Peace of mind seems to be a rare thing to find these days. Right now, our emotional wellbeing and mental health need our attention more than ever. As more and more people are becoming aware of this, there has been a significant rise in the use of well-being-oriented applications. The world is slowing down, and people are finally getting a chance to focus on the things that they had so far neglected.
Various apps on the market aim to help you deal with your emotions better, and some even induce a meditative state. Some applications help you sleep better, reduce anxiety, deal with depression and stress, and much more. However, when dealing with stress or anxiety, our first impulse is not to reach for the phone. We tend to seek comfort in other people. During a time of distress, we reach out to our friends and loved ones. But when your suffering is stemming from your isolation, this may prove to be a tough thing to do.
How Do We Socialize?
During the pandemic, our phones have become a portal to a more social world. Social media is seeing a boom like never before, and platforms like Instagram and Snapchat are ruling the millennial world. People share their lives with their loved ones through posts and stories. Where some might argue that social media has become a source of negativity and pessimism, it is also a source of light for many. Our social media platforms, after all, are but a reflection of the world that we live in. And just like our physical world, even social media channels both; the positive and the negative.
Snapchat’s Solution
Having noticed the rise in the emotional and mental distress of its users, Snapchat has decided to launch a mini mindfulness app. The application will be integrated within Snapchat and will allow its users to meditate with their friends. The mini version of the Headspace app can be accessed through the rocket icon on Snapchat’s screen. This will initiate a mindfulness session that can be joined by other willing friends. The session offers six different types of meditations for the users to choose from now. You will always be in sync with your friends and see which meditation sessions they are participating in. The app also lets you send motivational messages to your friends during the sessions.
The meditations that the app provides are called “Me Time,” “Just Breathe,” “Pressure to Succeed,” “Be Nice to You,” “Get Out of the Funk,” and “Kick the Panic.” The quirky names seem pretty inviting, whether you’re in the mood to meditate or be productive. All these sessions are pretty short; you could give them all a try in a relatively short time.
With any physical activity, we find it easier to keep up in the presence of an amicable company, and meditation is no different. With Snapchat’s new group meditation feature, your friends are there to boost you on the days that you feel down. Trying out the app together also significantly cuts down the inertia that usually comes with trying out new things. And once you’ve tried it for yourself, you could prompt more and more people to join in. The majority of Snapchat’s users fall within the 13-34 year old demographic. So the mindfulness app proves to be a great addition to help the youngsters deal with their distress better.
Other Mini Additions
Headspace is not the only new feature of Snapchat. The other mini-applications are Flashcards, Prediction Master, and Let’s Do It. These are all third-party applications that we will integrate within the Snapchat app. So it’s users can now use Flashcards to study together, play the psychic with Prediction Master and even attend music festivals through Let’s Do It!
Snapchat seems to be taking giant leaps toward our tech-dominated future. We believe that the new features introduced in the 2020 Summit are only the beginning. By allowing integration with external developers, Snapchat is on it’s way to becoming a more wholesome platform that will allow it to stem up to its competitors. The fact that it is also managing to uplift the youth with it is a bonus!
Jackson Henry. I’m a writer living in USA. I am a fan of technology, arts, and reading. I’m also interested in writing and education. You can read my blog with a click on the button above.
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