Optimism for Mental Health

Understand and Improve Your Mental Health

$39.95

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Platforms: Windows 2000, XP, Vista, 7, Max OS X 10.3+ Universal, Web application (Flash required)

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Please note: today's discount is valid for the Windows, Mac, or Online versions of Optimism!

Optimism is a mood chart app that helps you develop strategies to manage depression, bipolar or other physical and mental health conditions.

It can be customized completely to suit your specific circumstances, making it relevant to any health condition that affects (or is affected by) mood.

Optimism helps you to:

Monitor and develop strategies, specific to yourself, that help you remain in good health.
Grow in your understanding of “triggers” that affect you, and the early warning signs or symptoms of a decline in mental health.
Find concrete starting points for discovering interactions between the factors that affect you. Charts and reports form a feedback loop, which helps you detect these interactions more easily.
Develop a wellness plan that documents your strategies and appropriate steps in the event of illness. It can be easily and regularly updated as self-understanding increases.

Optimism provides good integration with health providers, with detailed histories that can be reviewed quickly. It is grounded in preventative health and early intervention for better health outcomes.

Review Written by Derek Lee

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Expand All Email Updates Load 7 Older Comments

Curious Steve I just wanted to say that the developer is great, very responsive and helpful.

Aug 10 2011 at 12:03am Copy Link

Lupke Brother My wife works in mental healthcare and she says this is a great app with a lot of potential. Need to buy here the online version so she can experiment and discuss about this with her colleagues.

Aug 10 2011 at 1:31am Copy Link

M K G Does the same licence code work for windows/mac as well as the online version? If not, is there a possibility to get a discounted combo version as well?

Aug 10 2011 at 6:37am Copy Link

James Bishop Hi Amar. There are essentially 2 products. One is the desktop version for Windows and Mac (which uses the same programming codebase), and the other is the online version. If you buy a desktop license then you can use the software on Windows and Mac interchangeably (single user). A different license is needed for the online version because we developed it separately. We don't offer a discount for the two together - but if you decide to buy through BDJ then it's still two for the normal price of one. :)

Optimism Apps - Aug 10 2011 at 6:58am Copy Link

Jorin Green I have been using this software for the past couple of months, and it has been extremely helpful in picking up subtle patterns. I suffer ongoing migraine headaches (5+ years of daily symptoms), and Optimism has been helpful in following the effects of changes in medication. I have also, due to my own ineptness, needed some tech support, and James has been prompt, helpful and patient. I could not ask for more from the software, being incredibly flexible to customize to my needs, or the developer, so eager to help.

Would I recommend the software? Absolutely!

Aug 10 2011 at 7:53am Copy Link

John H I downloaded the trial, looked it over and purchased it.

I like that I can customized parts of it.

Thank You for a licensing policy that trusts us. I am a single user with 4 computers all over the place and use Spyder Oak to keep files synced up. I would not be able to use this if I were restricted to just one computer.

Aug 10 2011 at 1:32pm Copy Link

_*_ I have a question or four. :o)

1. Is this a stand alone program or is an Internet connection required for complete program usage?

The Chart seems to need a connection to display, and so it concerns me that people's data is being transmitted over the Internet.

2. How long do you have to put data in before you see tools to help with what is taking place in a person's life?

3. Since you can customize the questions asked, what does the program ultimately do for the user? Is it simply a convenient way of tracking a person's day?

4. Can more than one person keep track of their day? Husband & wife each keeping their own records?

Thanks for any insight you can offer.

Aug 10 2011 at 2:41pm Copy Link

James Bishop Hi M B.

In answer to your questions:

1. The software for Windows and Mac is stand alone. Your records are stored in a database on your computer, and an internet connection is only needed if you want to upload to the online database. You might do this to use the iPhone app with the software, or as a backup "in the cloud".

2. That is a difficult question and it would vary for different people. In my view, the most important thing is that the software prompts you from the start thinking about what is going on in your life that affects your health. It is about self-awareness and understanding. So lots of people benefit right from the start when they figure out how to customize fields for their own circumstances. As you review your records over time some things may become clear very quickly, since the relationship is strong, whereas other things may take a long time to figure out. (It took me years to work out that I have depressive episodes after eating artificial preservatives!)

3. I would say that it's more than simple tracking, because you can use the charts and reports as feedback. The idea is to find ways to improve your health, which is forwards rather than backwards-looking. You can also use it to test the effects of different things on your health.

4. This can be done easily with the online app. The desktop app has a single user database, so if more than one person wants to use it then you need to run it in separate user accounts (i.e. with different computer logins).

Feel free to ask any followup questions.

Optimism Apps - Aug 10 2011 at 5:42pm Copy Link

_*_ James Bishop, thank you for the response to my questions.

I am not interested in the online version only the standalone PC product.
The reason I asked about the Internet connection is that trial version displayed a popup saying I needed to make sure Flash (I believe it was Flash anyway) was working, and that if it does not display I needed to go online.

Regarding the user database in one file, is it possible to create to files and open one or the other?
Or, is it possible to have two files in two locations and move them back and forth so the one presently in the programs folder starts up?

Also, are there plans to allow for more than one user, or to have the program have a load file feature?

Thanks again for the answers.

Aug 10 2011 at 6:12pm Copy Link

James Bishop Hi M B.

The charts are made in Flash, so Flash needs to be installed on the computer. The message is for cases where Flash isn't installed and the charts can't be seen. In those cases it needs to be downloaded, but this happens outside of the Optimism program.

It is possible to make a copy of the database and then swap them backwards and forwards, although the licensing is per person not per computer.

We are currently making some major improvements to the apps (free upgrade when released). The multiple user database is an uncommon request, but it is a good time during these improvements for us to consider it carefully. However due to the scope of the work, any change to the database won't be available in the near future.

James

Optimism Apps - Aug 10 2011 at 6:46pm Copy Link

K X MB (or anyone else),

If you're still trying to decide between the desktop and online version, I read this intriguing bit of info on the website:

"We are working on a major addition to the web app to include a new section called "Modules".

The modules will add much more flexibility for user specific measurements e.g. medications, supplements, weather, more comprehensive mood tracking, time of sleep, menstrual cycle, and personal measurements. It will be easy to add additional modules, delete any that aren't needed, and change the fields available in the existing ones."

So the online version may have more customization possibilities than the desktop one.

P.S. Thanks to Albert's comment from Feb. 2010 which suggests syncing between the desktop app and the online one.

And for anyone using the trial version, clicking on Help opens a very thorough, illustrated pdf help document.

Aug 10 2011 at 7:49pm Copy Link

James Bishop The modules will appear in all of the apps, but we are working on them for the web app first (including improving the charts and report to cater to them) before porting them to the Windows and Mac apps.

There shouldn't be a long wait for the functionality from release in the web app until release in the desktop versions.

Optimism Apps - Aug 10 2011 at 7:57pm Copy Link

K X James,

Thanks for the responsiveness to our questions, the detailed help file, the free upgrades and also including sample data for help in trying out the program: all things I wish more developers would provide.

Aug 10 2011 at 8:02pm Copy Link

James Bishop Thanks! That's a pleasure.

Optimism Apps - Aug 10 2011 at 8:07pm Copy Link

_*_ James Bishop, thanks again for the reply. I purchased as your responsiveness, no DRM, and lifetime updates makes me want to support your efforts.

I do think having the ability for those in the home to open up their own file seems logical and useful. To me, it seems a bit silly to have two copies of the program installed in order for a husband and wife to use it.

I look forward to at least one of of using it, until this is looked at in greater detail.

Also, the email I paid with is not the one I use; I will contact support giving the proper email to have connected to this sale.

Thank you

Aug 10 2011 at 8:50pm Copy Link