Screenshots from the WorryBox app.
This week I’m reviewing the WorryBox app. Everyone has anxious thoughts or worries from time to time. The feeling of worry can be useful if it prevents us from doing things that are dangerous or motivates us to solve problems. Unfortunately, worries can sometimes become overwhelming or keep us from enjoying life. When you notice your thoughts becoming a series of “what if’s” about things that haven’t happened, worst-case scenarios, or over which you have little or no control (e.g. what if I say something embarrassing, what if the train is late, etc.), what we call hypothetical worries, it can be helpful to set aside worry time to acknowledge these thoughts and let them go. WorryBox is an app that helps users with worry time.
Intended Use: The app is intended for relaxation.
Target Audience: The app is listed as appropriate for ages four and up. It can be used by anyone who can write basic sentences (ages approximately 6 and up independently).
Usability: The interface is simple to use and primarily text based. Users are prompted to answer the questions, “What’s worrying you?” They are then prompted to type their response and put it in the worry box. The user reports this process until they have addressed all of their hypothetical worries. Once all of the worries are in the box, the user is prompted burn the box. The app then plays a brief animation of the box of fire.
Cost: The app is free.
Technical Requirements: Available for iOS.
Pro’s:
The app is free and easy to use.
There are no advertisements or in-app purchases.
It can be a helpful tool to deal with hypothetical worries.
Con’s:
The app is text based and only available in English.
Is it worth it? The app could be a useful tool for dealing with worrisome thoughts in conjunction with therapy. Specifically, users might need psychoeducation about the difference between practical worries and hypothetical worries as it usually best to deal with the two types in different ways. Problem-solving is generally the best strategy for practical worries as it addresses the problem directly, naturally eliminating the worry. Avoiding the discomfort of practical worries can make things worse by prolonging the problem and leading to an accumulation of unfinished tasks which can become overwhelming.