Just ordered an Apple Watch (Series 8): Mental health uses?

[The Cockney Rebel]

I would rather find a route through nature so you can enjoy the sound of birds, water, etc.
The things a device cannot replace, you know

Either way, hat's off for your motivation. Good luck!

Many thanks.

I stay at my nan’s for half of the week, so will walk around the park when here.

When at my place, the walk will be near to open fields.

Thus, nature sounds 👍.

 

[The Cockney Rebel]

Don't live a life to please the others. You are the owner of your own life. The others cannot tell you how to live a happy life, including me. Love yourself and if you can, get the things that make you happy Cheers.

Appreciate the words of wisdom, thank you.

Wishing you well.

 

[Southernguy]

Bro I feel your pain and wish you well. I find that the watch for me has been exactly what I needed to get me outside and enjoying time away soaking up nature which helps me hugely. I’d say the watch is more important than my phone and combined with the workoutdoors app it’s just what I need some days. A hike and no notifications is perfect 😘

 

[The Cockney Rebel]

Bro I feel your pain and wish you well. I find that the watch for me has been exactly what I needed to get me outside and enjoying time away soaking up nature which helps me hugely. I’d say the watch is more important than my phone and combined with the workoutdoors app it’s just what I need some days. A hike and no notifications is perfect 😘

Some great and positive advice, thank you 👍.

 

[max2]

Positive Metal Health is so important! I wish some countries would realize that. No offense to this country. Talking about my own. Anyway I feel my iWatch helps a lot to keep me focused!

 

[The Cockney Rebel]

Positive Metal Health is so important! I wish some countries would realize that. No offense to this country. Talking about my own. Anyway I feel my iWatch helps a lot to keep me focused!

I hope the Apple Watch helps me, also.

Wishing you well.

 

[The Cockney Rebel]

Many people (including myself) have found this thread to be very useful.

I wonder if it could be made into a sticky?

 

[Trhodezy]

I never considered fasting as having an effect on any of this. Can you share your fasting routine?

My routine really is based on my child, family and work day. More often than not, I go for intermittent 12 hours per day minimum; 18 hours goal. I am starting at bed time (last meal).

But there's no key rules or routines for this type of fasting, but my god does it work. Honestly, it's saved me in many ways than one.

Many thanks, Thom.

I have used intermittent fasting for years, since I went to gym about 7 years ago. Had to stop because of injury.

I was actually going to cancel the AW order (again!) but I think I’m going to leave the order and try those apps you suggested.

Thanks again.

Tommy
London, England

Tommy, honestly, I'd stick to it. I've got just shy of 8,000 hours of fasting behind me. Lost weight, mentally feel even better and truly have a lot of positive changes in life, body and mind. Keep at it with Fastic mate. Try and beat me! (See pic).

You're not far from me - you can find me on various social media outlets (I'm not overly active on them) if you ever wanna' follow and try to beat my Fastic hours and have an extra friend to cheer you along this route of happiness! 😊 @thomrhodes

Thanks, buddy.

I’ll take a look.

I’m vegetarian, by the way.

I'm about to take the plunge with this - it'll be difficult but worth it!

Thanks for the tip. I have tried intermittent fasting, but not intentionally — usually just from a messed up night of sleep. I have tried whole days of fasting as well. I’m now thinking about using Sunday as my fasting day.

Honestly, I've tried all variations of fasting. Daily, intermittent fasting is by far the best. 😊

 

[The Cockney Rebel]

My routine really is based on my child, family and work day. More often than not, I go for intermittent 12 hours per day minimum; 18 hours goal. I am starting at bed time (last meal).

But there's no key rules or routines for this type of fasting, but my god does it work. Honestly, it's saved me in many ways than one.




Tommy, honestly, I'd stick to it. I've got just shy of 8,000 hours of fasting behind me. Lost weight, mentally feel even better and truly have a lot of positive changes in life, body and mind. Keep at it with Fastic mate. Try and beat me! (See pic).

You're not far from me - you can find me on various social media outlets (I'm not overly active on them) if you ever wanna' follow and try to beat my Fastic hours and have an extra friend to cheer you along this route of happiness! 😊 @thomrhodes



I'm about to take the plunge with this - it'll be difficult but worth it!



Honestly, I've tried all variations of fasting. Daily, intermittent fasting is by far the best. 😊

Thanks for the reply.

I’m glad you’re doing well.

Re intermittent fasting, try to eat just once a day. You’ll eventually have to force yourself to eat, as your body and mind get used to not eating.

Thanks for the invite. By the way, I’m now living just outside of London (borders of Kent) but I’m London born & bread 👍.

 

[max2]

Thanks for the reply.

I’m glad you’re doing well.

Re intermittent fasting, try to eat just once a day. You’ll eventually have to force yourself to eat, as your body and mind get used to not eating.

Thanks for the invite. By the way, I’m now living just outside of London (borders of Kent) but I’m London born & bread 👍.

Cool London is really cool. Maybe one day I will be there but it is ok. Not really required. I just like how the city is setup.

I know it is expensive though.

Anyway hope your Apple Watch helps!

 

[The Cockney Rebel]

Cool London is really cool. Maybe one day I will be there but it is ok. Not really required. I just like how the city is setup.

I know it is expensive though.

Anyway hope your Apple Watch helps!

Many thanks.

👍

 

[MindYourMind]

As per the title.

Just came out of hospital, due to something I did because of my mental health.

Need to turn my life around, and thought the AW would help me to do so.

Apart from Apple Fitness, what other steps (no pun intended) do you think I could benefit from, re the Apple Watch?

Wishing you all well, and thanks in advance for any responses.

I’m touched by your honesty and that of others. I hope you don't mind me sharing a word of caution. Just my two cents. When ill health happens to the body due to unhealthy food, health improvement can be expected from eating healthy food. Be careful with believing that an AW can help you to change your mental health for the better because wearing an AW did not play a role in changing your mental health for the worse.

A person’s mental health will change lastingly for the better when he or she understands deeply and becomes aware of the cause(s). Any effect following any aid is dependent and will not yield lasting change. The awareness that flows from deep understanding however is independent and will change us lastingly.

But don’t get me wrong, I do not want to discourage you or anyone, enjoy your AW thoroughly!, it’s just that I observe that real (lasting) change is unrelated.

 

[The Cockney Rebel]

I’m touched by your honesty and that of others. I hope you don't mind me sharing a word of caution. Just my two cents. When ill health happens to the body due to unhealthy food, health improvement can be expected from eating healthy food. Be careful with believing that an AW can help you to change your mental health for the better because wearing an AW did not play a role in changing your mental health for the worse.

A person’s mental health will change lastingly for the better when he or she understands deeply and becomes aware of the cause(s). Any effect following any aid is dependent and will not yield lasting change. The awareness that flows from deep understanding however is independent and will change us lastingly.

But don’t get me wrong, I do not want to discourage you or anyone, enjoy your AW thoroughly!, it’s just that I observe that real (lasting) change is unrelated.

Thanks for your advice.

I know my diagnoses very well, but I just can’t control them.

I restarted my antidepressant and antipsychotic when on the psych ward, but I’m already starting to feel bloated so I’m stopping them again, as of tonight.

I’m meant to be seeing a psychiatrist on Tuesday, so I can either be honest and try a different set of medication, or I can just swerve it.

The combination that I’m on has worked for me in the past, but it doesn’t seem to be working so well now.

All I know is that when I took myself off of the medication before, the EUPD & OCD took over.

I even started to have the thoughts of not wanting to be here anymore again earlier today, which I genuinely haven’t had since I came out of the coma.

I can see this only going one way .

 

[newellj]

Thanks for the advice, and words of wisdom.

I’m going to see if I can find that book, thank you.

Another great, short read, is Who Moved My Cheese. If you read it, let me know which of the four characters reflect your personality .

Haven't - will! On The Four Agreements, it says it's based on the Toltec religion - I have no idea whether that's true. I respectfully suggest that it probably won't offend your Christian beliefs, though I obviously can't say and won't try to tell you what you "should" think or believe. For myself, I read it more as a sort of philosophy or ethics piece rather than a religious piece and found it very valuable. (As I said, I've read it four or five times now.). To me there's nothing particularly or inherently religious about concepts like "let your word be impeccable" and "don't take things personally." And I found the discussion about how we grow up socialized to buy into the "agreements" that our parents and their parents and all of society have made about what we "should" think and believe very insightful, and very consistent with what the Bible teaches about how the world teaches us to see things vs. how God sees things.

 

[newellj]

I’m meant to be seeing a psychiatrist on Tuesday, so I can either be honest and try a different set of medication, or I can just swerve it.

Suggestion: be honest. The doc might or might not have valuable insight, but you won't know unless you offer up your own truth first. You don't have to accept what the doc says, but it's worth knowing what the doc thinks. And just because this person has an MD (if s/he is a psychiatrist) doesn't mean that they get their answers on clay tablets after going up Mt. Sinai. It's an opinion, not necessarily the truth or at least not necessarily true for your case. Be open to the unfortunate reality that it can take quite a few tries to find the right doc.

 

[CyberDavis]

Be careful with believing that an AW can help you to change your mental health for the better because wearing an AW did not play a role in changing your mental health for the worse.

But don’t get me wrong, I do not want to discourage you or anyone, enjoy your AW thoroughly!, it’s just that I observe that real (lasting) change is unrelated.

For sure you are right.
The AW is simply another possible tool that can be used alongside other therapies and support options.
👍

 

[The Cockney Rebel]

Haven't - will! On The Four Agreements, it says it's based on the Toltec religion - I have no idea whether that's true. I respectfully suggest that it probably won't offend your Christian beliefs, though I obviously can't say and won't try to tell you what you "should" think or believe. For myself, I read it more as a sort of philosophy or ethics piece rather than a religious piece and found it very valuable. (As I said, I've read it four or five times now.). To me there's nothing particularly or inherently religious about concepts like "let your word be impeccable" and "don't take things personally." And I found the discussion about how we grow up socialized to buy into the "agreements" that our parents and their parents and all of society have made about what we "should" think and believe very insightful, and very consistent with what the Bible teaches about how the world teaches us to see things vs. how God sees things.

Many thanks.

I appreciate your advice, and I’ll look for that book to read.

 

[The Cockney Rebel]

Suggestion: be honest. The doc might or might not have valuable insight, but you won't know unless you offer up your own truth first. You don't have to accept what the doc says, but it's worth knowing what the doc thinks. And just because this person has an MD (if s/he is a psychiatrist) doesn't mean that they get their answers on clay tablets after going up Mt. Sinai. It's an opinion, not necessarily the truth or at least not necessarily true for your case. Be open to the unfortunate reality that it can take quite a few tries to find the right doc.

Really appreciate your advice and kind words.

Thank you, from the heart.

I don’t trust psychiatrists, and I’m classed as extremely high risk, so I have to be careful.

They have the power to have me sectioned under a treatment order, so I have to bear that in mind.

It’s ironic that medication, for whatever purpose (mental or physical health) tends to come with such negative side effects.

Thanks again, and be well.

 

[Night Spring]

I’m touched by your honesty and that of others. I hope you don't mind me sharing a word of caution. Just my two cents. When ill health happens to the body due to unhealthy food, health improvement can be expected from eating healthy food. Be careful with believing that an AW can help you to change your mental health for the better because wearing an AW did not play a role in changing your mental health for the worse.

A person’s mental health will change lastingly for the better when he or she understands deeply and becomes aware of the cause(s). Any effect following any aid is dependent and will not yield lasting change. The awareness that flows from deep understanding however is independent and will change us lastingly.

But don’t get me wrong, I do not want to discourage you or anyone, enjoy your AW thoroughly!, it’s just that I observe that real (lasting) change is unrelated.

On the one hand, you are right that the Apple watch isn't a mental health tool, and it doesn't directly contribute to a better understanding of your mental health.

What it can do, in my experience, is help me form better physical health habits, by reminding and motivating me to get more active. Which in turn helps my overall mental state by making me feel better about myself. But this is a very indirect effect. And ultimately, I'm the one who has to decide to follow the watch's reminders, and I'm the one who decide, each day, to use the watch to improve my mental and physical health.

So, yes, it could be counterproductive to build up too much expectation for the watch. It's not a magic bullet. It took me many fits and starts before I figured out how best to use the watch for me. I've had the watch since the first one (S0) was released, but it's only in the last year or so that I've established my current routine of a walk every day. I don't think I could have gotten here without the watch, but it definitely wasn't like I got the watch and my life automatically improved.

 

[The Cockney Rebel]

On the one hand, you are right that the Apple watch isn't a mental health tool, and it doesn't directly contribute to a better understanding of your mental health.

What it can do, in my experience, is help me form better physical health habits, by reminding and motivating me to get more active. Which in turn helps my overall mental state by making me feel better about myself. But this is a very indirect effect. And ultimately, I'm the one who has to decide to follow the watch's reminders, and I'm the one who decide, each day, to use the watch to improve my mental and physical health.

So, yes, it could be counterproductive to build up too much expectation for the watch. It's not a magic bullet. It took me many fits and starts before I figured out how best to use the watch for me. I've had the watch since the first one (S0) was released, but it's only in the last year or so that I've established my current routine of a walk every day. I don't think I could have gotten here without the watch, but it definitely wasn't like I got the watch and my life automatically improved.

My initial goal is to achieve exactly what you do: Walk every day.

I suppose I could do it with my phone, but I’m thinking the AW would motivate me more.

Also, just like you, I have attempted to “get into” the AW before now, but (as you know) I have returned them before I gave them a real chance.

I just feel “ready” to do this now, if that makes any sense? Just like when I stopped binge drinking on a regular basis: I was only going to stop that when I was ready to stop it. No AA or anything else would have done that for me.

As always, thank you for your input.

 

[Dealmans]

My initial goal is to achieve exactly what you do: Walk every day.

I suppose I could do it with my phone, but I’m thinking the AW would motivate me more.

One of main uses is when I walk my dog for a hour everyday, gives you distance/time etc usually do 4-5k's, the cellular is good as I can stream radio with streamlet app, mainly listen to sports shows, also can still get calls and messages, the battery does take a bit of hit doing that but I was still getting a full day on my S7, have the Ultra now so get 2 full days.
The cellular is worth it imo.

 

[The Cockney Rebel]

One of main uses is when I walk my dog for a hour everyday, gives you distance/time etc usually do 4-5k's, the cellular is good as I can stream radio with streamlet app, mainly listen to sports shows, also can still get calls and messages, the battery does take a bit of hit doing that but I was still getting a full day on my S7, have the Ultra now so get 2 full days.
The cellular is worth it imo.

Many thanks.

I’ll be getting cellular for my SS S8 when it arrives.

 

[Kierkegaarden]

I’m touched by your honesty and that of others. I hope you don't mind me sharing a word of caution. Just my two cents. When ill health happens to the body due to unhealthy food, health improvement can be expected from eating healthy food. Be careful with believing that an AW can help you to change your mental health for the better because wearing an AW did not play a role in changing your mental health for the worse.

A person’s mental health will change lastingly for the better when he or she understands deeply and becomes aware of the cause(s). Any effect following any aid is dependent and will not yield lasting change. The awareness that flows from deep understanding however is independent and will change us lastingly.

But don’t get me wrong, I do not want to discourage you or anyone, enjoy your AW thoroughly!, it’s just that I observe that real (lasting) change is unrelated.

I don’t think anyone is suggesting that the AW can change anyone. As stated, it is a “tool” for helping us make changes in our lives. I think it does a fine job in this regard. A visit to a doctor or psychotherapist can be seen as a tool as well, and a single visit to one of these could be the cost of an AW.

 

[Kierkegaarden]

Loved your post, thank you.

I have noted everything you said, and appreciate all of your advice.

“emotion is created by motion” is a fabulous quote.

I’ve downloaded a bible app that reads the bible to you. I listened to the first chapter of the Old Testament, and it sounded kind of weird? The Muslim fella who I stayed in touch with, said that it would sound a bit odd to me, as it was initially written in Hebrew, thus the translation can sound a bit strange.

Thanks again, and good luck on your own journey.

Tommy

Hey Tommy ~

The Hebrew Scriptures (Old Testament) may be challenging to understand, depending on the translation you use. The Greek Scriptures (New Testament) are easier to understand, so probably why some may begin here. You don’t have to study in any particular order.

I read and listen to the New World Translation from JW(dot org). They have excellent audio versions of each book that you can download as well. I make playlists for each Bible book in my library in Apple Music, so I can play while I am on my AW. To get there on the website, tap on the Menu icon, Library, Online Bible. Here you can choose which Bible translation you prefer. Both sound great, but I generally prefer the 1984 translation audio because of the sound of the voices (there are a few different ones, with one being British).

Cheers!

 

[Night Spring]

My initial goal is to achieve exactly what you do: Walk every day.

I suppose I could do it with my phone, but I’m thinking the AW would motivate me more.

Also, just like you, I have attempted to “get into” the AW before now, but (as you know) I have returned them before I gave them a real chance.

I just feel “ready” to do this now, if that makes any sense? Just like when I stopped binge drinking on a regular basis: I was only going to stop that when I was ready to stop it. No AA or anything else would have done that for me.

As always, thank you for your input.

I definitely know what you mean by feeling "ready."

I think mentally, you are ready to start getting better, and you now see a place for the Apple watch in that process. You have concrete ideas for what roles it could play, whereas before, it was a more vague "maybe this could do something" kind of thing.

And yes, a lot of the motivation stuff can be done with just the phone. Things the phone can't do are things like track heart rate, calculate calories, and monitor sleep. And I find the tapping on my wrist while doing Mindfulness breathing exercise calming.

When will your watch arrive? I can't remember if you mentioned that. I'm looking forward to hearing how you get on with it.