Show HN: Calmer – from surfing accident to building an anxiety relief app

Here’s the backstory:

In 2017, what was supposed to be a relaxing surfing trip to Sri Lanka turned into the beginning of a two-year battle with anxiety and depression. One morning, I hit my foot on an underwater stone while surfing. At first, it seemed like a minor bruise, but the warm, humid climate slowed the healing, and it developed into a severe infection.

When I got back home, I could barely walk without pain. After months of antibiotics and treatments, the infection finally healed—but by then, anxiety and depression had taken over. I started experiencing constant shortness of breath and heart palpitations, even during light exercise. I spent countless hours in doctor’s offices, undergoing tests, but was always told I was “fine.”

I’ll never forget the worst moments—lying awake at night, convinced I was having a heart attack, rushing to the ER only to hear the same thing: “Your heart is fine.” The fear didn’t go away, and I felt more trapped than ever. For nearly two years, I struggled to find answers and solutions. Medications didn’t help me. In fact, they just made things worse and left me feeling numb and brain-fogged.

It took time and a lot of adjustments, but I eventually managed to completely overcome anxiety and depression. It’s been more than 5 years now, and I’m feeling better than ever. I still vividly remember the incredible moment when my natural serotonin production restarted after gradually coming off the meds. I began waking up happy and energised instead of totally depressed and exhausted. Even simple things, like listening to music, gave me happy tingles I hadn’t felt in years.

Looking back, I realised how much faster I could have recovered if I’d had the right knowledge from the start. One of the main turning points for me was recognising the importance of my gut microbiome and how it impacted my mental state. This led me to methods for uncovering and tackling the deeper causes of my anxiety—not just managing the symptoms. Understanding how my anxiety triggers worked and learning to neutralise them gave me the clarity and tools I needed to finally move forward.

As I got better, I started noticing more and more TikTok and Instagram videos about anxiety, and what struck me the most were the comment sections. So many people were sharing their struggles—describing their debilitating anxiety symptoms, and expressing how lost they felt in finding answers. It reminded me so much of my own painful journey and made me think that perhaps I should compile my insights and share what helped me recover.

So I decided to team up with clinical psychologists and make an app that I wish I had when my anxiety & depression kicked in. The goal is to help others avoid the trial-and-error I went through and provide tools to manage anxiety that are based in the latest research.

Furthermore, a University of Toronto study revealed that 72% of participants fully recovered from anxiety when following well-rounded treatment plans, showing that most people can find their way to recovery. These principles became the foundation of Calmer.

I’d love to hear your thoughts and experiences with anxiety, and answer any questions—your feedback can help us improve the app and reach more people in need.