Session I  Insights (02-24):

Interviews = 3

• Controlled breathing is a very common, universal method of calming self. People claim that it gives their minds clarity, organization, and control thus reducing stress.
• When dealing with acute events of stress, people like to reach out to loved ones whom they trust. This provides a voice of comfort and reason.
• There are differences between stress and anxiety. Stress is pointed to a specific circumstance whereas anxiety is classified as a continuous state driven by uncertainty.
• The bathroom could act as a safe space for people during stressful time.

Session II Insights (03-03) :

Interviews = 10

• “Every patient is different.” The first step is understand their problem – what is causing them stress and anxiety –  and how their stress is manifested (“emotionally or physiologically”). The second is seeking techniques of that work best for the patient: “I would have a list of techniques and go through with them to see which ones they enjoy and give them the most relief.” The treatment techniques need to be personalized to be most effective.
• “I’m big on psychoeducation… they see this is what is going on.. ‘I’m normal i’m not crazy.’” Psychoeducation is very important in destigmatizing stress, anxiety, and health conditions so that users know that what they’re going through is normal.
• “Wish I could escape for like 10 minutes.” Young mothers with young children are constantly working and anxious about state of children. They desperately seek for several minutes during the day that they could be alone to restore “sense of self”.

• Base Stress / worry / uncertainty + peak stress due to external
• Stressors: Job uncertainty, job environment, family planning, age, cell phone and always being connected
• Triggers: having to do things at work, that don’ seem fair; good work is not acknowledged; leadership doesn’t take responsibility (bad bosses);
• Coping strategies: communication with colleagues, sometimes gossiping (but does not seem sustainable, sometimes makes it worse); awareness, trying to think positive, reminding self how bad it could be; Yoga and sports, no meditation (too many other thoughts, seems boring), read at night

• Career advancement and making a difference
• Hormonal stress (PMS),
• ‘I don’t deal with my base load of stress’
• People tell me that ‘I don’t even notice that I’m stressed anymore’
• Yoga and To-Do-Lists help me relax

• ”This semester I had a professor that started class with 2 minutes of deep breathing” – breathing and focusing only on the warmth and cold of your breath allows to organize your mind. Mental organization calms stress and cleans your mind.
• Anxiety vs stress – anxiety is related to uncertainty, and it is harder to treat. Stress is more driven by a concrete reason that can be mitigated.
• The more you break down the concise problem causing the stress, the more you understand the simplicity and order of the problem the more the stress is calmed
• Environmental psychology is a practice of generating calmness from observing landscapes and ocular motion in an organized manner
• Stepping away from the usual routine calms stress, it stops your mind from the usual thinking and gives you a fresh perspective on a manner. An interviewee gave an example of coffee breaks in between work.

Session III Insights (03-10) :

Interviews = 3 (form factor exploration)

• Some devices monitor breathing by using accelerometers in all parts of the body that expand and contract when one takes a breath, not just using the chest area
• Ear pieces are very seamless, people don’t really look out for them immediately, even when they are not too hidden
• The benefit of the ear piece is greater than the social stigma accompanied by wearing it
• An alternative to providing sound feedback through air vibration is bone conduction, this has the benefit of being very personalized and seamless