Self-care means "the ability of individuals, families, and communities to promote health, prevent disease, maintain health, and cope with illness and disability with or without the support of a healthcare provider" (WHO).
Self-care is the practice of caring for one's own health and well-being with little or no assistance from healthcare professionals. However, this does not imply that one app can be a specialist in curing problems. Healing does, in fact, come from within; But being directed toward self-care with the right guidance and assistance.
"CBT Companion" was the first app I came to know about. I discovered it featured anxiety and depression tests, which are commonly used in psychological assessment. (These tests can help us to assess problem that we experience at a particular time, but they are not for the diagnoses, only a professional in field can do one.). What I liked about CBT Companion over a week's of use; it is simple and easy to use anytime." Daily Gratitude", "Self-Reflection", "Breathing Exercise" and "Meditation" are among the mindful tools available within this app.
Practicing gratitude on a daily basis has helped me start my day off on a positive note. And every night, I used to write 2-3 lines on self-reflection about my daily emotions, which made me aware of my problems, emotional state and how it affected me. Another useful tool is breathing exercises, which are a great way to practice deep breathing. Its meditation tools helped me with my anxiety and sleep difficulties.
It includes a variety of soothing music and guided meditations, such as a body scan. Aside from the above, the app's unique features of "Goal Values and Action" allow us to focus on our goals and be aware of them as we continue our journey. It was a little frustrating for me because writing my goals took longer than expected. However, it can be in practice when used on a regular basis. In addition, I found "challenging thought tools" to be ineffective. Because of its self-paced nature, it lacked precision.
My experience has been beneficial in terms of keeping my emotions and actions in check with inbuilt tools. It facilitated me in analyzing my thoughts and emotions. All of these tools are excellent for incorporating mindfulness training into daily life. Overall, I've had a positive experience with the CBT Companion app . It can be used in everyday life as well as in therapy to help with progress. According to the American Psychological Association, "Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) is a type of psychotherapy that integrates theories of cognition and learning with treatment techniques derived from cognitive therapy and behavior therapy." CBT is based on the premise that cognitive, emotional, and behavioral variables are functionally interconnected. To achieve change, treatment aims to identify and modify the individual's maladaptive thought processes and problematic behaviours through cognitive restructuring and behavioral techniques". It requires trained and qualified therapists to deal with a person. A trained therapist enables clients to serve as their own therapist with scientific & evident techniques and assessment over the period of sessions. So,
Can app replace a human therapist? or Can it help with proper diagnosis and treatment with its limited function?
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