Everybody's stressing about something these days; work, family, health, and so on. It's hard to keep a clear head when you're going through a stressful time. Anxiety and fear get in the way of productivity, leaving more things left undone than accomplished. Although physical health is always the first priority, a good mental health practice goes hand-in-hand with that upkeep. It's incredibly important to find effective ways to manage stress before your health and well-being suffer. From meditation to therapy – our smartphones can help us take control of our wellness and improve our well-being. We already spend a big amount of time in front of a screen each day. We scroll our social media accounts, binge-watch our favorite shows, or work on the computer for most of our day. With constant Internet usage, you may forget about your mental health – especially when you feel stressed out from daily life. But we still need some help from time to time to balance good mental health, and mindfulness practices.
With mental health apps, you get convenience, price efficiency, consistency, and instant access at any time. Mental health apps also provide healthcare tools and resources to those who otherwise may not have had access to them, whether because of finances or location. While these apps are not a replacement for traditional therapy and mental health treatment, they are a great way to get introduced to the world of mental health, to self-regulate, and be mindful of how you're feeling and dealing with the world around you.
These apps make it easier to fight stress and manage our daily lives even with a busy schedule.
App: Calm
Calm is one of the most popular and easy-to-navigate apps in the wellness space. While it is a meditation app, Calm offers a variety of breathing techniques, calming exercises, and sleep resources to help extend your mental health goals. There is also a masterclass library for guided meditations amongst its comprehensive offerings. The app is perfect for those needed self-guided moments of Zen you require throughout your day. You can select your goals, tailor your mindful needs, and track your progress and sessions all within this app. The Calm app is free to download and offers a free week trial to find out if this is the best resource for needs and busy schedules. If you decide to continue use after the trial, there are several subscription tiers to choose from, with monthly, and full-year options. There is also a limited free version to keep you tapped in when you need it most.
What makes the Calm app a great mental health tool is its ease of use for beginners, as well as the many programs offered from breathing exercises, sleep programs, relaxation, and mindfulness techniques.
App: Talkspace
Talkspace is a popular therapy app that offers 24/7 access to licensed medical professionals whenever you need them. This is a great affordable option for those who don't have the time or available resources to commute to weekly therapy appointments, or for those who aren't quite yet comfortable going into an office. With Talkspace, you get one-on-one personal attention through online appointments. There is also the option to send and receive messages using Talkspace's voice, video, and text feature to communicate with your therapist.
While this app is free to download, there are affordable paid plans that users can sign up for. If you are looking for an app that allows you to speak to someone directly about your mental health, this may be the best mental health app to offer this feature. It is also important to note that you can use insurance to pay for sessions within this app.
App: Happify
Happify uses fun and creativity to provide free mental health support through various games and activities that focus entirely on your mood and help relieve anxiety. Developed by mental health professionals, Happify uses personalized data collected when signing up to learn about your relationships, medical conditions, and other possible triggers for stress and anxiety to help customize your experience. Using the information collected, Happify tries to make your journey fun with engaging games that also include relaxation and mindfulness techniques to boost your mood and relieve anxiety. The app also helps you better understand your moods and emotions, and encourages you to feel more present in the moment, which is important for those constantly on the go.
You can also personalize your experience based on what your mental health goals are, making this app one of the most robust mental health apps on the list. There is also access to a community forum to ask and answer questions from other users and get additional support you need from real people. Another unique feature of this app is the availability of digital coaches for a one-on-one, guided experience. Like the other apps, Happify also offers affordable monthly paid tier options based on your needs and requirements, you can also purchase lifetime access to the app and its features.
App: Todoist
Unlike the other apps that provide direct support in the form of therapy or guided meditation, Todoist is a task management app that helps you get and stay organized so you don't feel stressed and overwhelmed with your daily tasks.
Staying focused and organized is a big help to people who struggled with anxiety. When tasks feel neverending, or you feel like you are juggling a lot of different things, the stress and anxiety creep in and can consume you. Todoist is an app designed to help organize your tasks in a way that works for you and keeps up with your schedule. You can see all of your tasks in one place, organize them, cross them off, and set reminders for yourself to help you get your tasks done when they need to be done 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. It’s also easy to share tasks with family members, friends, or co-workers.
These are just a few apps that can help ease your stress level, develop your mindfulness, and in turn improve your mental health. In order to find an app that works for you and your lifestyle, we strongly recommend that you do your own research into each individual app and find a few that meet your goals, needs, and budget. Whether you are just looking to de-stress, or you have broader medical needs, there is an app that can help support your journey. While some of the apps focus on therapy or meditation, others help with general stress management or offer support to help stay organized. These apps serve as wonderful tools to help you on your journey to better health, one day at a time. They can also be used in conjunction with your existing mental health treatment plans that are built into some medication and doctor visits.
