Better Stop Suicide, an innovative app created by a partnership between Channel Island creative agency, Oi, and renowned psychotherapist, John Halker, has won a Platinum Award in the Health and Wellness category at the prestigious global DotCOMM Awards.
Mental illness and suicide are growing global issues which affect many of us directly or indirectly, and have touched the lives of those at Oi. That’s why they joined forces with Mr Halker in 2019 to launch Better – a health tech company that uses the power and reach of apps to save and improve lives.
The first Better app, called Better Stop Suicide, was launched globally at the end of February last year across the Google Play Store and Apple App Store as a free app. Its intention is simple – to help people press their own pause button should suicidal thoughts come to them, thus buying time to get further help and support.
“It’s important to remember that suicide is a permanent solution to a temporary problem, and a calm person’s thinking brain knows that,” said John Halker, Co-Founder of Better.
Key features of the Better Stop Suicide app are calming audio files, quick access to key phone contacts, gratitude checklist, built-in alarm clock, better sleep audio file, emotional needs ‘quick’ check, helpful tasks to feel better, and the app allows people to record a life-saving message to themselves.
Oi and Mr Halker are currently developing a series of apps to stop other mental health problems (depression, anxiety, addiction to alcohol, drugs, and gambling), and physical illnesses like obesity and sleep disorders. All the apps are marketed under the Better brand and will also be available on the Apple App Store and Google Play Store.
Since its launch, the Better Stop Suicide app has been used by tens of thousands of people from across the world. Feedback via the app stores has shown immensely positive results from users, and real testaments to lives being saved.
“Thank you for making this app. I was very sad and tired. Did not want to die but wanted everything to stop. I used this app and had a good sleep and talked to my mum. It saved my life,” said one user.
“I am so grateful for this app. When I was really down it helped me at just the right moment,” said another user.
“Anybody in distress should keep the App on their phone and use it when needed xx. Very good… I’m still here as a result of the App,” added another user.
