Three Ahmedabad Students Develop An App To Beat Depression Among Youths

As reports emerge of the Blue Whale challenge claiming young lives, three commerce students from a city college have developed a game application to pull people out of depression and to inspire them to live a happy and healthy life.

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One of the three creators of the game ¡ª Meet Kapadia ¡ª has suffered from severe depression. The other two, Siddharth Kambaliya and Jemish Jesadiya, have a friend who has battled depression. The three are third-year BBA students.

The game, called "Judge Me Not", can be played anonymously. Players are asked to talk about troubling mistakes they have made. The "confession" is given to unknown persons. Before entering the game, players can select music from a menu or watch videos that aim to allay anxieties.

"The game is designed to discern if players are subject to stress, anxiety, anger, or depression," said Meet. "The players first encounter a board with a circle drawn on it. The circle contains a rotating arrow. The player has to spin the arrow and undertake a task defined by the number the arrowhead points to." Tasks could involve not only talking about mistakes but also about any mischief the players may have committed.

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"If players want to talk about problems that are causing depression, they can answer without the fear of being judged," Meet said. "Players can even be connected to a psychiatrist or a counsellor if necessary."

Siddharth said a friend was suffering from depression but her family did not take the mental condition seriously. "We persuaded her to consult a doctor. And later we thought we could make an app that can help others too," he said. "So we created this game which is a counter to the Blue Whale Challenge."

The trio will make the app available to the public soon.