Living with a mental illness is a constant battle. It never ends. Sometimes there are breaks here and there, but it’s never really “over”.
Certain things can be triggers for some of us, and sometimes we don’t even need a trigger at all. It just happens. For me, winter and cold weather always send me into a downward spiral. And while I strongly believe that the emergence of technology has not been kind to anyone who struggles with a mental illness in a lot of ways (things like having access to all of the negative things in this world in the palm of our hand, seeing the glamorous lives others live that we strive for, etc), I also believe it has given us more resources to combat those illnesses.
So, in the spirit of finding that technological positivity, I’ve put some of my favorite and most helpful mental health apps in one place. I am in no way a doctor or someone qualified to give professional medical advice; these are just simply apps that have helped me along the way, and they may be able to do the same for some of you. As always, don’t be afraid to seek professional help if you need it!
iMoodJournal – $2.99
If you’re someone who likes to write (or type) like me, this can be an extremely helpful app. You can write your feelings the same way you would in a diary or journal, and then the app will analyze your feelings on a daily basis. It can track things like mood, sleep, symptoms, etc. and can help discover causes of your ups and downs.
Download it here: IOS // Android
Stigma – Free
Another app that uses journaling and mood tracking, Stigma is the top rated app for mental health. When you consider just how many there are, that’s a pretty impressive feat. It offers features like building a support network through PenPals, Support Groups, and Community, the ability to reflect on your day, track your progress, and see what impacts your mood through advanced mood analytics. It’s easy to see why this is the #1 rated mental health app once you dive into it. The interface is very user friendly, and the amount of helpful tools included is quite impressive.
Download it here: IOS
What’s Up? – Free
Using some of the best Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) and Acceptance Commitment Therapy (ACT) methods, this app aims to help cope with depression, anxiety, anger, stress, and more. I enjoy the positive and negative habit tracker because I used to have a ton of bad habits that this app helped me overcome, or at least control.
Download it here: IOS // Android
MoodKit – $4.99
You might see the price point and be a bit turned off, but when you consider that MoodKit was developed by two clinical psychologists (Dr. Edrick Dorian and Dr. Drew Erhardt), it actually seems like a pretty good deal. This app focuses on changing and improving your moods with tools like Thought Checker, Mood Tracker, and Journal. I particularly enjoy the sense of optimism and positivity that this app consistently provides.
Download it here: IOS
Calm – Free
Another impressive feat to add to this list, Calm was named the 2017 App of the Year by Apple. This app uses guided meditation sessions to bring more clarity, joy, and peace to your life. Possibly my favorite feature of the app is the bedtime stories it offers. They’re geared toward adults, which is something you don’t find very often. It also includes over 30 soothing nature sounds, which I also enjoy.
Download it here: IOS // Android
Build Confidence – $2.99
If you’re not all about journaling and tracking your moods, then this might be an alternative for you. This is an audio program designed by Andrew Johnson (Clinical Hypnotherapist) to help build confidence. Now, don’t be deterred by that “Hypnotherapist” word, because you’re not going actually going to be hypnotized by this app. However, it certainly does do something to boost confidence. I personally find the price point to be very reasonable considering the author’s history of best selling Self Help CDS and MP3s.
Download it here: IOS // Android
Use an app that isn’t listed that helps with your mental health? Please share it in the comments!
Feature Photo by: Kate Stutz