Quick Verdict
Gentle Accountability
People who respond well to visual progress and don't shame-spiral easily.
RSD-Prone
The dead-tree guilt mechanic can backfire badly for rejection-sensitive brains.
The Short Version
Forest is a focus app that grows virtual trees when you don't touch your phone—and kills them when you do. After 3 days of testing with EEG equipment and activity tracking, I found it does reduce phone pickups, but the guilt-based mechanic is a double-edged sword for ADHD brains.
Does it work? Kinda. For some of us. With caveats.
Price: $3.99 (iOS), Free with ads (Android)
Why I Tested This
If you've spent any time on ADHD Reddit, you've seen Forest recommended approximately 47,000 times. The pitch is simple: plant a tree, don't touch your phone, watch it grow. Touch your phone? Tree dies. You monster.
But here's the thing about ADHD brains and guilt...
...it doesn't always work the way people think.
The Science Problem
Here's where Forest gets interesting—and complicated—for those of us with ADHD.
ADHD brains show reduced loss aversion. A study in Scientific Reports found we have reduced activity in the caudate (part of the reward system) when processing loss information. Translation: the "don't kill the tree" guilt mechanic might be LESS effective for the exact people this app is supposedly helping.
And then there's RSD—Rejection Sensitive Dysphoria. 70-99% of adults with ADHD experience intense emotional responses to perceived failure. So what happens when you combine an app designed around guilt with a brain that processes guilt as existential devastation?
That's what I wanted to find out.
What I Tested
Equipment:
- Muse S Athena (EEG + fNIRS) — brainwave activity and prefrontal cortex blood flow
- Polar H10 — heart rate variability (stress indicator)
- ActivityWatch — actual time on task and phone pickups
Protocol:
- 3 days baseline (no Forest, just normal chaos)
- Day 1: Forest BEFORE work (warm-up approach)
- Day 2: Forest DURING work (2-hour phone lock)
- Day 3: Combined approach + intentionally killing a tree
The Results
| Metric | Baseline | Day 1 (Before) | Day 2 (During) | Day 3 (Combined) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Time on Task | 62% | 71% | 68% | 74% |
| Phone Pickups | 14 | 8 | 3* | 5 |
| Theta/Beta Ratio | 2.4 | 2.1 | 2.3 | 2.0 |
| Subjective Focus | 5/10 | 7/10 | 6/10 | 7/10 |
*Day 2 phone pickups were low because I literally couldn't pick up my phone without tree murder.
What Forest Gets Right for ADHD
What Actually Works
- Immediate visual feedback — Tree growing = dopamine. Inside the 5-15 second reward window our brains need.
- Progress visualization — Your forest builds over time. Visible progress combats time blindness.
- Friction creation — Puts a speed bump between impulse and action.
- Real trees planted — 100,000+ through Trees for the Future. Genuinely cool.
What Forest Gets Wrong for ADHD
Where It Falls Short
- Loss aversion mechanic — Research shows we're LESS motivated by loss than neurotypical brains.
- RSD trigger potential — Dead trees = shame spiral risk for rejection-sensitive brains.
- No peer-reviewed research — Zero studies specifically on Forest. The evidence is vibes.
- Assumes guilt motivates — It doesn't. Not universally. Not for all of us.
The Guilt Test
I intentionally killed a tree. For science.
It felt... worse than expected. It's a fake tree. I know it's a fake tree. But there's this pang of disappointment—in myself.
For someone who experiences RSD intensely, I could see this spiraling fast. It's not just "oh no, dead tree." It's "I'm a failure. I can't even keep a fake tree alive. Why do I bother with anything."
Is that motivation? Or just bad feelings dressed up as productivity?
Who Should Try Forest
- People who respond well to gentle pressure
- Those who haven't tried phone-locking apps before
- Anyone who likes gamification and doesn't shame-spiral easily
- You want the visual progress without going nuclear (see: Freedom app)
Who Should Skip It
- Anyone with strong RSD or sensitivity to failure
- People who need TRUE hard-blocking (Forest's "strict mode" still lets you kill the tree)
- Those who've tried and bounced off similar apps
- You already feel bad about yourself; you don't need more guilt
The DIY Alternative
I built a guilt-free focus timer that has the GOOD parts of Forest—growing tree visualization, satisfying progress—without the death mechanic.
Stop early? Tree just stops where it is. No death. No shame. You get credit for however long you managed.
Check out Focus Tree — Free, runs in your browser, probably broken in some way.
Final Verdict
Worth Trying, With Caveats
Forest works for a lot of people—the reviews don't lie. But if you've tried it and it made you feel worse, that's valid. Your brain might just process guilt differently.
Price: $3.99 (iOS), Free with ads (Android)
Our rating: 6/10 for ADHD brains (8/10 for neurotypical users)
Alternatives Worth Knowing
- Flora — Same concept, free, also plants real trees
- One Sec — Adds friction without guilt (pause before opening apps)
- Freedom — Nuclear option. Just blocks everything.
- Our Focus Tree — Guilt-free version (link above)
Full Data
- Data Spreadsheet (coming soon)
- Research Citations (coming soon)
- Video Version (YouTube - coming soon)
Disclaimer: We're not doctors, scientists, or remotely qualified for any of this. This is entertainment and personal experimentation, not medical advice.
