MindDeck FAQ

MindDeck is your privacy-first wellness companion app designed for anyone seeking better mental health habits. Whether you're dealing with anxiety, depression, stress, or simply want to improve your daily wellness routines, MindDeck provides evidence-based tools without traditional healthcare replacement claims. Perfect for individuals who want to take control of their mental wellness journey.

MindDeck is a wellness companion tool, not a medical device or therapeutic platform. We're designed to complement, not replace, professional mental health care. If you're experiencing serious mental health concerns, dealing with trauma, or need personalized therapeutic guidance, please consult licensed mental health professionals immediately. MindDeck works best as a supportive tool alongside professional care.

MindDeck offers free and premium tiers:

Free Features:

• Journaling with mood tracking
• Basic wellness toolkit (15+ tools)
• Progress insights and streaks
• Emergency contacts and crisis resources
• Offline functionality

Premium Features: AI-powered insights, personalized recommendations, data export, and ad-free experience
Premium is available via auto-renewing subscriptions ($X.X/month or $XX/year) through Apple App Store and Google Play.

Yes! MindDeck works excellently offline for most features. All your journal entries, saved custom toolkits, progress tracking, and wellness tools are stored locally on your device. You can create and use content offline. Only premium AI features require internet connectivity for personalized insights and recommendations. Rest assured your personal data never requires internet access unless you choose to use premium AI features.

🏆 Boss Fights are MindDeck's gamified approach to overcoming mental health challenges.

Each "boss" represents a common mental wellness hurdle like:
• Anxiety Monster - Racing thoughts and worry patterns
• Depression Dweller - Low motivation and energy
• Stress Sentinel - Overwhelm and burnout
• Insomnia Imp - Sleep difficulties
• Procrastination Phantom - Task avoidance patterns

How to fight: Use wellness tools to "reduce HP" (complete journaling, meditations, CBT exercises). Victory unlocks new tools, earns XP/levels, and builds your wellness streak. Defeating bosses builds confidence and creates positive momentum for real mental wellness victories.

📝 MindDeck's journaling goes beyond basic note-taking with AI-enhanced insights (premium).

Key features:

• Mood tracking: Quick mood/emotion logging with visual charts
• Auto-prompts: Contextual questions after completing wellness activities
• Crisis flags: Automatic notifications when journal entries indicate high distress
• Pattern recognition: Premium users get AI insights about emotional patterns and triggers
• AES-256 Encryption: All entries are encrypted with military-grade AES-256 encryption and stored securely on your device
• Export options: Premium users can backup journals in JSON, CSV, or PDF formats

Special aspect: Entries automatically trigger wellness tool recommendations when patterns suggest it would be helpful.

🧰 MindDeck includes 25+ evidence-based wellness tools across categories:

Mindfulness & Meditation:
• Breathing exercises (4-7-8, Box breathing, Relaxation breath)
• Body scans and progressive muscle relaxation
• Loving-kindness meditation

CBT & Therapeutic Techniques:
• Cognitive restructuring worksheets
• Thought challenge exercises
• Behavioral activation prompts

Recovery & Wellness Tools:
• Grounding exercises for dissociation
• Distress tolerance techniques
• Urge surfing for compulsive behaviors

Self-Help Frameworks:
• SMART goal setting
• Problem-solving worksheets
• Values clarification exercises

Note: All tools are unlocked through boss fights and gameplay progression, creating an engaging learning experience.

📊 MindDeck provides comprehensive progress tracking across multiple dimensions:

Mood Tracking:
• Daily mood scores (1-10 scale)
• Emotional pattern analysis
• Mood trend charts over time

Activity Metrics:
• Journal entries created
• Tools practiced
• Boss fights completed
• Current streak days

Achievements:
• Wellness milestones unlocked
• Streak badges
• Tool mastery levels

Insights: Premium users receive AI-generated patterns about when you feel your best and what tools work most effectively for you.

MindDeck follows a local-first, privacy-by-design philosophy:

What's stored locally:

• All journal entries and mood data
• Custom routines and tool preferences
• Progress statistics and achievements
• Wellness theories and custom content
• App settings and preferences

What we don't access:

• No server-side storage of personal data
• No cloud backups (your responsibility)
• No data sharing with third parties
• No analytics without explicit consent
• No location or device fingerprinting

The only time data leaves your device: When you use premium AI features (optional) or choose to export/share data yourself.

🤖 AI features are completely optional and privacy-respecting:

What AI accesses: Only the specific wellness data you choose to share for analysis
• Journal entries (by your choice)
• Mood patterns (aggregated data)
• Tool usage statistics (anonymous)

What AI doesn't access:

• Personal identifiers or device info
• Raw personal data from all entries
• Data without your explicit permission
• Cloud storage on our servers

How it works: Prompts are securely sent to xAI (Grok) servers, processed instantly, and the response is returned to your device. No conversation history or personal context is retained beyond the immediate analysis. All communication happens over HTTPS encryption.

🛡️ Analytics are completely opt-in and anonymous if you choose to participate:

You control analytics:

• Optional participation: Research analytics are completely optional
• Clear consent: Detailed opt-in dialog explaining exactly what's collected
• No personal data: Only anonymous usage patterns and feature engagement
• Easy opt-out: Change your mind anytime in settings
• De-identified: All research data is aggregated and cannot be linked to individuals

What research analytics include (if you opt-in):

• Which tools are most effective for different user patterns
• Common mental health challenges and successful interventions
• App usage patterns to improve UX and features

💎 Premium unlocks the full AI-powered MindDeck experience:

AI-Powered Wellness:

• Personalized tool recommendations: AI analyzes your patterns to suggest the most effective tools
• Journal insights: Automatic pattern recognition in your entries
• JWT journaling: Advanced therapeutic writing techniques
• Custom AI quotes: Personalized motivational content based on your goals
• Recovery theories: AI-curated evidence-based wellness frameworks

Enhanced Features:

• Data export: Complete wellness history in various formats
• Unlimited journal entries: No storage limits
• Advanced progress insights: Detailed pattern analysis
• Priority support: Direct developer support access

Value proposition: Premium transforms MindDeck from a wellness journal into your personal AI therapist - learning your unique patterns and providing tailored recommendations that free users can't access.

📱 Subscriptions are managed through your app store accounts:

How it works:

• Platform managed: Apple App Store or Google Play handles payments
• Auto-renewing: Monthly or annual subscriptions automatically renew
• No card storage: MindDeck never sees or stores payment information
• Easy cancellation: Cancel anytime from your app store account settings

Cancellation process:

• iOS: Go to Settings > Apple ID > Subscriptions > MindDeck > Cancel
• Android: Open Google Play Store > Menu > Subscriptions > MindDeck > Cancel
• Continued access: Premium features remain active until subscription period ends

Refunds: Contact your app store support for refund requests - we don't process refunds directly.

💾 Premium users can export their complete wellness histories:

Available export formats:

• JSON: Complete raw data format for developers/tech-savvy users
• CSV: Spreadsheet format for data analysis and imports
• PDF: Formatted reports for sharing with healthcare professionals

What's included in exports:

• All journal entries with timestamps
• Mood scores and emotional patterns
• Boss fight progress and achievements
• Tools practiced and their effectiveness ratings
• Custom routines and wellness theories
• Complete mental wellness timeline

How to export: Settings > Data & Privacy > Export Data > Choose format
Privacy note: Exports are encrypted and stored temporarily in your device only.

🗑️ App deletion permanently removes all your data with NO recovery possible:

What gets deleted:

• All journal entries and mood tracking history
• Progress statistics and achievements
• Custom toolkits and wellness theories
• Settings and preferences
• Boss fight progress and unlocks

Important warnings:

• No cloud backup: MindDeck intentionally doesn't back up your data
• Permanent deletion: App uninstall = complete data removal
• Export first: Use premium export feature before deleting if you want to keep data
• Your data ownership: You control backups, not us

Data protection principle: Since all data stays on your device, deletion is genuinely complete and secure.

👨‍⚕️ Absolutely! MindDeck is designed to complement professional mental health care:

How we work together:

• Between sessions: Practice therapeutic techniques learned in therapy
• Skills building: Reinforce CBT, mindfulness, and behavioral interventions
• Progress tracking: Share objective data with your therapist
• Home practice: Continue homework assignments and exercises
• Crisis prevention: Early warning signs before sessions

We recommend:

• Tell your therapist: Share how you're using the app
• Use exports: Premium users can share progress reports
• Skills transfer: Many app tools are modeled after therapeutic techniques

Caution: MindDeck is not a replacement for professional care but can be an excellent supportive tool.

Immediate help contacts (available in MindDeck's Crisis Resources):

Emergency numbers (US):

• 24/7 Crisis Line: 988 (Suicide & Crisis Lifeline)
• Emergency Services: 911
• Crisis Text Line: Text HOME to 741741

MindDeck will never make you wait for help:

• Crisis resources are always accessible (free users too)
• We include local and international emergency contacts
• Hotlines are embedded for immediate access
• No account or payment required for emergency help

💬 Multiple support channels depending on your needs:

Contact Methods:

• 📧 Email: support@campfiretales.shop
• 🌐 Website: mind-deck.netlify.app
• 📱 In-app help: Settings > Help & Support

Premium Support:

• ⭐ Priority response: Premium users get faster support
• 💡 Feature guidance: Help using AI tools and advanced features
• 🔧 Technical issues: App crashes, data sync problems

Response times:

• Typical response: Within 1-2 weeks depending on inquiry complexity
• Simple questions: Usually faster (2-5 business days)
• Complex issues: May take up to a week to investigate and respond
• Emergency situations: Contact local emergency services - MindDeck cannot respond to crisis situations