Breathe

“Social anxiety is the fear of being judged and evaluated negatively by other people, leading to feelings of inadequacy, inferiority, self-consciousness, embarrassment, humiliation, and depression. If a person usually becomes (irrationally) anxious in social situations, but seems better when they are alone, then "social anxiety" may be the problem.” - Thomas A. Richards, Ph.D., Psychologist/Director, The Social Anxiety Institute

Social anxiety is the irrational fear of being judged and evaluated negatively by other people, leading to feelings of inadequacy, inferiority, self-consciousness, embarrassment, humiliation, and depression.

Social anxiety is the third largest psychological disorder in the United States. It is estimated that 7% of the population suffers from social anxiety - that’s almost twenty-three million Americans.  Further, the lifetime prevalence is 14%. That means that fifty-five million will suffer from social anxiety at some point during their lives - more than the populations of Florida and Texas combined.

Breathe was designed not for people who suffer from social anxiety, but for the people around them. Social anxiety is a difficult sensation to put into words, and can be challenging to explain to someone who hasn't experienced it. With Breathe, people who deal with social anxiety will have a means of expressing their experience without having to use words.

Credits:

• Production/Sound Design: Connor Peacock
• Programming: Pablo Bernal
• Design/Logo: Brian Compton

(Designed as part of the 2018 MeGa Health Jam in Orlando, FL.)