PTSD Help App, your free assistant for managing Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), available for Ukrainians all over the world

Bucharest, January 29, 2024 - Code for Romania / Commit Global, the world's largest civic technology organization, continues the deployment of the PTSD Help mobile app in Ukraine. The app, a Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) management virtual assistant, provides confidential support to individuals facing critical situations and offers comprehensive information on this subject to anyone who needs it. The app is currently available in Ukrainian and Romanian.

Developed in cooperation with the US Department of Veterans Affairs - National Center for PTSD, PTSD Help is available for both Android and iOS and is aimed at vulnerable individuals affected by the crisis in Ukraine, living in Ukraine or refugees who have found shelter in other countries, including Romania. It is also valuable for any individual in vulnerable situations, impacted by any type of traumatic experience - war, violence, aggression, accidents, etc.

PTSD Help mobile app, a confidential and free tool for individuals with PTSD, for their loved ones, and for mental health professionals, can be used as a standalone tool for information and self-management and/or as a complement to treatment with a mental health professional.

Its original version, developed by US Department of Veterans Affairs - National Center for PTSD, has been for many years already a valuable resource for people in need of support, complementary with specific psychological assistance programs.

What does PTSD Help do?

The PTSD Help app offers various resources and tools designed to support individuals with PTSD, including:

• Essential and comprehensive information about PTSD.

• A self-assessment module for understanding symptoms.

• Practical tools for managing the discomfort associated with post-traumatic stress.

• Crisis support contacts and hotlines.

• Detailed information about available professional treatments.

The hotlines list includes free support from qualified mental health specialists for civilians, for military personnel and their families and loved ones, veterans. There is also one hotline for child psychological support.

Customization and monitoring

Users have the option to customize the app to their needs by choosing:

• Images and music that can provide relaxation and comfort.

• Support contacts for difficult moments.

• Inspirational messages on the main screen.

• A “Discomfort Barometer” to evaluate the level of stress and anxiety.

The app also allows individual progress monitoring, providing personalized feedback.

PTSD Help is not a diagnostic tool for PTSD and does not replace professional treatment. However, it can be a valuable educational tool and aid in managing post-traumatic stress!

PTSD Help can be downloaded from the iOS and Android app stores, here: Play Store * App Store.

“In a world where mental health is becoming a priority, we are developing new technologies to assist those affected by various disorders. Our initiative is aimed at all individuals dealing with trauma who need support in managing their emotions and challenging situations. The Ukrainian version specifically supports Ukrainians, affected by the war for nearly two years, but also those who are currently providing assistance in refugee centers, at the borders and across the states receiving Ukrainian refugees. We invite everyone interested to download the app and start exploring how PTSD Help can support them on their journey to healing and understanding,” says Olivia Vereha, co-founder and Director of Product Code for Romania / Commit Global.

“The atrocities of war can rupture how we understand ourselves, other people, and the world.  Feelings of despair, fear, and unrelenting grief are not a sign of weakness, rather they reflect a deeply human reaction to terrible and traumatic experiences.  No one should have to suffer in silence and healing requires knowing that we are not alone. Accordingly, the US Department of Veterans Affairs - National Center for PTSD has entered a partnership with Code for Romania and Commit Global to support those impacted by the war in Ukraine and beyond. We have been honored to advise Commit Global on culturally and situationally adapting PTSD Coach to meet increasing mental health needs as the fallout of this war will be felt for years and generations to come.  Mental health apps can help break down barriers to accessing care like stigma, cost, convenience, and our shared mission is to reach people in need of support, wherever they are in the world,” says Psychologist Adrienne Heinz, PhD, a researcher and clinician specializing in resilience, trauma, anxiety, and substance addictions, representing US Department of Veterans Affairs - National Center for PTSD.

”For all those suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder, the trauma they have experienced remains a constant presence after the event, both emotionally and physically. PTSD prevents them from reconnecting with what matters to them. That's why they need all the support they can get to recover. An important part of our mission at the Romanian Institute for the Study and Treatment of Trauma (ISTT) is to provide access to accurate information about trauma and post-traumatic stress disorder. So we are pleased to have contributed to this essential project for the general public, where we supervised the adaptation process of the application's content and mapped the existing local intervention and treatment resources. The information provided by the app is a way to prevent misinformation on this topic, which generates confusion and delays seeking specialized support,” says Dr. Maria Magdalena Macarenco, a member of the Romanian Institute for the Study and Treatment of Trauma (ISTT)”.

PTSD Help is part of a series of 58 digital solutions offered so far, for free, by Code for Romania and Commit Global, to help solve various societal problems in a complicated global environment. Another important solution, developed for the management of the refugee crisis is Dopomoha (Help), a web support and information platform for migrants fleeing the war in Ukraine. Here, they find information on the entry requirements at the border, the procedure for seeking asylum in Romania, their rights and obligations as asylum seekers and useful resources for their stay in Romania. For Ukrainians living in Romania now, there is also available CeZiceLegea.ro/uk, a digital platform helping foreigners with accessible information about the laws that influence their lives, shortening the distance between institutions and citizens. It explains legislation and procedures in simple terms so that people know what to do whenever they need to contact the institutions. Whether it's about issues that affect us every day or special life events, here you'll find the shortest path to the information you need: birth, education, professional life, marriage, death, civic participation and housing.

Code for Romania, NGO in Romania, is the largest civic tech organization in the world, with a community of over 3,000 volunteers. Since 2016, it has been identifying systemic and widespread social issues and building the necessary digital infrastructure for free that society needs. The organization's mission is to help solve as many social problems as possible through technology. To this date, Code for Romania has developed 58 vital digital solutions for Romania, including digital infrastructure for managing the Covid-19 crisis and the refugee crisis in Ukraine. Through Code for Romania's international work, carried out through Commit Global, these solutions have supported over 20 million people so far. Romania is thus becoming the center of civic technology globally, exporting digital solutions that will help hundreds of thousands of NGOs around the world. The global organization's objective is to ensure equal access to this infrastructure worldwide, regardless of age, race, education, or gender.