Today’s advancing technology can make using your phone for good mental health a good choice. Your phone can offer a variety of options for tackling and managing symptoms. You can get great feedback about frequency, intensity, and impact of symptoms; which can make it easier for you and your therapist to make a plan about what to do. The perks? No appointment is necessary and you can boost confidence by tracking your improvement. Check out below for some suggested apps and their intended best usages. Please note, if you decide to utilize one or many, have a conversation with your therapist so they can help with setting up what to track and how to measure.
While not an exhaustive list, check out these inexpensive (or free) options for using your phone for good mental health.
Price: Free with in-app purchases
Unsure of what your moods mean? Moodpath offers a mental health assessment that can help you make the judgement call about exploring professional treatment. It asks you in-the-moment questions over a series of 14 days to weigh your emotional well-being. The app is geared toward facilitating conversations with a professional, but you can also find more than 150 exercises and tools to work on your mental health within the app.
Price: Free with in-app purchases
TalkLife provides a space to talk openly about depression with others who get it. It offers connection and community support similar to group therapy. A caring community of thousands of people is waiting to talk, listen, and help you feel a little less lonely. If you’re concerned about privacy, anonymous sharing is an option too.
Price: Free with in-app purchases
This AI assistant helps with managing depression. Chat back and forth with your assistant, who asks prompts that encourage you to think about your thought patterns and behaviors. The app walks you through techniques you may need in the moment based on your responses. It then summarizes your conversations and interactions into insights that help you understand more about your emotional well-being.
Price: Free
This self-help app is based on the tenets of Cognitive Behavior Therapy (CBT). Through informational articles, diary like mood tracking, and built-in motivational features, the app will help you modify your thought patterns for a better mood. A depression severity test allows you to evaluate your progress. Audio content helps to utilize it during for stressful morning commutes.
Price: Free with in-app purchases
It is more than just a diary and habit tracker. Drawing from CBT and acceptance commitment therapy, it helps teach you dozens of coping mechanisms, from grounding exercises and breathing techniques to ways of recognizing distorted thought patterns, such as catastrophizing and black-and-white thinking. The app’s forum also gives you a place to connect when you’re needing some extra support.
Price: Free with in-app purchases
This app can help you identify your feelings or struggles, then move toward acceptance and peace. Designed by a psychologist to practice helpful techniques, such as visualization, mindfulness meditation, and muscle relaxation, all while nature soundscapes nudge you toward relaxation and calm.
Price: Free with in-app purchases
Games make everything a bit more fun. And when you’re feeling depressed, fun may be exactly what you need. With an eye toward improving your mood for now and building resilience for later, these games and activities borrow from positive psychology, CBT, and mindfulness. Discover how depression, irritability, and stress can move toward perspective and empowerment.
Stephanie Phillips, LCMHCS, NCC, CCTP
Psychotherapist & Owner
The Mindly Group, PLLC
