I’ve dealt with anxiety for as long as I can remember. At some point in my early 20s, I was diagnosed with generalized anxiety and took medication for a while. In my 30s, during a worldwide pandemic, I used my husband’s health insurance to seek out therapy and maxed out the visits available.
And, I know I’m not alone in this. Several of my friends and family have disclosed to me that they suffer from anxiety too. And, according to the National Alliance on Mental Illness, “Anxiety disorders are the most common mental health concern in the United States.”
So, what can we do to help aid in our mental well-being? Of course, we all deal with stress, it’s a part of life! But, especially in the past couple of years, our patience has been put to the test.
What if we told you there’s a program that can help you recognize your triggers, enable you with tools to deal with everyday stress, and give you tons of encouragement along the way?
Enter, Noom Mood
You’ve likely heard of Noom, which started with a weight management program, Noom Weight. Noom Weight uses psychology and behavior science to reframe relationships with food and also helps improve your overall health and wellbeing. Noom Mood is the platform’s latest iteration, which aims to help you deal with everyday stress and anxious thoughts in a self-paced and scientifically-backed way. (While Noom Mood is a great tool to help with stress and anxious thoughts, it is not a replacement for therapy. Noom Mood also does not offer diagnoses, evaluations, or treatment plans.)
Noom Mood acknowledges that oftentimes, the first step in any wellness journey is usually the hardest. As such, they created an intuitive program to provide easy, step-by-step guidance to help develop emotional awareness as well as techniques to combat daily stress. Their website states that their mission is to “help people everywhere live healthier, happier lives–and that starts by realizing that you are the greatest force in your health journey.” A healthier, happier, less-stressed us? Sign us up!
For some people, stress is a constant struggle and anxious thoughts are ever-present. For others, stress seems to come and go. Either way, Noom Mood is the perfect addition to your self-care routine.
How Does Noom Mood Work?
- First, you’ll take a survey to help customize your Noom Mood experience. The survey asks about the root of your stress, how often you experience anxious thoughts, and what steps you take for self-care.
- Next, a graph gives you a visual representation of your predicted “mood benefits over time” based on your answers to the survey. The graph displays “positive mood moments” which may increase, and “neutral to negative mood moments” which could decrease.
- The user is in control, and the program can be self-paced. The app offers engaging tools, weekly activities, and one-on-one coaching to help encourage behavior change and overall well being.
- You will track your mood daily to see overall changes in trends in your moods, which will help you see your progress.
- You will have a library with easy access to all of your favorite tools and techniques to help you alleviate stress and anxious thoughts.
- The daily course takes around 10 minutes to complete. Then, you’ll carve out 15 minutes for the daily activity of your choice. And, don’t worry, you can always skip a day if needed. Noom will be right there when you’re ready!
Logistics Of Noom Mood
- A 14-day free trial is available to new users, and after two weeks, the cost is $149 for a four-month plan. (Equal to $8.69 a week)
- Noom Mood is available to Apple (iOS) or Android devices.
- Noom Mood is available to those in the US, currently.
- If you subscribe to Noom Weight, you can switch programs by reaching out to your 1:1 coach.
My First Week With Noom Mood
The first course in my curated version of Noom Mood called for creative visualization. The program encouraged me to envision a time when I didn’t feel stressed.
I had to dig deep for this one. Honestly, it took a bit to think of a time where anxious thoughts or stress didn’t affect me. Even as a kid, school days were ridden with stress, stomach aches were ever-present, and I spent more time than I’d like to admit trying to avoid uncomfortable situations.
However, through the courses, activities, and chats with my coach, I’ve realized how far I’ve actually come in managing my stress and anxious thoughts. The encouragement I’ve received from my coach has been helpful. She’s helped me focus on the positives in my life rather than dwelling on the negatives. She also asks great questions to help me dive deeper into what is driving my stress.
Overall, while my stressors haven’t changed, my reactions and thoughts have started to shift. Obviously, I’m only a few weeks into the new year and my Noom Mood experience, but so far it’s all been really good! Noom Mood has helped me become more aware of how I spend my time and possibly contribute to my stress.
Noom Mood has also encouraged me to carve out time for myself—just 10 minutes each day—that is productive, relaxing, and enjoyable. Yes, most of the time it’s after I put my toddler to bed. But, it’s much more preferable to the doom-scrolling that I was doing before starting Noom Mood!
You Are Worth The Effort
No matter what you are dealing with in your day to day, you are worth the time and effort to focus on improving yourself. Noom Mood makes it easy and affordable to prioritize yourself and mental well-being, so you can be a better you for everyone in your life.
So, whenever you’re ready, Noom Mood is here to help you take on whatever is stressing you. Plus, they’ll never tell you to “stop worrying,” “relax,” or to “just chill.” Noom Mood could help you become a happier, less-stressed version of yourself. It’s up to you! Visit Noom Mood’s site to learn more, and take that first step in your wellness journey this year.