers.”
Panic Attack Aid will be available for download on Android phones worldwide.
The Panic Attack Aid app comprises 3 main sections. The breathing section is a visual aid for slow, relaxed breathing accompanied by calming positive statements. The reassurance section provides an explanation of the symptoms and is tailored to the location of the individual. Finally the distraction section aims to take the individual’s focus away from their symptoms by engaging them in simple distraction exercises and games.
Panic Attack Aid is already receiving endorsements and creating a media buzz in the health and wellness sector, and is set to become a best-selling health app on Google Play when released in July.
For more information and to download the app visit the Panic Attack Aid website: www.panic-attack-aid.com

[skippy66]

Quick update - I'm delighted to annnounce that Panic Attack Aid has now been clinically approved by the NHS and features on the homepage of their Health Apps website: http://apps.nhs.uk/app/panic-attack-aid/

The Android version of the app will be released in the next week or two.

I still have a couple of vouchers for the iPhone version, if anyone wants a free copy of the app then send me a PM - first come, first served.

:D

[skippy66]

Want to earn a quick £10? I need a tester for our android app which is now live on Google Play. Please send me a quick PM if you're interested. It's £10 for a few mins work!

[donnamarie2408]

hi all, not sure how to start this but i have a motorway phobia, sounds lame i know but i have to drive my daughter to london this saturday to start uni, i should be happy for her but all i think is about myself

---------- Post added at 00:31 ---------- Previous post was at 00:30 ----------

think im on the wrong site

[nomorepanic]

Hi

You are on the right site but this post is in the wrong place

Do you want me to move it?

[nomorepanic]

I see you posted in the right place now

[Neurotic Nick]

Hi mike, i tried to buy the iphone app in the dutch app store but i get an error saying "this item is no longer available" Any way round this?

I want it! ;)

[blue moon]

This agreat app,good for you skippy for giving the information to people.

Petra:D

[Insomniac]

What a great idea! I'm off to download it now. :)

[Hopeandlove]

i thought one of the rules on here is you can't sell anything

[Julianna Leigh]

Thank you for posting this. I'm going to go download it now.

[littlebutterflygb]

Absolutely rubbish, not worth downloading! Loads of much better free apps out there

Why is it rubbish Cameron? Can you please let us know the other free apps you have found?

[blue moon]

I
Absolutely rubbish, not worth downloading! Loads of much better free apps out there



It may be rubbish to you but others may see it different,I think skippy has done wonderful thing to provide an app that will help people.
Well Done skippy.:yesyes:

[littlebutterflygb]

I downloaded the App and found it basic, but useful.

The first time I opened the breathing section, it seemed to me the circle was going too fast and indeed it was, as when I closed the App and then re-opened, it worked fine. For developer information - using a iPhone 4S with latest software update installed, iOS7. As I say, this was on opening immediately after install.

I took me a little while to realise that there was more to the App than I realised and there should perhaps be an introduction page. This is the critical web webdesigner speaking! But I did not actually notice the 'Symptoms' option at the top of the Reassurance page as my eyes were drawn by the subheading of 'Where are you?' The App launches quickly and this is a bonus as some Apps lag - and this is an App you NEED to load quick!

Unfortunately, I cannot 'Rate This App' using the link from within the App as this is returning a 404 error and needs to be addressed - you're missing out on ratings and have none as yet on the Free version Lite. You CAN rate the App from within the App store though.

All this said, if I'd produced this, I'd be happy I had and as basic as it is, its useful and a bargain price.

[AnxietyDJ]

Love this idea... Will give it a try... Can the developer or any users let me know what the differences are between the 'lite' (free) and paid versions (i.e. should I just skip using the free version?).

Many thanks!

[skippy66]

LittlebutterflyGB - thanks very much for the feedback.

AnxietyDJ - the lite version is a very stripped down version of the paid version. It doesn't include the breathing or reassurance sections (only the distraction section).

[AnxietyDJ]

LittlebutterflyGB - thanks very much for the feedback.

AnxietyDJ - the lite version is a very stripped down version of the paid version. It doesn't include the breathing or reassurance sections (only the distraction section).

Cool, thanks for the info! :)

[krischoy]

Hi,
Thank you for designing that very helpful app. I will tell my friends about it that are experiencing panic/anxiety attacks that I am experiencing before.

[curlygirl]

Is there a website or someplace or some way to access this info if you don't have a smart phone? Thank you.

[Mike_NY]

This app isn't on the store anymore? Have checked US and UK stores

[Pwilliams]

Hello all, ive created a health anxiety support group on facebook if anyone would like to join please add me patty williams or the group is called health anxiety support.