I get that reaction and see how it could sound a bit Black Mirror ish. It's literally just art and curated audiovisual experiences designed to help you feel and process your emotions though.

We’re already living in a scifi dystopia where our emotions are constantly being manipulated by social media, algorithms, ads, etc. Feel is an attempt to offer an intentional alternative. It's not about manufacturing emotions. It's about moving through them more consciously with greater awareness and emotional intelligence.

I appreciate the comparison and feedback though. I welcome it all.

▲

GTP 3 days ago | parent | next [-]

Not a psychologist, but I have doubts that this is a more conscious and aware way of going through emotions. If you're so stressed about something that it makes you cry, this is a signal that there is something wrong that you need to change or takle/face in some way. If you're inducing cry once a week to relieve your stress, you're instead trying to silence the signal telling that something might be wrong. Like taking a painkiller after breaking a bone, but without taking care of the fracture that is causing the pain.

▲

johnnymaroney 2 days ago | parent | next [-]

Thanks for your feedback. I'm not a psychologist either but we have top psychologists and neuroscientists on the team and the project is grounded in leading psychological and scientific research. cryonceaweek.com was actually inspired by a Japanese research project that found crying can relieve stress for up to a week.

I would argue that releasing your emotions isn't comparable to taking a painkiller. A painkiller numbs the problem. Letting yourself cry and feel and release your emotions brings them to the surface. I've actually received a lot of responses from people who have told me the site has helped them confront emotional issues they have been avoiding or unable to face.

The app goes a lot deeper than you're describing by helping you understand what you're feeling and identify/label your emotions, receive insights on why you're feeling something by identifying triggers and patterns, and then helping you shift your mood when you need to. It could maybe be considered a painkiller in the moment, but it's also a vitamin that improves your well-being and emotional intelligence over time.

There was actually a new study that came out recently called The Big Joy Project that found that just a few minutes per day of intentional emotional shifts can improve your well-being in a week.

It's super important to me that the project so grounded in sound research so this is a big focus of ours. Appreciate you sharing your perspective and feedback.

▲

GTP 2 days ago | parent [-]

Thanks for your reply. I indeed missed tha part that helps identifying emotions and their root cause, that's a crucial functionality that significantly changes the picture.

	▲	johnnymaroney 2 days ago \| parent [-]
		I'll update the site soon to make that more clear. Appreciate your feedback

▲

Lalabadie 3 days ago | parent | prev [-]

Of course, but a lot of therapy in North America nowadays becomes needed not because the patient can change fundamentals variables in their life (job, family situation), but as a coping mechanism for these variables being out of wack with no discernible path to change.

Its far from ideal and indeed borderline dystopian, but to borrow your metaphor, it's the difference between a fracture, and a fracture with some painkillers available.

	▲	LtWorf 3 days ago \| parent [-]
		Perhaps some revolutioning would be a better cure then?

▲

throwanem 3 days ago | parent | prev [-]

I believe Soylent Green has some prior art.