Best apps for anxiety and depression
Anxiety and depression are the most commonly diagnosed mental health disorders in the United States. To treat anxiety and depression effectively, it is crucial to connect with both a psychiatrist and psychotherapist that can help manage symptoms. But, you can also help reduce symptoms and augment your mental health treatment using specific apps.
Here are six apps that can help ease anxiety and depression symptoms:
1. Moodpath
Moodpath is an app that asks users daily questions to screen for symptoms of depression. Its goal is to increase users’ awareness and understanding of their thoughts and feelings by measuring well-being and screening for symptoms. After two weeks of collecting data, Moodpath provides users with a document that is intended to be discussed with healthcare professionals.
2. TalkLife
TalkLife provides users with a peer-support community around the clock. Users can share their experiences anonymously through the app, and thousands of people are available to talk on the app. To protect users, the app is clinically governed.
3. MoodTools
MoodTools is an app that is designed to help users combat negative thoughts and relieve feelings of hopelessness through a wide variety of tools. One such useful tool is a thought diary that encourages users to write down daily thoughts to analyze and identify negative thinking patterns. MoodTools also provides users with a safety plan tool, self-help guidelines, depression questionnaire, and informational videos.
4. What’s Up
What’s Up is an app that uses a positive and negative habit tracker to help users keep up with good habits and change counterproductive ones. What’s Up asks users more than 100 different questions to help them pinpoint specific feelings, and then teaches users how to overcome negative self-talk.
5. Headspace
Headspace is designed to help users maintain relaxation and mindfulness during busy schedules by teaching guided meditation. For more serious conditions, the app also offers “SOS sessions” to help reduce moments of panic or severe anxiety.
6. SuperBetter
SuperBetter is an app game that focuses on increasing resiliency, strength, and optimism to help reduce symptoms of anxiety, depression, and PTSD. One study showed that, when users played SuperBetter for a month, their moods improved, symptoms decreased, and self-esteem increased.
There is hope
Managing symptoms of anxiety and depression can be challenging. But, once you’re connected with appropriate mental health treatment, you can also teach yourself coping strategies and self-care techniques to combat symptoms using the apps listed above. Remember that these apps are no substitute for seeking out professional help.
