Digital stress management solution for US College Students

像世界各地的许多教育机构一样，美国大学发现他们面临越来越大的压力，需要为学生提供强大的心理健康支持服务。大学生对心理健康服务的需求正在增加，而资源稀缺使得大学很难聘请足够的辅导员来满足需求。其结果是学生必须等待数周才能找到辅导员，或者一旦治疗开始，学生可能会被限制在一定数量的辅导员会议。这个项目是一个可行性研究，看看提供智能手机压力管理资源的影响，以2队列的学生。第一组将集中于目前正在接受焦虑学生咨询服务的学生;第二组将集中于一组不需要咨询服务但经常感到焦虑的大学生。为了控制压力反应，重要的是要学会如何管理压力反应中涉及的两个系统。这比听起来简单。管理压力反应的最有效方法之一是训练身体控制心律或心率变异性（HRV）模式，从而激发神经系统的反应，进而调节压力激素。TakeTen开发了一款压力控制应用程序，通过将指尖放在智能手机摄像头上，可以对用户的心律进行真实的时间反馈。该应用程序在3个区域之一的应用程序界面上反映心律：\* 红色区域反映不安或焦虑状态\* 蓝色区域，中性状态\* 绿色区域反映平静的生理和情绪状态本质上，该应用程序允许用户“_** 看到他们的感受 **_"。它通过创造情绪和生理上的平静来训练用户进入绿色区域。随着时间的推移，他们对自己的神经系统有了更多的控制，并制定了更有效的应对策略来应对压力和焦虑。拟议的解决方案将允许在早期干预和潜在的焦虑症状解决方案。它将允许个人在家中或大学自我管理症状。这反过来将有助于减轻目前对学生心理健康服务的压力，并使那些更需要咨询的人能够更快地获得所需的服务。

Like many education establishments around the world, US Universities find that they under increased pressure to provide their students with robust mental health support services. The demand for mental health services for college students is increasing at a time when scarce resources make it very difficult for Universities to hire sufficient counsellors to meet the demand. The result is students having to wait weeks before a counsellor is available, or once treatment starts, students may be limited to a set number of sessions with the counsellor.This project is a feasibility study to look at the impact of providing a smartphone stress management resource to 2 cohorts of students. The first group will focus on students currently attending student counselling services for anxiety; the second group will focus on a group of college students who do not require counselling services but who identify as being anxious on a regular basis.In order to control the stress response, its important to learn how to manage the two systems involved in the stress response. It is simpler than it sounds. One of the most effective means to manage the stress response is to train the body to control the heart rhythms or heart rate variability (HRV) patterns, which in turn elicits a response in the nervous system and in turn regulation of stress hormones.TakeTen have developed a stress control App which gives real time feedback on the user's heart rhythms by placing a fingertip on the smartphone camera. The app reflects the heart rhythms on the app interface in one of 3 zones:\* the red zone reflects an unsettled or anxious state\* blue zone, a neutral state\* the green zone reflects a calm physiological & emotional stateEssentially the App allows the user to "_**see their feelings**_". It trains the user to get into the green zone by creating emotional and physiological calm. Over time they develop more control over their nervous system and more effective coping strategies to deal with stress and anxiety.The proposed solution will allow for intervention and potential resolution of anxiety symptoms early in the pathway. It will allow individuals to self-manage symptoms at home, or at college. This in turn, will help to relieve the current pressure on student mental health services and allow those individuals who are in greater need of counselling to gain quicker access to the required services.