Mental Health and the "notOK" App

Rheumatoid arthritis affects every aspect of a person’s life. It affects a person physically, socially, and mentally. It also impacts their ability to perform everyday activities, work, and go to school. I have been an advocate for recognizing mental illness for what it is, an illness. It deserves treatment and attention just like any other disease. In the past, there were many times that I just felt so alone.

Chronic disease and mental health

Living with a chronic disease like RA creates stress all the time. Some research estimates that the rate of depression of those living with RA is anywhere from 15-42%.¹

Professor of Medicine, Patti Katz, Ph.D. states, “There is evidence that depression is an inflammatory disease, and there is also evidence that people with high levels of certain inflammatory biomarkers in their system are more likely to develop depression. Some of those markers are the same ones that are elevated in rheumatoid arthritis".²

Rheumatoid arthritis is a chronic condition that is often associated with pain. RA pain can certainly lead to depression, in my experience. I find that when I am depressed, my perception of the pain becomes magnified.

Technology that may help

The "notOK app" was created by 15-year-old Hannah Lucas and her 13-year-old brother, Charlie Lucas in 2018. It was created after Hannah had been diagnosed with a chronic condition that caused her to faint frequently. This chronic illness really affected Hannah and her family’s life. The idea for the app was birthed when Hannah told her family that she wished there was an app that she could use to quickly alert them when she needed help, physically or emotionally.³

The notOK app

This is a free app available for download onto your Mac or Android devices. The setup is easy and the app guides you step-by-step during the setup of your account.

This app is meant to be a pre-crisis tool. It has guided breathing support along with a notOK alert button. The alert button allows you to reach up to 5 family or friends simultaneously when you press it. A text is sent to the people you choose ahead of time to let them know that you are not ok and it also shares your detailed location with those 5 trusted contacts.

Crisis text lines and warm lines on the app provide options to reach out to individuals trained in mental health for additional help via phone or through text.

My personal experience

I have downloaded the app myself. The setup with very easy and it explains everything step-by-step. It is just another tool in my tool bag for helping me on my journey with RA, chronic illness, and mental health. It gives me a sense of peace to have an emergency plan in case it is needed. I used to be ashamed of my physical and mental illness, but I am no longer ashamed. It’s a reality we face with RA and any chronic illness. If this article reaches and touches one person then I feel it is worth it because we are all worth it.

Hannah Lucas says it best in this statement, "In today's society, we crave perfection. We crave the flawless image. Frankly, we just need to get ok with being not ok. We need to accept our flaws and love ourselves no matter what. That's what this app is here for."³