Finding Support in an Unexpected Place
HUAWEI Band 10
I stumbled across the HUAWEI Band 10 while in JB Hi-Fi during one of my many treatment admissions at a mental health hospital. The hospital was about 3.5 hours from my home, so getting my belongings wasn’t an option. I was admitted on the spot and only had what was in my hands and on my body. Most of my time spent in the community was focused on buying essentials, not knowing whether I’d be there for weeks or months.
Why I Chose This Watch
The watch was under AUD $200, had a battery life of up to 14 days, and included an “emotional tracker”—a feature I’d never seen before. I was curious (and honestly a bit desperate) to see if it could pick up on my moods, particularly mania and depression. My hope was that once detected, I could work on restoring balance using learned techniques or, if required, medication. It felt like it could be a really useful tool in my toolbox.
Understanding My Mood Patterns
I’m not very good at recognising my moods, but this watch genuinely helps—as long as I remember to check the data. My moods can fluctuate quickly, and having both SAD and ADHD makes it difficult to pinpoint which condition is affecting me in the moment. I do know that hyperfocus (from my ADHD) can get me into trouble. When I’m in that state, it can last for days—I forget food, medication, showering, even sleep. I become so absorbed in what I’m doing that time seems to stand still. Then suddenly, mania can hit, often triggered by not sticking to my medication routine—and that can lead to hospitalisation.
Weekly Emotional Insights
A view of my emotions for the week
The image above shows my emotions over the week: orange represents pleasant, green is neutral, and purple is unpleasant. Generally speaking, any pleasant or unpleasant emotion reaching 25% or more is worth paying attention to. It can help to reflect on what you were doing during that time, and whether factors like sleep, food, or exercise may have influenced your mood.
From the image, Friday showed more than 25% of the day made up of pleasant emotions. For me, this can be a warning sign of mania. I reviewed the data more closely and looked at how those emotions were spread throughout the day. Because the pleasant emotions were scattered rather than grouped together, it suggested my mood was still stable. However, I continued to monitor myself over the following days to be sure.
Recognising Early Warning Signs
The watch is an amazing support tool, but like I mentioned earlier, remembering to actually review and use the data is key when it comes to maintaining your health and emotional balance. I wear it every day, and it’s also great for tracking sleep and exercise.
“For me, tools like this aren’t a solution—but they’re a step toward awareness, and awareness is where change begins.”
