Calm Harm – manage self-harm

I love tracking and seeing my progress. Just makes me proud of myself. What I would like and suggest is adding widgets. I would love to have it on my Home Screen so I could see it without opening the app! Other than that I love it and have been using it for years.

Not only is this app incredible for managing s/h urges, but for other struggles I've had with feeling overwhelmed by emotions, but also helped to manage stronger feelings of anxiety.

I just downloaded the app and I’m already tearing up. I went through an extensive DBT program and this app focuses on a lot of the same principles I am already familiar with. One of my biggest triggers is idle hands. I get so antsy and bored and then overwhelmed by the tightness in my chest and paralyzed by options. It causes me to spiral and make impulsive decisions with negative consequences. It’s so refreshing to have a list of activities that are ACTUALLY doable for a neurodivergent person. Just taking a look around in this app reminded me that there are so many more ways to practice self care. It’s not all working out, skin care, and meal prepping. Sometimes it’s best to just sit and notice. Just be where you are ♥️

i first downloaded this app when i was 15, i’m turning 21 soon. i cannot tell you how thankful i am for this app. it worked so well i stopped using it about two years ago. even though every working coping skill i’ve learned has been from this app, i nearly forgot about it until today. worst panic attack i’ve had in my life, and it pulled me out of it in 2 minutes. rather, my thankfulness did. i was always partial to the comfort and release exercises. I did one of each and calmed myself enough to write this review. it’s not appropriate for me to describe the trenches i’ve been through, but in all of my major episodes i’ve turned to this app. i still remember being happy to see the update to hide exercises we didn’t like, suggesting and being happy to see exercises not asking for mobility or supplies. I don’t have right cocktail of emotional intelligence and vocabulary to say how thankful i am. i used to recommend this app like handing out candy on halloween. hopefully i won’t have to, but i absolutely will again. thank you so much, calm harm. just thank you.

It’s a pretty decent app. It’s help full when your feelings to self harm are like in between low and mid. But if you really feel like your going to it’s not the best. It does keep your streak and has a journal and stuff. You can either do a 1 min or 15 min exercise. Overall I think it’s pretty good

the only thing i would change is the fact that it stops giving you the little trophies after a year. having a higher goal to work towards after one year clean can be difficult :/

THIS APP IS AWESOME!!! Loves 💖 but I was wondering if you guys could add some more options/ activities. It’s AMAZING as I said but I’d really like more things whether it be loud or quiet cuz I get urges late at night but my mom has me go to bed at 8pm. And she hears one little creak and she is like “WHY ARE U UP?!” So yeah, would totally love more activities. LOTS OF LOVE :]

As a Social Worker, I find that this app is great for those struggling with self-harm as it introduces them to emotional regulation and other DBT skills. Also appreciate that the app is discrete, can be used in various settings (at home, at school, in public, etc), and is accessible for many people at no cost!

The Calm Harm App is a helpful, visually stimulating, and easy to use tool for adolescents to “ride the wave” or resist the urge to self-harm. It uses evidenced-based intervention strategies in efforts to break unhealthy self-harm patterns and does so in a user-friendly and age-appropriate way. For these reasons, I am rating the Calm Harm App a 4 out of 5. Laser & Nicotera (2021) describes the “roller coaster” of emotions that many adolescents feel in their development stage. Sometimes adolescents have difficulty naming emotions and connecting them with events or thoughts that preceded the intense feeling. With a more easily aroused limbic system and a slower developing pre-frontal cortex, those entering adolescence are often more likely to experience intense emotions with few internal tools to practice emotional regulation (Steinberg, 2014, pg. 20). Techniques that can help adolescents identify and name the emotion they are feeling and connecting it to an action are crucial in targeting the distressful emotion (Laser & Nicotera, 2021, pg. 22). Fortunately, the Calm Harm app does just that; helping individuals reflect the intensity and identification of an emotion through their activity feedback prompts. By selecting feedback responses that link an activity to an intensity measure and a particular emotion, the application starts the DBT clinical process of “chain analysis” which ultimately aids an individual in identifying patterns and developing skill-based problem solving (Brodsky & Stanley, 2013, pg. 182). Steinberg (2014) suggests that the adolescent “reward” system is more easily aroused which translates to younger individuals seeking immediate gratification. For many people who engage in self-harm, the experience provides immediate temporary relief and is used as a maladaptive coping mechanism (SAMSHA, 2023). Calm Harm provides activities that might delay the impulse to engage in these maladaptive behaviors and does so in a way that provides the user with agency and choice. The ability for adolescents to personalize visual themes and mascots, choose the length and type of activity, and to continue and pause the activity on their own accord, provides them with increased independence and agency that they are seeking in the “push-pull” development stage of adolescence (Laser & Niotera, 2021). There is an effortless understanding and navigation of the Calm Harm app that makes it appealing to any user who is seeking assistance in m

I downloaded this app when I was really struggling. I downloaded a lot of others too cause let’s be real I was pretty desperate and this one made the others look horrible. It’s free. It’s a tracker for how long your streak is. It has little cartoon characters. And it’s helpful for when you just need a little boost and when you REALLY need help. There’s 5 minute things and 15 minute things to do. I personally enjoy the five minute ones more because I have the attention span of an almond. I’m currently at 465 days. I never would’ve gotten to this or even six months without this app. I really do enjoy it :)