An App Just for COVID

Ah, here we go. I recently wrote here about a few Department of Veterans Affairs apps that might be helpful in reducing stress. Now we hear from the VA that it’s created a specific mobile app to reduce stress caused by the coronavirus.

This one, COVID Coach, focuses on four areas: manage stress, learn, mood check and find resources.

Each category has subgroups. Manage Stress, for examples, has challenges, tools and a favorites area. Under Challenges, there are categories such as creating space for myself, handling anger and irritability, and sleep struggles.

Mood Check covers setting a goal, and tracking well-being, anxiety mood and PTSD symptoms.

Under Learn, there’s staying safe, staying healthy, staying balanced and more.

Finding Resources has some valuable options — crisis support, substance use support, meeting your needs, for parents and caregivers — with direct links right inside the app.

Staying Strong has a photo of a flower growing out of what looks like cracked, dry dirt. No, I’m not a gardener, but I get it. It’s where we are right now with this whole lockdown coronavirus thing. We need to come out the other side of this safe, sane and healthy. This app can help. It was created by the VA’s mental health people and requires iOS 11.0 or later for Apple products or 4.4 for Android.

There’s nothing in the app that requires a password or credit card info, so there’s no data mining.

You can get this free app from the Apple app store and Google play. Click on the icons at mobile.va.gov/app/covid-coach and it will take you to those two sources. If you have questions, contact them at MobileMentalHealth@va.gov.

And yes, anyone, not just veterans, can make use of the app. Get the app, fill out the self-reporting questionnaires (legit ones from the VA and DoD) and check in with the app every day.