Working with SAM: User guidance

You will find it useful to study these guidance notes in order to get the best out of your work with SAM.

What is self-help?

Self-help is not new or special – most of us solve our problems ourselves, most of the time.  Sometimes we get a little help from family and friends.  And an app like SAM can also be useful.  But nothing will do it all for you; as the old joke goes:

Q:  How many therapists does it take to change a
light bulb?

A:  Only one, but the light bulb’s really got to want to change.

We suggest that you regard yourself as being in partnership with SAM, together with any personal and professional support that is available to you.

How long does it take?

Making changes takes time, even with modern technology:  you will need to reflect on what you’ve learnt from SAM and how it applies to you.

Making changes requires persistence:  you will need to practice what you’ve learnt, apply it to a range of situations and be prepared to take a few risks.

How can other people help?

Research shows that people are more successful in addressing their concerns and making changes in their behaviour if they are supported by friends, family, colleagues or professional helpers. 

This is increasingly shown to be true for digital self-help so SAM gives you access to a closed network – the Social Cloud – for advice and support.  

We suggest you identify at least one personal
contact – on or offline – with whom you can discuss your self-help work.

When should I see my Doctor?

If you are experiencing persistent anxiety, depression or other unpleasant emotions, it is always worth considering whether they have a physical cause.  

Physical causes of psychological concerns include lack of sleep, exhaustion, malnutrition, illness and recovery from illness, side-effects of medication, alcohol and substance abuse.

If in doubt, consult your General Practitioner or
other Medical Adviser.

How can I trust SAM to help me?

It is important that you feel confident about using SAM.   We have tried to select self-help material that is supported by research, recommended by practitioners and/or rated highly by users.  We recommend that you take a critical look at all self-help material, including SAM, in order to satisfy yourself that:

• It is relevant to your needs, abilities and preferences
• It offers rational or evidence-based explanations
• It offers activities that make sense to you
• It feels safe i.e. is not likely to be upsetting or harmful

How do I get started with SAM?

SAM is organised as a set of subject modules containing a range of self-help options, together with a core module for recording and monitoring changes in your wellbeing. 

Depending on your circumstances and personal style, you may wish to explore the app and its self-help options before deciding how to make use of it; or you may wish to start with a more structured approach. 

For a structured approach, use the Mood Tracker feature to record and monitor your experience and the My Triggers feature to record situations which affect you.  

How do I work with the self-help options?

Research has shown that testing out self-help options, observing their impact on moods and situations is central to effective self-help.

Whatever approach you use, we recommend that you

• Add to Favourites the self-help options which have a positive impact on your daily life – your feelings, thoughts and behaviour.
• Share self-help tips with other users via the Social Cloud.

How hard is it going to be?

Effective self-help requires you to take responsibility for making best use of the options, practicing what needs to be practiced, and persisting with the work until you are satisfied that it is no longer needed.  

Research has shown that people take from 18 to 254 days to form a new habit – an average of 66 days.

And each day you have the satisfaction of being a bit further forward….

We wish you well. 

The SAM Project Team at UWE Bristol.