Apps that improve your mental health
Over the last few years there has been a significant increase in awareness to mental well-being. A lot of this is possibly due to the entry of many mobile applications in the market which focus solely on mental health.
Having said that, despite the advanced technological age we live in, the growing awareness has not yet been able to fully eradicate the taboos associated with mental illness or seeking professional help. Thankfully, these innovative and beneficial apps, centred on medical care, are helping to change this mindset.
Apps that cover mental health problems
Of all the mental health disorders, anxiety and depression are most common in all corners of the world. Both require the right counseling for treatment. That said, it is not possible for every person suffering from mental problems to seek in-person professional guidance. Hence, we have rounded up some of the best, to help you manage their treatment on your own.
Note, that not all these mental health apps are meant to supplement the importance of a face-to-face session with a personal therapist, but they can certainly serve as excellent tools to streamline the recovery journey.
- Happify: to address stress and increase
happiness.
iOS and Google Play
(FREE or $15/month for the
premium pack)
Happify comes complete with daily games, quizzes and activities for you to choose from as per your experience. Helps in overcoming negative thoughts and builds self-confidence.
- What’s Up: for anxiety, stress and anger
iOS and Google Play
(FREE)
Tools in this app are based on ACT and CBT to help reduce anxiety, stress and anger. The app’s built-in forum allows you to connect with like-minded persons.
- PTSD Coach: to treat post-traumatic
stress disorder.
iOS and Google Play
(FREE)
A brainchild of the National Center for PTSD, this app is designed to cure anyone who has or may have post-traumatic disorder. Important features include therapeutic tools, educational materials, and information on follow up support.
- Sanvello: anxiety and depression
iOS and Google Play
(Basic version FREE)
What sets this app apart from the others is its popular organization level and inclusion in most insurance policies in the US. Sanvello provides a one-stop solution for panic attacks, anxiety and depression. The tool-kit includes options of self-care, therapy, mood tracker and community.
- Calmerry: text and video therapy
iOS, Android,PC
(subscription-based service
starting at $42 for the first
month)
The mission of this relatively new app called Calmerry, is to make therapy both affordable and accessible to anyone. Their service uses an interactive web platform, called “Therapy Journey Start” to match the user with the right therapist who can be reached 24×7 through messaging. You can even view your therapist’s background and expertise through the virtual therapy room.
- Rootd: panic attacks
iOS and Google Play
(FREE for basic plan, $7/month
or $60/year for premium plan)
If you ever felt like hitting the panic button during an anxiety attack, Rootd has you completely covered. All you need to do is to answer a few questions and the app will guide you through the recovery process. A must for those facing a war with anxiety.
- MindShift: for tackling negative thought
patterns.
iOS and Google Play
(FREE)
Apart from teaching you how to challenge the development of anxious thoughts, MindShift guides you as to how to set goals and form good habits.The app uses scientifically proven strategies based on CBT to help you feel relaxed and a Community forum to seek peer-to-peer support.
- Happyfeed: gratitude journal app
iOS and Google Play
($4/month or $40/year)
Gratitude journaling is often recommended by therapists for good mental welfare. If you have found this hard to achieve, try Happyfeed. Through this app you can upload pictures, memories that go with them and a daily record of all those things you are grateful for. By shaking the “Happiness Jar” you will be able to access a happy random day from your past.
- Insight Timer: meditation and
mindfulness
iOS and Google Play
(Basic FREE, else $10
per month or $60/year
for premium)
Insight Timer stands out for its expansive free library offering music tracks and over 55,000 free meditations. Their new addition Insight Timer@work, provides content in 50 languages from spiritual leaders, experts and psychologists to make every employee feel mindful at work.
- iBreathe: deep breathing app
iOS
(FREE)
A little deep breathing guidance by iBreathe can go a long way in alleviating symptoms of anxiety and stress. The app’s uncluttered and easy to use interface is not only helpful but soothing as well. Moreover, it is you who decides how long to hold your breath, set your own intervals and how many times to repeat the exercise in the course of the day.
- MindDoc: mood and well-being
iOS and Google Play
(FREE, or $5/month,
$48/year for premium)
Although this therapy app is designed to tackle anxiety and depression it also allows you to keep a record of your mental health and generate suggestions on the right exercises to treat them. Users are also zeroing down on MindDoc to address issues of eating disorders, bipolar disorders and many more.
- BetterHelp: matching with a therapist
iOS and Google Play
($60-$90/week)
This is another mobile therapy app that connects the user to the right therapist through live chat, video sessions or phone calls. Compared to other similar apps, BetterHelp offers many more live video and phone sessions, but deciding the one best for you will entirely depend on how well you have done your homework.
Virtual therapy vs in-person therapy
The debate on online counseling vs face-to-face treatment has been raging for quite some time now. Research points to online therapy as a valid tool for mental health treatment, especially for those suffering from depression and anxiety.
Virtual therapy continues to gain in popularity, especially after the pandemic, the convenience of getting a remedy sitting at home has its own advantages, especially for those who want to avoid the social stigma or have limited mobility.
When we talk about traditional therapy, we are implying getting support through face-to-face interaction with a licensed therapist. These sessions, typically take place in a brick and mortar office setting, about once a week and last from 45 minutes to one hour.
On the other hand, online therapy, also referred to as virtual therapy, provides mental health support to the user, regardless of location. Some of the ways online therapy is provided is by email, texting, phone calls or live video services.
Depending on their expertise, therapists offer virtual advice on the related issues and are deemed just as effective as in-person treatment for the mental health needs of the user.
To conclude, these advanced apps with all their innovative technology have certainly made availing of mental health care simple and easy for all. However, on a larger scale, the role of a mental health care professional should never be underestimated.
Therefore, the best way to address the issues is by using such apps to identify the severity of the symptoms, combined with the treatment offered by a licensed healthcare provider.
