New smartphone app helps service members cope with PTSD and TBI

The June 27^thMedical Monday section of the DoD blog (dodlive.mil) website contains an article on how technology is putting more apps in the pockets of service members who are coping with PTSD and TBI. To that end, the latest product from the National Center for Telehealth & Technology features an app that contains breathing exercises intended to help people manage anxiety and steady their moods.

The app, called Breathe2Relax, is now available for iPhone and iPad through iTunes. (An Android version is due to come out soon.) Breathe2Relax is a portable stress management tool that uses touch-screen technology. With this app, users can record their stress level on a “visual analogue scale” by simply swiping a small bar to the left or right. The app was developed to teach a skill called diaphragmatic breathing, sometimes called “belly breathing.” This kind of breathing has been taught for centuries as a way of turning on the body's relaxation response.

For more information about Breathe2Relax and other available apps, visit the Breathe2Relax web page.