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

[PaladinGuy]

This is a fantastic thread. It’s encouraging to see people be so receptive and open about mental health/illness - especially with how stigmatized it is in so many cultures.

I’ve struggled with OCD and Chronic Depression for years, and it can be very challenging. I think it can be very hard for those who haven’t experienced it to understand how difficult even the most basic tasks can be during a low point. Finding people who can understand you and who show you empathy and compassion is important.

Personally, I’ve gotten a lot of benefit from finding a counselor who specializes in OCD treatment. Oftentimes, counselors are not really specialized or aren’t specialized in your issue. Therefore, their counseling is much less helpful. It takes specific tools to work through and improve with OCD. Talk therapy just doesn’t help it. You have to expose yourself to anxiety and learn to resist compulsions. With depression, you have to work on pulling away from where your mind is taking you and reframe thoughts. It’s hard work, but I can promise you that there’s great benefit from it. Find someone who knows what they’re talking about with BP and OCD - not a generalist.

I’ve loved my Apple Watches. I’ve had every one except the series 6 and just got an Ultra that I’m contemplating keeping. If you can use it to detach from your phone more and to get you to exercise more, I think it’ll help in your health battles.

Blessings to you and thanks for being vulnerable and open. Many people need to hear your story and telling it hopefully is helpful to you, as well!

 

[Expos of 1969]

This is a fantastic thread. It’s encouraging to see people be so receptive and open about mental health/illness - especially with how stigmatized it is in so many cultures.

I’ve struggled with OCD and Chronic Depression for years, and it can be very challenging. I think it can be very hard for those who haven’t experienced it to understand how difficult even the most basic tasks can be during a low point. Finding people who can understand you and who show you empathy and compassion is important.

Personally, I’ve gotten a lot of benefit from finding a counselor who specializes in OCD treatment. Oftentimes, counselors are not really specialized or aren’t specialized in your issue. Therefore, their counseling is much less helpful. It takes specific tools to work through and improve with OCD. Talk therapy just doesn’t help it. You have to expose yourself to anxiety and learn to resist compulsions. With depression, you have to work on pulling away from where your mind is taking you and reframe thoughts. It’s hard work, but I can promise you that there’s great benefit from it. Find someone who knows what they’re talking about with BP and OCD - not a generalist.

I’ve loved my Apple Watches. I’ve had every one except the series 6 and just got an Ultra that I’m contemplating keeping. If you can use it to detach from your phone more and to get you to exercise more, I think it’ll help in your health battles.

Blessings to you and thanks for being vulnerable and open. Many people need to hear your story and telling it hopefully is helpful to you, as well!

You make some good points. One note though, the price of the Ultra watch here in Europe could send me into an anxiety spiral

 

[The Cockney Rebel]

Okay got the ultra. It's enormous! and the ocean band I got with it was very stiff and hard to handle at the beginning. After taking it on and off half a dozen times, it's finally starting to get flexible, and I'm also getting the knack of how to handle it. But it's a very heavy band. It's comfortable enough, but if I keep this watch, I'll probably get a lighter band.

I tried reading the news on the News app, and it's quite readable. I actually wondered if there's a Books app for the watch, lol!

I'm wearing it while sleeping tonight to see how it feels.

View attachment 2093897

View attachment 2093898

Did I say it's enormous?

Is that a watch on your wrist, or are you just pleased to see me?

 

[The Cockney Rebel]

We were going to Apple to pick up something else, so I just grabbed the band they had available. I would have preferred the midnight color, but white was what they had. I do like the watch, the screen is just gorgeous. The haptic vibrations are so prominent I wonder if a person sitting next to me can feel it. But the question is whether the weight will start feeling uncomfortable if I wear it over a long period of time. The jury is still out on that point.

I hope you end up being happy with it.

I wear the smaller 41mm, so the AWU would be like having an original Macintosh strapped to my Oliver-Twist.

 

[The Cockney Rebel]

This is a fantastic thread. It’s encouraging to see people be so receptive and open about mental health/illness - especially with how stigmatized it is in so many cultures.

I’ve struggled with OCD and Chronic Depression for years, and it can be very challenging. I think it can be very hard for those who haven’t experienced it to understand how difficult even the most basic tasks can be during a low point. Finding people who can understand you and who show you empathy and compassion is important.

Personally, I’ve gotten a lot of benefit from finding a counselor who specializes in OCD treatment. Oftentimes, counselors are not really specialized or aren’t specialized in your issue. Therefore, their counseling is much less helpful. It takes specific tools to work through and improve with OCD. Talk therapy just doesn’t help it. You have to expose yourself to anxiety and learn to resist compulsions. With depression, you have to work on pulling away from where your mind is taking you and reframe thoughts. It’s hard work, but I can promise you that there’s great benefit from it. Find someone who knows what they’re talking about with BP and OCD - not a generalist.

I’ve loved my Apple Watches. I’ve had every one except the series 6 and just got an Ultra that I’m contemplating keeping. If you can use it to detach from your phone more and to get you to exercise more, I think it’ll help in your health battles.

Blessings to you and thanks for being vulnerable and open. Many people need to hear your story and telling it hopefully is helpful to you, as well!

Such a lovely post, and kind words.

Thank you.

The mental health “system” has failed me. I just came out of the Priory, where I was sent to because I was sectioned and there were no beds anywhere else.

The doctor actually apologised to me, and told me that I had been failed.

No violins, just stating a fact.

I’m currently under the Home Treatment Team, and one of the “nurses” actually called me a couple of days ago and asked me “so, Thomas, what would you like us to do for you?” I swear, if I wasn’t back on my medication, I would haven metaphorically bitten his head off. The medication keeps me grounded, though (to an extent!)

OCD is merciless and brutal. What you are referring to is ERP (Exposure and Response Prevention) which would benefit me enormously, but I am refused therapy because I have EUPD/BPD and am deemed too high risk.

I guess I’m just going to have to do this alone. Either that, or it will only be a matter of time before I go too far with my attempts, and I am successful in exiting this world.

Once again, no violins.

Hence me (finally) being excited about the Apple Watch. It could literally help to change/save my life. I’m going to really try with it, this time.

Thank you for your kind words, and I wish you well.

 

[Night Spring]

I hope you end up being happy with it.

I wear the smaller 41mm, so the AWU would be like having an original Macintosh strapped to my Oliver-Twist.

I wear the smaller watch too, the watch I have on my other arm is the 41mm S6. I've wanted the larger screen because my eyesight isn't that good, but the 45mm watches were never comfortable. For some reason, the ultra, despite being bigger than the 45, feel more comfortable. Weird, right?

Anyway, I'm leaning toward returning the ultra and hoping some of the features, like the flat screen, make it into next year's S9, or they make a smaller version of the ultra. I've realized it's going to stretch the sleeve of my sweaters, and that would drive me crazy. I'm not clinically ocd, but I do have a tendency to be finicky about some things, and floppy sleeves on sweaters are one of them.

I'm also finding that the ultra is heavy enough that it makes me feel unbalanced if I wear just the ultra -- I've been wearing both the ultra and my S6 for comparison, then I took off the S6 and it was like, woah, that feels like I'm being pulled on that arm with the ultra, whereas when I had one watch on each arm, it felt fine.

Anyway, can't wait to hear how you get on with your watch when it arrives -- Monday, you said, right?

 

[The Cockney Rebel]

I wear the smaller watch too, the watch I have on my other arm is the 41mm S6. I've wanted the larger screen because my eyesight isn't that good, but the 45mm watches were never comfortable. For some reason, the ultra, despite being bigger than the 45, feel more comfortable. Weird, right?

Anyway, I'm leaning toward returning the ultra and hoping some of the features, like the flat screen, make it into next year's S9, or they make a smaller version of the ultra. I've realized it's going to stretch the sleeve of my sweaters, and that would drive me crazy. I'm not clinically ocd, but I do have a tendency to be finicky about some things, and floppy sleeves on sweaters are one of them.

I'm also finding that the ultra is heavy enough that it makes me feel unbalanced if I wear just the ultra -- I've been wearing both the ultra and my S6 for comparison, then I took off the S6 and it was like, woah, that feels like I'm being pulled on that arm with the ultra, whereas when I had one watch on each arm, it felt fine.

Anyway, can't wait to hear how you get on with your watch when it arrives -- Monday, you said, right?

You have to ask yourself, apart from the larger display, are there any other features the Ultra has which would merit you keeping it?

Are you saying if you don’t keep the Ultra, you’ll wait until next year to upgrade?

My SS Apple Watch arrives on Monday .

 

[The Cockney Rebel]

Okay got the ultra. It's enormous! and the ocean band I got with it was very stiff and hard to handle at the beginning. After taking it on and off half a dozen times, it's finally starting to get flexible, and I'm also getting the knack of how to handle it. But it's a very heavy band. It's comfortable enough, but if I keep this watch, I'll probably get a lighter band.

I tried reading the news on the News app, and it's quite readable. I actually wondered if there's a Books app for the watch, lol!

I'm wearing it while sleeping tonight to see how it feels.

View attachment 2093897

View attachment 2093898

Did I say it's enormous?

 

[Night Spring]

You have to ask yourself, apart from the larger display, are there any other features the Ultra has which would merit you keeping it?

Are you saying if you don’t keep the Ultra, you’ll wait until next year to upgrade?

My SS Apple Watch arrives on Monday .

That's the thing. So far, the only feature of the ultra I find useful is the larger screen. The action button is a worthy idea, but not very well implemented at the moment. And I obviously don't need any of the extreme activity features -- I'm not going diving or climbing Mt Everest.

If I don't keep the ultra, I'd likely upgrade to the S8, trading in my S6. If next year's S9 or ultra2 has the right set of feature/price, I may upgrade again then, if not, I'll stick to my two year upgrade cycle.

It is fun trying it out, though. Even if I decide not to keep it, I'm glad I gave it a try.

 

[The Cockney Rebel]

Hey everyone, thought I’d share this with you:

I just enrolled on a beginners acting course!

I actually enrolled on the course last year, but I was unwell and had things to deal with, so cancelled.

I fully intend to attend this time, though.

I’ve done a few things at this college, and like it very much.

This course should also be great for my mental health.

I’ll let you know when I make my big screen debut .

 

[Night Spring]

I just enrolled on a beginners acting course!

Have you watched Inside the Actor's Studio?

 

[The Cockney Rebel]

Have you watched Inside the Actor's Studio?

I haven’t.

Is that on Sky Arts?

 

[Violet_Antelope]

Hey everyone, thought I’d share this with you:

I just enrolled on a beginners acting course!

I actually enrolled on the course last year, but I was unwell and had things to deal with, so cancelled.

I fully intend to attend this time, though.

I’ve done a few things at this college, and like it very much.

This course should also be great for my mental health.

I’ll let you know when I make my big screen debut .

That’s wonderful! I’ve always found structured study one of the best ways to fend off the worst of my OCD; I truly hope you’ll find this helps - how exciting!

 

[The Cockney Rebel]

That’s wonderful! I’ve always found structured study one of the best ways to fend off the worst of my OCD; I truly hope you’ll find this helps - how exciting!

Thanks, Violet.

Wishing you the best .

 

[Violet_Antelope]

That's the thing. So far, the only feature of the ultra I find useful is the larger screen. The action button is a worthy idea, but not very well implemented at the moment. And I obviously don't need any of the extreme activity features -- I'm not going diving or climbing Mt Everest.

If I don't keep the ultra, I'd likely upgrade to the S8, trading in my S6. If next year's S9 or ultra2 has the right set of feature/price, I may upgrade again then, if not, I'll stick to my two year upgrade cycle.

It is fun trying it out, though. Even if I decide not to keep it, I'm glad I gave it a try.

I’m glad you got to try it too - fun to see different perspectives! I’m surprised how much heavier the ultra is given the similar screen size to the 44. You say the action button isn’t very well implemented - would you mind telling me more?

 

[The Cockney Rebel]

I’m glad you got to try it too - fun to see different perspectives! I’m surprised how much heavier the ultra is given the similar screen size to the 44. You say the action button isn’t very well implemented - would you mind telling me more?

Violet, what size Apple Watch do you wear?

 

[PhoenixDown]

I don't have any Apple Watch tips for you but I would recommend a few other things if you are open to it.

• Continue to invest in yourself.
• Find three goals (each) in the areas of Health, Wealth and Relationships (family, romantic or otherwise). You don't have to work on all of them. In fact just pick one for now.
• "What gets measured gets managed" - try to find a way to track your progress. Falling off isn't the end of the world, but knowing you are veering off course will allow you to get back on track.
• Work on accepting and loving yourself as perfectly imperfect as you are.
• If you don't feel comfortable with "professionals" as you said in an earlier post, look into various kinds of self improvement workshops. Find a group you can relate to and trust. When I had enough and decided to get my **** together, I realized I needed someone who can cut through the lies I told myself. I needed someone who had been on the journey and come out on the other side with an actual plan of how to help others through the same.
• Focus on connecting with friends and family if that is a healthy option for you.
• Connect with groups with positive interests like a running or hiking club or even a church group if you are so inclined.

I also come from a long line of alcholics and I have a list of rules I follow. I have added to the list over the years when I found myself going the wrong way and I have removed some when I had the discipline for it not to be an issue. Create the rules that work for you -- perhaps its learning when to step away from a situation to reground yourself. Its always about recognizing the patterns of your own behavior and trying to circumvent the outcome by avoiding the first domino if you will.

You have already done the hardest part -- you have hit rock bottom and had your breakdown to breakthrough moment. Everything else will fall into place here on out. Best of luck!

 

[The Cockney Rebel]

I don't have any Apple Watch tips for you but I would recommend a few other things if you are open to it.

• Continue to invest in yourself.
• Find three goals (each) in the areas of Health, Wealth and Relationships (family, romantic or otherwise). You don't have to work on all of them. In fact just pick one for now.
• "What gets measured gets managed" - try to find a way to track your progress. Falling off isn't the end of the world, but knowing you are veering off course will allow you to get back on track.
• Work on accepting and loving yourself as perfectly imperfect as you are.
• If you don't feel comfortable with "professionals" as you said in an earlier post, look into various kinds of self improvement workshops. Find a group you can relate to and trust. When I had enough and decided to get my **** together, I realized I needed someone who can cut through the lies I told myself. I needed someone who had been on the journey and come out on the other side with an actual plan of how to help others through the same.
• Focus on connecting with friends and family if that is a healthy option for you.
• Connect with groups with positive interests like a running or hiking club or even a church group if you are so inclined.

I also come from a long line of alcholics and I have a list of rules I follow. I have added to the list over the years when I found myself going the wrong way and I have removed some when I had the discipline for it not to be an issue. Create the rules that work for you -- perhaps its learning when to step away from a situation to reground yourself. Its always about recognizing the patterns of your own behavior and trying to circumvent the outcome by avoiding the first domino if you will.

You have already done the hardest part -- you have hit rock bottom and had your breakdown to breakthrough moment. Everything else will fall into place here on out. Best of luck!

That’s so kind, thank you very much.

I’m hoping other people on the thread will also benefit from your well structured and detailed advice 👍.

 

[Violet_Antelope]

Violet, what size Apple Watch do you wear?

44mm I am not ‘dainty’ to put it lightly, and my 44 looks smaller on me than the 41 does on Nightspring

 

[The Cockney Rebel]

44mm I am not ‘dainty’ to put it lightly, and my 44 looks smaller on me than the 41 does on Nightspring

You’re perfectly you .

 

[russell_314]

I hope you end up being happy with it.

I wear the smaller 41mm, so the AWU would be like having an original Macintosh strapped to my Oliver-Twist.

I’m the same way. Even before the Apple Watch I didn’t really like big or heavy watches.

My Series 6 is stainless steel, but I went back to aluminum with the Series 8. Not because of weight but I just felt it was wasteful. I wish there was a way to buy a really expensive model and then just have it upgraded.

 

[Night Spring]

I haven’t.

Is that on Sky Arts?

No idea if it's on UK TV. You can find episodes on YouTube.

List of guests.

Inside the Actors Studio - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

 

[Night Spring]

I’m glad you got to try it too - fun to see different perspectives! I’m surprised how much heavier the ultra is given the similar screen size to the 44. You say the action button isn’t very well implemented - would you mind telling me more?

So, first, it's too easy to press it by mistake when I'm trying to press one of the other buttons. I'm thinking maybe switch it with the side button, but then I'd end up pressing the side button by mistake? Or maybe have the crown on one side, and the two buttons on the same side? I just know that with the current configuration, it's hard to push the crown without pushing the action button. Other people may have an easier time learning to avoid that, as I have problems with fine muscle control, but I've seen other people complaining about this, so it's not just me.

And then, the functions that can be assigned to it are limited. I looked through the available functions, and the only thing that I could think to use was flashlight and workout. I know you can make shortcuts to assign it things like call favorite contact, but that's not something a non tech-savvy user can easily do.

Then there's the problem I can only assign it one function. I like using it for flashlights, but starting workouts is also useful! Maybe push the button and you get a menu of actions? Tie it to a focus so the function changes based on which focus is on?

It's just a great idea, but the implementation has room to mature.

 

[The Cockney Rebel]

So, first, it's too easy to press it by mistake when I'm trying to press one of the other buttons. I'm thinking maybe switch it with the side button, but then I'd end up pressing the side button by mistake? Or maybe have the crown on one side, and the two buttons on the same side? I just know that with the current configuration, it's hard to push the crown without pushing the action button. Other people may have an easier time learning to avoid that, as I have problems with fine muscle control, but I've seen other people complaining about this, so it's not just me.

And then, the functions that can be assigned to it are limited. I looked through the available functions, and the only thing that I could think to use was flashlight and workout. I know you can make shortcuts to assign it things like call favorite contact, but that's not something a non tech-savvy user can easily do.

Then there's the problem I can only assign it one function. I like using it for flashlights, but starting workouts is also useful! Maybe push the button and you get a menu of actions? Tie it to a focus so the function changes based on which focus is on?

It's just a great idea, but the implementation has room to mature.

I’m sure they can improve that with a firmware update.

 

[The Cockney Rebel]

I don't have any Apple Watch tips for you but I would recommend a few other things if you are open to it.

• Continue to invest in yourself.
• Find three goals (each) in the areas of Health, Wealth and Relationships (family, romantic or otherwise). You don't have to work on all of them. In fact just pick one for now.
• "What gets measured gets managed" - try to find a way to track your progress. Falling off isn't the end of the world, but knowing you are veering off course will allow you to get back on track.
• Work on accepting and loving yourself as perfectly imperfect as you are.
• If you don't feel comfortable with "professionals" as you said in an earlier post, look into various kinds of self improvement workshops. Find a group you can relate to and trust. When I had enough and decided to get my **** together, I realized I needed someone who can cut through the lies I told myself. I needed someone who had been on the journey and come out on the other side with an actual plan of how to help others through the same.
• Focus on connecting with friends and family if that is a healthy option for you.
• Connect with groups with positive interests like a running or hiking club or even a church group if you are so inclined.

I also come from a long line of alcholics and I have a list of rules I follow. I have added to the list over the years when I found myself going the wrong way and I have removed some when I had the discipline for it not to be an issue. Create the rules that work for you -- perhaps its learning when to step away from a situation to reground yourself. Its always about recognizing the patterns of your own behavior and trying to circumvent the outcome by avoiding the first domino if you will.

You have already done the hardest part -- you have hit rock bottom and had your breakdown to breakthrough moment. Everything else will fall into place here on out. Best of luck!

I’d like like to thank you again for your post: Thank you.

I’ve searched for walking groups in the area I live, and have found one.

I think I’ll start out on my own first, then I’ll call them.

Thanks again, be well .