There are times when we all wish we had a better handle on our mental wellbeing. As Australians have sought to deal with the various impacts of COVID-19 – medical, social and financial – many of us have experienced levels of anxiety to which we’re unaccustomed.
It’s for this reason that we recently supported the launch of a new mental health mobile app, in order for it to be made available for free to all Australians for six months.
Mentemia is the brainchild of Sir John Kirwan, a New Zealand All Blacks legend whose own experience with depression during his rugby-playing career set him on a quest to achieve greater mental health – not only for himself, but for anyone struggling with stress or anxiety. “In times like these it’s perfectly normal to be feeling a bit anxious” explains Sir John. “Our goal is to provide people with the tools that will help them get a little bit better every day.”
While the focus of many mental health services is on dealing with mental ill-health once it’s already manifested, Mentemia’s focus is on distilling effective techniques into practical tips and advice to help users take control of their everyday mental wellbeing. The app’s tools include a Mood Tracker, which helps users identify factors that affect their mood; a Breathing Tool, which outlines breathing techniques to cope in stressful situations; and a Worry Map feature, which helps to turn ruminating thoughts into an action plan.
Like AIA Vitality – the science-backed health and wellbeing program that rewards members for taking steps to lead healthier, longer, better lives – Mentemia aims to show that better health can simply be a matter of completing small, positive, everyday actions. We’ve even incorporated a number of Mentemia exercises into AIA Vitality’s Mental Wellbeing at home program, meaning that members can now earn AIA Vitality Points for taking the time to check in on their mental health.
To learn more about Mentemia, click on the video link below.
We’re provided funding to make Mentemia free for all Australians to download from Google Play or the App Store until the end of the year. No user data will be shared with AIA Australia.
