Better Help, Mental Health (BHM) - VR-based Mental Healthcare Application

What is "Better Help, Mental Health (BHM)"?

BHM is a VR-based mental healthcare application designed to address international college students' unique mental health needs. The app focuses on providing accessible, personalized, and culturally inclusive solutions to bridge common barriers such as language differences, cultural stigma, and privacy concerns. By leveraging virtual reality and user-centric design, BHM creates an immersive and supportive environment for mental wellness.

Features of BHM

BHM combines technology, thoughtful design, and user feedback to deliver a range of features that support mental health in a comprehensive way. Each feature addresses a specific pain point, ensuring a personalized and impactful experience.

Mood Tracking

The Mood Tracking feature helps users monitor their emotions, identify triggers, and visualize patterns over time.

• Purpose: Encourages self-awareness and reflection on mental health trends.

• Key Highlights: Users receive personalized insights, enabling them to take proactive steps to improve their well-being.

Set Appointment

The Set Appointment feature simplifies the process of connecting with mental health professionals.

• Purpose: Reduces logistical barriers by offering a streamlined scheduling interface.

• Key Highlights: Users can filter specialists based on availability, preferences, and expertise, improving the accessibility of professional mental health resources.

Meditation

The Meditation page provides guided exercises to help users reduce stress and anxiety while promoting focus and relaxation.

• Purpose: Offers VR-based immersive sessions for mindfulness and mental clarity.

• Key Highlights: Exercises include breathing techniques, calming environments, and positive affirmation tools.

Community

The Community feature fosters a safe and inclusive platform for users to connect with peers.

• Purpose: Reduces isolation and stigma by promoting shared experiences and mutual support.

• Key Highlights: Users can participate in forums, group activities, or discussion boards tailored to mental health topics.

Design Process

The project was built on a collaborative Design Thinking Framework:

1. Empathize: Conducted interviews with international students to understand their struggles with mental health resources.

2. Define: Identified key pain points like accessibility, cultural stigma, and privacy through task analysis and journey mapping.

3. Ideate: Brainstormed innovative solutions such as virtual reality immersion and appointment customization.

4. Prototype: Created wireframes and interactive prototypes in Figma for usability testing.

5. Test: Iterated on the design based on feedback from users, stakeholders, and mental health professionals.

How Does BHM Work?

BHM integrates modern technologies like virtual reality with proven UX methodologies to create a cohesive and effective mental health platform. The app is structured around:

• Task Analysis: Prioritizing key user actions like scheduling, mood tracking, and meditation.

• User Personas: Designing features tailored to the unique needs of international students.

• Accessibility Compliance: Ensuring the app meets WCAG standards for usability and inclusivity.

By addressing these components, BHM transforms mental health challenges into manageable, user-friendly experiences.

Team Contribution

This project was a collaborative effort involving a team of four members, each contributing unique skills:

• Conducting user interviews and synthesizing feedback into actionable insights.

• Designing task flows, personas, and prototypes using Figma, Miro, Google Workspace, and Adobe CC.

• Testing and iterating designs to improve usability and engagement.

• Integrating user research findings into features like the Mood Tracking and Community modules.

Challenges and Solutions

• Challenge: Addressing cultural differences and stigma surrounding mental health.

  • Solution: Designed a safe and inclusive community space where users could connect anonymously and share experiences.

• Challenge: Making mental health resources accessible to users with language barriers.

  • Solution: Added multilingual support and simple navigation features to enhance usability.

• Challenge: Ensuring user privacy.

  • Solution: Incorporated secure login, anonymous community participation, and encrypted data storage.

Why Choose BHM?

BHM is designed with international students in mind, offering:

• Personalization: Adaptive features tailored to individual needs and preferences.

• Accessibility: Resources available at users' fingertips anytime, anywhere.

• Inclusivity: Multilingual support and culturally sensitive design.

• Innovation: Immersive VR experiences that redefine how users engage with mental health tools.

Whether students need guided meditation, a supportive community, or access to mental health professionals, BHM offers a comprehensive solution for navigating their mental health journey.

Outcomes and Impact

• 25% Increase in User Satisfaction: Usability testing demonstrated significant improvements in engagement and satisfaction.

• Cultural Inclusivity: Addressed key barriers, ensuring the app was effective across diverse demographics.

• User-Centric Design: Iterative testing ensured the app aligned with real user needs and expectations.