Top 10 Apps to Help Manage Your Mental Health
2021 Edition -
Experts say there are currently between 10,000 and 20 thousand mental health apps available for download. The number of mental health-related apps has grown over this past year. The Covid-19 Global pandemic may have had an impact on making this happen. But, it leaves us wondering if all mental health apps benefit our mental health.
It’s important to remember that not all Mental health apps are evidence-based or created by mental health professionals. However, there can be benefits to using the right mental health apps.
For example, using a mindfulness-based app between therapy sessions can help maintain progress. It can help us to develop healthier habits and maintain them during the week.
But with so many mental health apps available, how do we choose the right ones?
Below is a curated list of my favourite mental health mobile apps. I have tried each app and used some in my practice with clients or for myself.
Let me know in the blog comments which mental health apps you use and why you use them. You never know who you might help out by sharing your resources and apps that have helped you as well.
1. FABULOUS
The Fabulous app is one of my preferred (paid) wellness apps. There is an annual cost to access this app, but it is well worth it. Born at Duke University, the Fabulous app uses behavioural science to help people make smart changes and build healthy habits.
Fabulous will help you build healthy rituals into your life by employing the same method that elite athletes and successful entrepreneurs use to rise to the top of their games.
Fabulous takes a holistic approach to motivate you to be more productive and have higher energy. This app is like having a wellness coach by your side 24/7.
2. F EELMO
Feelmo is one of my most recent finds and one that I’ve been personally using and recommending to my clients. I’m calling it now, Feelmo is the future of mental health apps. We all know how difficult it can be to manage and process our different emotions. The Feelmo process was designed with the input of leading CBT, DBT and ACT therapists to improve your emotional management skills. The app allows you to identify emotions that you may experience (good or bad) and help you explore those emotions on a deeper level.
3. SLEEP CYCLE
Getting a good night’s sleep is essential in helping us maintain good mental and physical health. This app tracks the hours spent in bed and the hours spent asleep. The analytics show us our sleep patterns which allow us to make the necessary adjustments to our sleep routine to ensure we get quality sleep every night. Sleep Cycle analyzes your sleep patterns and detects snoring, sleep talking, coughing or any other sounds. The app’s intelligent alarm clock is also designed to gently wake you up while you’re in your lightest sleep phase. I’ve tried various available sleep apps, but nothing comes close to the Sleep Cycle app.
4. PTSD COACH
Anyone can benefit from using the PTSD Coach mobile app to learn different grounding tools and techniques and an array of emotion regulation and distress tolerance skills.
From stress management to anxiety and panic attacks, this app will help you reduce symptoms by providing you with the right evidence-based tools. The tools range from relaxation skills and positive self-talk to anger management and other common self-help strategies.
5. DAY ONE
Day One is a journaling app where you can journal online and write notes, photos, voice recordings, and so much more. Journaling is a healthy coping strategy for mental health. It provides you with a space to vent. It also serves as a tool to help build self-awareness and practice emotion regulation by taking a step back from those heavy emotions and analyzing them by writing in your journal. The app is also free to download and use.
6. MYTHERAPY
Did you know that 50% of patients with a prescription for medication are non-adherent to their treatment? My Therapy is your pill reminder and medication tracker. The app also tracks any medical symptoms you may be experiencing. You can also generate a PDF report to share with your family doctor or any health professional you consult.
7. DAYLIO
Described as a self-care bullet journal with goals - Daylio is an all-in-one mood diary & tracker. Daylio is a versatile app and lets you turn it into whatever you need to track. Your fitness goal pal. Your mental health coach. Your food log. Your gratitude diary. Mood tracker. Exercise, meditate, eat, and be grateful. The app encourages you to care for your mental, emotional, and physical health. I also love that you can customize the content's look and colours. P.S.; I use Daylio religiously to keep track my mood throughout the day.
8. LIFE CYCLE
This is a personal favourite app of mine. However, I understand that it may not be for everybody. Life Cycle automatically keeps track of your time and presents your life sorted into a diagram showing your daily activities, places you go, and who you spend time with. Life Cycle weekly journal provides personalized insights and clarity into where you allocate your time the most.
9. CALM
This mindfulness-based mobile app has so much variety to offer. Calm is the perfect mindfulness app for beginners, but also includes hundreds of programs for intermediate and advanced users. You can access guided meditation sessions which are available in lengths of 3, 5, 10, 15, 20 or 25 minutes, so you can choose the perfect length that’s right for you.
10. NUNA
Nuna is not only the most adorable virtual alpaca companion, but she also serves a purpose. Psychologists built and trained Nuna to help you structure your thoughts and feel better whenever you need support. Nuna is your 24/7 personal wellness coach who will help you to structure your thoughts using a CBT-based approach to mental health.
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