Calm Harm – manage self-harm Reviews

by Poison Oak No

Very stupid app. I was expecting little games or activities within CalmHarm but the whole thing just gives you a list of “ideas” of something to do, all of which are very lame and played out - snap a rubber band on your wrist, hold an ice cube, stretch, make a list, etc. We’ve all heard these suggestions before. CalmHarm is equivalent to just Googling “self harm distraction tips.” It doesn’t even give you a spot to type out anything for the list-based suggestions, just tells you to go find a pen. In an episode that is leading towards self-harm, people are not going to have the clarity or patience to go find supplies and do this kind of thing. Little distracting games that require focus or spaces to type things out or stress release activities that can be done within CalmHarm would be much more helpful than this. The only decent part was the breathing exercise. The rest of it is useless and frustrating enough to push someone over the edge in the moment. Don’t bother downloading this.

by Samgoode

I was excited to see CalmHarm because, even though I don't cut, I do engage in self destructive behavior when my anxiety is high. Unfortunately, my experience with CalmHarm wasn't all that helpful...at least in its current iteration.

Right now, it's mainly a countdown timer & a list of anxiety reducing activities. Which wouldn't be bad, except the majority of the activities can't be "performed" in-app.

For instance, quite a few 'wave' actions are things like naming capital cities or doing multiplication tables. Cool, but.. it would be SO much easier if there was a space to type them in on CalmHarm vs having to go find a pen and paper. (Don't try to switch to your notes app either, because you'll get logged out :-/ )

Other activities require that you gather one or more objects that aren't always readily at hand, and trying to remember if there's any bubble wrap in the house or where there might be a stray rubber band at 3AM when you're already amped up? Well, it's decidedly NOT anxiety reducing...Howsabout a piece of virtual bubble wrap? Or some other virtual fidget toy?

I'd also like to see them implement a small journal/note/emotion tracking feature, and some soothing music. (Like some wave sounds,for the wave counter).

Altogether, I didn't find this truly helpful-for me- but I'm hopeful that the developers will expand on its feature set.

by Magdalena Ma'am

CalmHarm has a really good idea behind it but needs a lot of work. I just tested it out to see how things were recorded and couldn’t exactly find a place that allowed you to document when you self harmed, which is a major issue because when you’re trying to kick a major habit, a slip up should be expected and it’s important to keep them documented. Another issue I have is when you finish an activity and it asks you if the urge has passed. If you press no, it will just make you repeat the activity you just did or pick another one. Instead of immediately going to the next activity , I think it would be beneficial to have a quick check in as well as words of encouragement because many times when someone self harms, their level of loneliness is highly elevated. Some of the activities listed actually made me angry because they appeared to be ideas from someone who has never self harmed.

by Tiffani S

What if you can’t remember your memorable word? Ironic, yes, but there are those of us with poor memory who can’t remember what our word was when we first created the account Lord knows when. So when those of us with poor memory are struggling with anxiety or having suicidal thoughts and it is 3AM and you can’t get help because your parents will notice, can’t log into our accounts, then what? Not very calming when you can’t log in. Sure, “there’s other apps, try those”, “call the hotline” (already covered that one), or other suggestions are out there. However, I shouldn’t have to download another app to cover what this one is lacking in and the hotline isn’t an option right now for me. Also, some of us are college students who live with their parents that struggle with mental issues and CalmHarm is great for people like me. The forgotten password issue is a no-go for me.

by Harmonizer872749301

I think that this is a great app with a good intention, however, I feel as if some flaws exist.
First of all, for most of the activities, I have no motivation to get up and do because it’s 3 AM in the morning and I’d just rather not.
Second of all, I hate that I have to enter a password each time. I find that really aggravating, especially if I type in my password wrong. I think that the options to “ride the wave” out should be available every time you need it without having to log in. Maybe only have the user enter their password when they’re accessing their private information such as “number of times you’ve rode out the wave” or something.
Otherwise, I find CalmHarm to be great!

by RaurImaDino

I found CalmHarm helpful when I could open it. Generally during the times I reallyyy needed it I would be too flustered and anxious to be able to type in my password correctly and then I think I misspelled my memorable word at the beginning because it kept saying it was wrong. But again, that might have been because I was not in a clear headspace to think about typing something correctly. When I needed CalmHarm I wanted and needed it to open right away, but instead I had to type a password in and that usually just made me more anxious and frustrated which was exactly what I didn’t need.

by Sarawileyxo

I saw CalmHarm on Twitter. I was looking for an alternative to some breathing based apps for winding down and then saw the distraction option for CalmHarm (and the breathing one). Thought it was an interesting concept even though I don’t physically self harm (I just overthink things). I know this is geared towards people who self harm but really it could be used for everyone at every age. I think it’d be helpful if you had different reasons to choose from why you’re using CalmHarm because the get help literature is excessive upon first use and kind of put me off a little bit. Also, it was giving an error when selecting location so I picked a different location and changed it later in settings. When people want help the last thing they need is an error screen. Otherwise, great app upon first use. Will return and hope for positive changes!

by Jsgolden19

I found CalmHarm easy to use, which was helped by what I recognized as the utilization of many therapeutic techniques, including setting small, measurable goals, self-monitoring, and a strengths-based approach. Given that self-harm is not something I have personally experienced, I do not know how helpful it would be when used, but the design and functionality of CalmHarm make me think it would be an extremely useful resource for social workers to recommend for adolescent patients who struggle with self-harm. I think this would also be useful to incorporate into sessions with adolescents, where the clinician could inquire about what kinds of exercises helped dissipate the urge to harm.

by Qwertymachado

It’s annoying to constantly have to log back into it. I don’t know if it’s just me or other people are having the same problem. Sometimes I forgot my password and memorial word and can’t get in for a while. I get it that it can be tracking you for improvements or something, but I think it should be something that you can just jump right into whenever you need it. Other than that though, it’s amazing and I really recommend it anyone who’s struggling with self harm or any other mental illness. It’s not given enough credit for the fact that it can also help with panic attacks, depressive episodes, bursts of anger, and simply something to keep you calm.

by ChloeeeAB

CalmHarm is great! It offers loads of self-harm alternatives, and it lets you give info such as what triggered the urge to self-harm, how strong the urge was, and how much each activity helped. Then there is the recently added “streak” feature. I was excited to start using CalmHarm to track how long I have been clean for. My only issue is that I can’t change the day that my streak started! I have been clean from self-harm since February, but CalmHarm won’t let me change my start date to anything earlier than April 2nd. This would be a 5-star app if we were able to change the start date for our streaks to earlier dates!

by R B Numeral

I just got CalmHarm and it seems like it will be VERY helpful! This is my first comment on any app ever. I normally don't comment or review apps, but this one is important.

The one problem I have with CalmHarm is that each time you enter CalmHarm you have to login. I know that when I am an emotional/mental unstable place it can be difficult to think of things like passwords or I might need help a little faster than it takes me to remember a password and then type it in. I understand this is probably for privacy reasons, but maybe there can be alternative ways of logging in?

Otherwise CalmHarm is great and I am thankful it was created!

by Cargles

CalmHarm is great, except the log in is so stressful and aggravating. when you tap on the bar that asks you to log in, it takes about 10 tries until the keyboard pops up and it makes me even more aggravated and upset than before. also i wish there was an option for a random activity so you didn’t have to scroll through every time and choose one. Otherwise CalmHarm has really been helpful and i highly recommend!!!

by Chinicole

Overall Calm Harm provides users age twelve and older an experience that encourages them to shift their mindset to activities or tasks that are intended to distract them from self-harming behavior. These activities and tasks are representative of mental health frameworks and engage the user to develop a stronger sense of self and reflect on relationships, accomplishments and health coping mechanisms. The range of activities allows the user to explore their evolving mindset and provides the user with an interface that can likely be used over a period of time. Lastly the data and information that is collected is placed in simple charts and logs which allows adolescent users a quick and effective way to track their progress, patterns and trends. It would be beneficial for the user to be able to share these charts and data with mental health professionals and caregivers without having to provide their passcode and login information. Lastly there is a need for additional resources, specifically mental health resources intended for the adolescent population since CalmHarm is marketed to those twelve and older.

by Josie123456789&

As someone who has self harmed for years but has been trying to stay away from it, CalmHarm is amazing. Not only did it offer countless options to distract me or to help me through the wave-which the urge to cut is-it also reminded me I’m not alone. Even when I’m mad at the people around me, knowing someone out there made CalmHarm and wants to help you through the feelings is just overwhelming. The first few times it works you feel honestly so surprised to come out without having done anything to yourself. Thank you so much to the creators.

by J. Hunter 🥀

CalmHarm is excellent. I used it a bunch last year when I was struggling with my mental health, and I was recently cleaning out my phone and found it hidden in my health folder. I tried to log in but I forgot my pin and security answer—I smiled so big when I realized I couldn’t get in. I thought, holy hell, I’ve been healthy for long enough to not need this anymore!! I’m probably going to delete CalmHarm because I no longer use it, and I certainly don’t need to have access to all the notes that I wrote when I was in a bad place. However, when I was using CalmHarm , it worked perfectly.

this app was exactly what I needed. It’s saved me from countless anxiety attacks and calmed me down when I couldn’t rely on anyone. Nothing but love for CalmHarm. To anyone who needs this—deep breaths. You will get through this. There is always hope. Please please take care of yourself. You are worthy of health and happiness. Sending all the love and good vibes your way ~ <3<3<3

- J. H.

by Thelibraryislife

This has really helped me slow down and not make any irrational or harmful choices. It has lots of different options for distractions, coping skills, releasing bad emotions, and the like. My favorite is the breathing exercise. It’s really simple and so effective. It’s discreet enough you can use it almost anywhere. I’ve used it to get over panic attacks at school, home, public areas. It works wonders. Plus, CalmHarm is very private in that it has you put in a password before you can enter CalmHarm , that way no nosy siblings or friends can invade your privacy.

by Pumpkin Buttercup

I’ve been struggling with self harm for years now and it’s been pretty hard to manage. CalmHarm definitely helps a lot, and I love how it tracks your moods and lets you use a journal to keep track of your progress. The only thing I would suggest is that after you “ride the wave” it asks you to pick how you’re feeling (sad, numb, angry, etc.) and it only lets you pick one. It would be nice if it would let you pick multiple because there are some days when I feel both angry and sad equally. But other than that CalmHarm is awesome, but just keep in mind that it doesn’t work for everyone. Hugs!

by A Dude Tryin To Hwlp

I absolutely love everything about CalmHarm and If you don’t give it 5 stars idk what tf you’re doing, it’s the best free resource out there and helped me more than my therapist who costs 300$ a visit and my anxiety medications combined, I’ve recommended this to so many people because it’s amazing not only for s*lf h*rm prevention but also works great for stopping my sensory overload breakdowns, it helps stop panic attacks, gives advice, CalmHarm really does it all I cannot say enough good things about it, it’s discreet, Easy to use, requires a password to enter, customizable and it has options for EVERYONE I’d give it 6/5 (I never write reviews and I’m writing one specifically for this because it’s that good)

by The321human04

This is a wonderful concept. I think my favorite part about it is that the activities have categories. For instance, very few health apps have a “distract” solution. This is often one of the most important ways to help someone in the moment. Thank you for being absolute geniuses. The customization within CalmHarm is also very soothing, and the little characters are adorable. Science says that living by a body of water is good for the mind, so your theme is sweet and reminds me of the ocean and every wonderful memory I have from going to beaches. If there is any way in which I can support your app, I would love to. I do recommend that you take a page to list hotlines, not your own, but maybe the national hotlines for most countries. I don’t know what permissions are involved with that, but I feel like that would be the only touch that could make this even better than it already is.

by Soccerkitty12

I started cutting myself about 5 months ago. I didn’t think it was that bad until my friend told me she cut herself and was getting a therapist. I knew I had to tell my mom. It was hard. I stayed up for a whole night thinking of what to do. I told my mom after school the next day. She was glad I told her and helped me. I went a week without cutting (hardest week ever). Unfortunately I started cutting again from stress. Then I found CalmHarm. It changed my life. I don’t know what I would do without it. I’m now 1 week without cutting. It may not seem like a lot but it is a big accomplishment for me. I just want to say thank you. CalmHarm is amazing.

by KreativelyKathryn

When I downloaded CalmHarm, I thought I would be presented with distracting puzzle games to help ride out the urges and then get the occasional update on how far I progressed through the wave. Instead, I got timed mental word problems that added to my stress and self deprecation when I couldn’t bring myself to complete them. I know I’m not everyone and can genuinely recognize how helpful this can be for others, but for me it wasn’t helpful because when I dip that low in my depression all I can manage to do is hole myself up in a bundle of blankets and CAN’T EVEN MOVE let alone write or problem-solve. It’s more helpful for me to go back to my usual puzzle games, except without the positive reinforcement to help combat the self-harming thoughts.

by Msdamgoode

I was excited to see CalmHarm because, even though I don't cut, I do engage in self destructive behavior when my anxiety is high. Unfortunately, my experience with CalmHarm wasn't all that helpful...at least in its current iteration.

Right now, it's mainly a countdown timer & a list of anxiety reducing activities. Which wouldn't be bad, except the majority of the activities can't be "performed" in-app.

For instance, quite a few 'wave' actions are things like naming capital cities or doing multiplication tables. Cool, but.. it would be SO much easier if there was a space to type them in on CalmHarm vs having to go find a pen and paper. (Don't try to switch to your notes app either, because you'll get logged out :-/ )

Other activities require that you gather one or more objects that aren't always readily at hand, and trying to remember if there's any bubble wrap in the house or where there might be a stray rubber band at 3AM when you're already amped up? Well, it's decidedly NOT anxiety reducing...Howsabout a piece of virtual bubble wrap? Or some other virtual fidget toy?

I'd also like to see them implement a small journal/note/emotion tracking feature, and some soothing music. (Like some wave sounds,for the wave counter).

Altogether, I didn't find this truly helpful-for me- but I'm hopeful that the developers will expand on its feature set.

by Josi111223

You have an option to log some personal information (which includes your year of birth, gender, and if you’re currently receiving professional treatment) for research purposes. I looked around on the internet for a bit but wasn’t able to find anything. At least, nothing under your name. I think it would be really interesting looking at the data. Could you tell me where I might find it? Anyway, CalmHarm is awesome! You’re doing great!