lifehacker.com
Its January 2025. The main character of this story is drowning in uncertainty. She has barely recovered from the holiday season, monumental goals for the new year are looming, and a wall of self-doubt and societal pessimism obscures any view of what the immediate future might look like. The Oracle of Instagram Ads appears, recommending an app thats like a shamanic journey for mental health.That is how I came to download Betwixt, put on my headphones, and enter a frozen wasteland where a disembodied voice guided me to transfigure my inner landscape.What is Betwixt?Betwixt, which the creators describe as an epic journey of self-discovery, is a text-based choose-your-own-adventure type game that scratches multiple itches: gameplay, storytelling, meditation, mental wellness education, audio engagement, and aesthetics.To use the app, you should ideally wear headphones and be in a space where you wont be disturbed for 15-20 minutes. For each session or segment of the story, you enter the in-between, a sort of liminal space that exists inside your mind and outside reality. While atmospheric audio plays, the story scrolls across your screen. There are frequent prompts for you to choose the next action or respond to a direct question from the voice accompanying you.With storytelling and self-reflection, you are guided through milestones while being prompted to meditate on your strengths, hangups, and tools for coping. You can experience the first three dream sessions for free, then you will be prompted to pay a one-time fee to continue through all 11 chapters. When I signed up, membership tiers ranged from $20-200.Each dream session includes some or all of these features:The interactive dream/storyAn article relevant to the storys topicAn audio trackReplayable activities from the sessionA journal promptA meditationA quote to save or shareI chose the membership tier ($59) that would allow me to replay any of the dream sessions and have access to the Infinite Dream, a supplemental at-your-own-pace experience.How the game helped meThe narrative format of this app has allowed me to grasp some mental health skills that have been elusive through therapy or other forms of psycho-education.For example, the technique of psychological distancingseeing my problem from a perspective outside my own frantic mindactually clicked because the story in Betwixt guided me through the whole process of leaving my body and seeing my problem from a different angle, considering an outsiders interpretation, and refocusing on the future. Betwixt co-founder Ellie Dee said this way of learning through story is one key benefit of an app like Betwixt. Rationally, you can understand the maladaptive thinking patterns behind negative emotions and behaviors, but understanding the problem doesnt necessarily solve it, she said. People learn best experientially, through play." Each dream session provides one or more mental health tools like psychological distancing; after playing, you have the opportunity to read more on the topic and journal about it.How apps like Betwixt fit into mental health careYou could easily pack your phone with apps that support meditation, self-care, mood tracking, journaling, breath work, self-discovery, goal setting, and therapy. I use apps like that along with traditional therapy. Betwixt felt like something different that got me excited about where my story could go.Psychologist Dr. Alexandra Stratyner said apps like Betwixt can supplement traditional mental health care by helping users work toward their goals between sessions.They offer an interactive and engaging alternative to traditional methods like journaling or traditional forms of guided meditation, which may not work for everyone, Stratyner said. The immersive gameplay allows users to explore their emotions in a non-threatening, creative way, which may make self-reflection less intimidating. Some apps like this give users the ability to get immediate support, which can be especially helpful in moments of heightened stress or anxiety.Who is Betwixt for?Consider Betwixt if you enjoy gaming or immersive storytelling, struggle with traditional mindfulness or meditation practices, or if you're looking for a unique mental wellness tool.Betwixt could also benefit people with anxiety, Stratyner said.Interactive, narrative-driven tools can be particularly effective for addressing mental health issues that benefit from self-reflection, emotional exploration, and stress reduction, she said. For example, anxiety can be alleviated through the immersive, controlled environment these tools provide, which allows users to confront fears and uncertainties in a safe, virtual space. Immersive, narrative games that target mental health objectives may also offer therapeutic support that enables users to work through difficult experiences at their own pace.Betwixt and other apps are not a substitute for therapy and psychiatric care, however. Stratyner said mental health apps fall short when it comes to personalizing interventions based on your history and needs, managing complex and severe mental health issues like suicidal thoughts and trauma-related distress, and monitoring long-term mental health care.It's important to keep in mind that this type of approach has limitations when compared to traditional therapy, Stratyner said. Traditional therapy offers immediate feedback and tailored strategies that are difficult to replicate in a game. While gamified tools are helpful adjuncts for skill-building and daily maintenance, they lack the adaptability and emotional support a therapist provides when navigating difficult emotional states or unearthing underlying issues. Having a living person providing therapy also has unique, relational benefits that are well substantiated with research; apps cannot replicate the human factor.
