Good for "fretting," not as a serious anxiety reducer – Stress Relief & Management App Review

I was surprised that there were so many 4 and 5 star reviews, as this app needs some major content adjustment. I was disappointed that the overall tone of the quotes was condescending, not reassuring. Quotes along the lines of "if you think your stress can change a past or future event, you are functioning on a different planet" are not what anyone wants to hear in a stressful situation. They are dismissive and make the person feel even more insane for not being perfectly stress free. To be fair, not stressing about things that you cannot change is sage and true advice, but in moments of true anxiety (eg: the onset of a panic attack, recalling a traumatic event, etc) or situations where stress is a natural response for most people (preparing for a big exam, public speaking event, etc), quotes that belittle or dismiss stress as unimportant make the reader feel even more isolated and incapable of handing the stress. Stress is a natural human response to events that we perceive as dangerous. It becomes problematic when our brains apply the stress response to situations that are scary but pose no real bodily danger. Rather than dismissing the stress as useless, unhealthy, or abnormal, it would be better to see more quotes that remind frequent stressers to accept their stress as natural and move past it. Quotes like "stress takes a toll on your body as well as your mind" (paraphrasing) are absolutely unhelpful. The person stressing likely already knows that they are putting their heart, mind, and body at risk by having anxiety. Reminding them only makes them stress out more by making them feel like they are incapable of taking care of themselves. The underlying message of this app: "stop stressing, or else" is actually very harmful to anxiety-ridden people and not recommended as a sound psychological approach by any practice I am aware of. Quotes that express the message: "you are going to be okay despite your stress" would be much more helpful and actually minimize stress in the long run. Overall, if you just want a little kick in the butt to not get distracted by little daily stressors, then this app may work for you. If, however, you are suffering from anxiety or are in a seriously stressful position and looking for some helpful words to get you through, I cannot recommend this app. The philosophies behind the messaging are unsound, and will only unsettle the already anxious.
Review by bauble217 on Stress Relief & Management App.