There are many ways to deal with mental health problems, and usually a combination of methods is a good approach. Examples include therapy, support groups, medication and lifestyle changes. Because technology lets you explore and work through problems at your own pace and try things out before deciding what your next steps might be, websites or mobile apps can help you effectively cope with mental health problems. Here are some kinds of mental health supports that apps can provide:
- A mindfulness meditation app can help manage stress levels by teaching and guiding you through breathing techniques.
- A mood tracking app can let you input your emotions, thoughts, and other events that happen in your life to help identify patterns in your mood and overall well-being.
- A therapy app, such as a Cognitive Behavioural Therapy app, can help you deal with mental health problems such as depression, anxiety, PTSD, etc.
These apps can effectively help people manage mental health problems, in fact, in some instances these apps can be as effective as traditional treatments like therapy. There are a lot of great benefits to using mental health apps. They can be used “on the go” – you can use them on the train, on the bus, at home, or in work, for even 5-10 minutes at a time. When you use a mental health app you don’t have to grapple with making appointments, waitlists, or insurance. On top of that, lots of apps offer creative and fun ways to manage mental health, so you might have some fun when you use them. Some of the Apps we particularly like are:
HeadGear is a free smartphone app that guides you through a 30–day mental fitness challenge, including mindfulness tasks and exercises.
https://apps.apple.com/au/app/headgear/id1160049475
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=au.edu.sydney.poscomp.headgearapp&hl=en_AU
Smiling Mind This app can help you cope with anxiety, stress & feelings of depression. It has interactive games, forums, a thought tracking diary & helpful techniques to manage your feelings.
https://www.smilingmind.com.au/
Mood Mission is a free app which aims to improve wellbeing by helping users learn better ways of coping with low moods and anxious feelings.
http://moodmission.com/
Suicide Safety Plan App provides a convenient way for people to develop a personalised safety plan. The app makes creating & using a safety plan easy by guiding someone through the steps one-by-one, offering suggestions for each step. It can be updated or edited anytime and offers the option of sharing it with support people.
https://www.beyondblue.org.au/get-support/beyondnow-suicide-safety-planning
For more Apps see: https://eapassist.com.au/wellness-apps/