Best Depression Apps To Improve Mental Health
Depression treats everyone differently. While an individuals falling into isolation, the one may be too numb to even see things with clarity. Since the awareness of mental illness is rising and widening among people, there are several people that are finally mustering up courage to speak up about these tangles in words and somewhere, it is the technology due to which once can find many apps that help cope up with depression and anxiety using different techniques. This article brings you the 7 best depression apps for Android and iOS in 2020. So, lets get started.
Sanvello: Anxiety & Depression
Cost: Free In-app purchases
Whenever you find yourself scuffing with your moods that are too complex to decode, Sanvello not only gives you a hand in discovering and understanding them but also gives you a space to talk it out with a therapist. This one, standing in the list of best mental health apps, brings you different techniques based on Cognitive Behavioral Therapy. You can use a mental health assessment that tries to figure out your mental and emotional condition and lets you decide clearly whether you want to seek professional treatment. Apart from that, there are tons of such tools and mechanisms that offer you help in fighting back depression and anxiety. Savallio also offers you a community feature, where you can, without any fear of judgement, participate in discussions and chats. If you want, you can do that anonymously.
Apps For Tracking Moods Mental Health Symptoms And Habits
Tracking your mental health symptoms, moods, and habits can be important for mental health in a variety of ways. If youre trying to pick up or drop certain habits that support your mental health, tracking them with an app can provide accountability and can make it easier to stick with it. Meanwhile, tracking also can give you a ton of helpful information around specific symptoms, triggers, and moods that you can talk about with your doctor or therapist.
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Smartphone Apps Can Reduce Depression
- Date:
- NICM, Western Sydney University
- Summary:
- New research has confirmed that smartphone apps are an effective treatment option for depression, paving the way for safe and accessible interventions for the millions of people around the world diagnosed with this condition.
New Australian-led research has confirmed that smartphone apps are an effective treatment option for depression, paving the way for safe and accessible interventions for the millions of people around the world diagnosed with this condition.
Depression is the most prevalent mental disorder and a leading cause of global disability, with mental health services worldwide struggling to meet the demand for treatment.
In an effort to tackle this rising challenge, researchers from Australia’s National Institute of Complementary Medicine , Harvard Medical School, The University of Manchester, and the Black Dog Institute in Australia examined the efficacy of smartphone-based treatments for depression.
The researchers systematically reviewed 18 randomised controlled trials which examined a total of 22 different smartphone-delivered mental health interventions.
The studies involved more than 3400 male and female participants between the ages of 18-59 with a range of mental health symptoms and conditions including major depression, mild to moderate depression, bipolar disorder, anxiety and insomnia.
Story Source:
Headspace: Meditation & Sleep
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Headspace has got your back in the management of depression and anxiety with a multitude of guided sessions on happiness, resilience, physical strength and overall stress management. It is one of the best depression apps that helps you take from its multiple features to deal with catastrophic demons. Headspace features different techniques like sleepcasts, mediations and relaxing music to help relieve the stress. Apart from the sets of different courses, Headspace has different modes like move mode, mediation, sleep and focus to help you expand your discovery of mental peace. The best part about this app is you can easily bring your focus back to life by simply tapping on a guided meditation session. Headspace is one of the best apps for mental health where you can breathe yourself back into the present.
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What Are Mental Health Apps
Mental health apps are tools that can be accessed via your smartphone or mobile device that focus on improving different aspects of mental health and well-being. Such tools may focus on a range of areas related to wellness including relaxation, stress management, and sleep. They may also offer self-help tools, therapeutic activities, and access to treatment delivered by licensed mental health professionals.
Best Fun App: Happify
- Conquering negative thoughts
- Building self-confidence
The free version of Happify gets you access to some of the information. For full access, youll need to purchase a plan which starts at $14.99 a month. You can access the activities and games on your smartphone, tablet, or computer. The games only take a few minutes to complete, and creators want users to know small slices of time can make big-time changes.”
The creators of the app report that 86% of people who use the Happify app report feeling better about their lives in two months.
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The 5 Mental Health Apps That Deserve Space On Your Phone
The pandemic has changed things around from how we live and work to how we rest. But it’s also brought with it a global rise in mental health problems. And while your smartphone cannot take the place of a trained counsellor or be a substitute for therapy, you can ease your life and help steer and navigate your well-being and mental health in the right direction with just a click of a button, with mental healthy apps.
Over Time I Overcame That Period With A Lot Of Difficulty And Pain
Over time, I overcame that period with a lot of difficulty and pain and feel grateful to be alive.
Over time, I overcame that period with a lot of difficulty and pain and feel grateful to be alive. When I came into this country 14 years ago leaving my family & friends of 25 years – 8000 miles behind, to live the “American Dream” with my love and enrolled in school for a master’s degree, not everything spanned out the way it should have. I was suicidal, had a hard time controlling my impulses, and could not hide my anxiety tears rolled down at my spouse’s slightest comment. I failed to figure out what was happening there was no dearth of anything, my husband was not abusive, but at the same time, we were opposites. I was busy, committed to my studies, and home.
I figured out, though I was doing everything I wanted to do , I was not happy. My mind would always go back to India and remind me of my family and friends and the life I so badly wanted to go back to. It felt like there was no way out of here the feeling was being trapped in a cage with no key and never being able to see my near and dear ones again. I broke down every time I spoke with my parents, but I could not echo the severity of the crisis my mind was going through.
The sad part was there was no one with whom I could share my experience. I had some friends here but didn’t feel like they would be sensitive to my feelings. I had no one to reach out to for help.
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Best For Meditation: Calm
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Need a subscription
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App isnt the most intuitive
Calm makes meditation easier by offering a number of audio classes and programs covering getting better sleep, breathing exercises, relaxation, and mindful movements. It also offers a number of relaxing sounds and music that you can play while you meditate or try to nod off to sleep.
Unlike some other meditation apps, though, Calm is geared towards beginners and people experienced in meditation. The app is easy to use and provides lots of helpful information on learning how to meditate and destress, no matter where you are in your journey. Plus, the app offers a seven-day free trial, so you can test it out before committing.
Sessions range in length to suit your schedule, with some as short as three minutes and others as long as an hour.
Are Mental Health Apps Effective
While mental health apps generally aren’t a substitute for therapy, several studies have found that internet-based CBT for anxiety and depression is about as effective as in-person treatment. Additional research is needed to determine how effective the techniques are for more serious mental illnesses.
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What Are The Best Apps For Depression
This app gives you different activities or missions based on how you are feeling. Examples of activities are Learn how to cook a new recipe on YouTube, Count your breaths, and Write a letter to someone who has made your life better and tell them why. The app gives some information on why different activities may help you, backed by research. My favorite thing about this app is its design it has a great interface and beautiful colors, and is really easy to use.
This is a mood journal app. You enter some information about a particular period of low mood, and then the app prompts you to look at the situation in which you felt low or depressed in a different way i.e., how would you advise a friend to think about it? And what would be a more helpful way to approach the situation? The idea is that you Catch It, Check It, Change It. These steps are the bread-and-butter of cognitive-behavioral therapy and effective for a variety of mental health problems. My favorite thing about this app is that it forces you to rethink your situation, and it stores each of your entries, so you can go back to the app and look at your patterns of mood and thinking over time.
Interested in learning more? Check out additional information on mental health apps at One Mind PsyberGuide.
Equoo Emotional Fitness Game
What happens when a psychologist teams up with the creators of The Walking Dead games? Introducing eQuoo, an EVIDENCE-BASED and captivating choose-your-own-adventure game that increases your emotional fitness and teaches you new psychological skills, helping you level up in real life. These key skills will help you take control of your life, maintain your mental health and achieve success in work and relationships.
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Looking For Greater Peace Of Mind There’s An App For That
Steven Gans, MD is board-certified in psychiatry and is an active supervisor, teacher, and mentor at Massachusetts General Hospital.
While most mental health practitioners probably wouldn’t advise people spend more time with their smartphones, there are some apps that can turn screen time into time well-spent. These apps provide tools for people looking to improve their lives. Some are designed to help those struggling with issues like depression, anxiety, or PTSD, while others are based on positive psychology and aim to increase focus, happiness, and calm through mindfulness and meditation.
According to the National Alliance on Mental Illness , an estimated 48.3 million adults in the U.S. deal with some type of mental health condition each year. If you are struggling with your mental health, it is important to first seek help from a doctor, psychologist, or mental health practitioner. These apps are not meant to be a substitute for face-to-face care. But, they could be a great supplement to therapy, or a super-convenient strategy for someone looking to start new, healthier habits. One study found that 90% of people who tried a mental health app reported improvements in motivation, confidence, and attitudes about mental and emotional health.
Here, find some of the best apps in the mental health space.
Mindfulness And Meditation Apps
From guided meditations, breathing exercises and videos to stories and soothing music, mindfulness and meditation apps are basically the answer to your angsty prayers. Experts believe can actually change aspects of brain functioning. And for long-term changes, studies show that it takes about eight weeks of practice to make a real difference. Whether you have five minutes or an entire afternoon, these apps are guaranteed to create a sense of calm in your anxious brainand all from the comfort of your couch. Namaste.
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Just For Bipoc Communities
Daily meditations created by diverse experts and personalized for you samples are available at theshineapp.com. The app also lets you join a support community, and listen to bedtime stories and calming sounds. Started by a Black woman and a half-Japanese woman who didn’t see their experiences represented in mainstream wellness programs.
Whats Up A Mental Health App
Cost: Free In-app purchases
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Whats Up?, as the name suggests, brings you a digital diary that allows you to vent out whenever you want and tracks your activities and habits. Inspired from cognitive behavioural therapy, this app brings you different techniques to cope up with your thoughts. You get to use a selection of grounding as well as breathing exercises that encourage you to live in the moment. Apart from that, this app also takes inspiration from acceptance and commitment therapy and makes you spot the distortions such as catastrophic and splitting thought patterns. On the top, it features a forum where you can connect to gain support to reduce the sense of loneliness.
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Best For Depression: Depression Cbt Self
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Not designed for more serious mental health conditions
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No access to professional support
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Requires purchase to access many premium features
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Challenge activities can sometimes be stress-inducing
Shine is a self-care app that aims to help users “rest, heal and grow through difficulty.” Its focus is self-improvement, and it delivers motivational messages through text and audio. Shine also offers an inclusive community so you can connect with other members at any time.
Topics addressed include stress, anxiety, burnout, acceptance, creativity, productivity, mindfulness, forgiveness, and work frustrations. The app provides meditations, a gratitude journal, and a daily mood tracker.
The app creators report their tools are science-backed, so you know that the information theyre giving you really works to help you feel better. With visually appealing content, short audio clips, and hundreds of meditations, youre sure to find something that helps you feel better.
Shine’s audio files are short, so you can listen to them while youre brushing your teeth or drinking your morning coffee, and the files are also organized to help you reach for whatever kind of help you need in an instant. For example, if youre feeling anxious, you might reach for a meditation that can help you right now. Or, if youre struggling to feel good, you might start a seven-day challenge that boosts your mood.
The 6 Best Apps For Depression In 2022
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From meditation to mood tracking, we found some of the best apps to help you manage your depression symptoms.
Living with depression can be challenging, but youre not alone. Depression is one of the most common mental health conditions worldwide.
In 2019, approximately 19.4 million U.S. adults had at least one episode of major depression. Thats almost 8% of the adult population.
While apps to help ease depression wont replace medication or therapy, they may help decrease your stress and alleviate some of your symptoms, according to research from 2017 .
We realize you dont necessarily want to wade through tons of apps to find the best one. So, weve rounded up our favorites from skills-based assistance to sleep stories and even games.
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Best For Adhd: Todoist
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Optimal space and features costs money
People with ADHD can have difficulty staying on task, especially when theyre juggling lots of different things, like so many of us do today. Todoist is an app designed to help you get all of your tasks in one place, organize them, and set reminders for yourself to help you get your tasks done when they need to be done.
You can organize tasks by type, in order of importance, or in whatever way makes the most sense for you. Todoist also lets you color code tasks to help streamline your to-do lists. You can set up recurring tasks, repeat reminders, and even different levels of priority for each task. Its also easy to share tasks with family members, friends, or co-workers.
This tool may help people with ADHD refocus their minds on the task at hand rather than get overwhelmed by tasks piling up.