If you’re like me, you juggle your mental health along with a number of other responsibilities—jobs or school, family gatherings, hanging out with your friends, or even just finding time for yourself. Having mental health solutions literally in my pocket helps me take care of myself anywhere I am, no matter what I’m doing. Here are some of the apps and web-based solutions I’ve tried (all of these are free, although some of them have in-app purchases you can make):
Optimism (iOS and web): This mood-tracking app allows you to input a variety of factors (overall mood on a 10-point scale, triggers, coping mechanisms practiced that day, etc.) to track your mood over time. It’s great for tracking your mood over time so you can see what different factors affect it, like going to therapy, taking new medications, or even changes in the seasons. I also love that everything about it is customizable, so you can delete the default triggers or coping mechanisms that don’t apply to you or add ones that do. Finally, it has a feature that allows you to compile your info into a bar or line graph, so you can easily track your mood.
Similar: T2 Mood Tracker (iOS and Android), Better Mood Tracker (iOS)
Stop Breathe & Think (iOS, Android, and web): An app for meditation, SBT provides a user-friendly interface for beginners. It allows some rudimentary mood-tracking, and if you input some of your feelings at the moment (content, depressed, anxious, grumpy, etc.), it will give you a list of appropriate meditations tailored to your mood. The fact that you can unlock achievements, much like a video game, helps you build a meditation habit and provides some motivation, too.
Similar: Calm (iOS, Android, and web), Spotify (iOS, Android, and web; check out their meditation playlists)
Breathe2Relax (iOS and Android): Diaphramatic (or belly) breathing can help you relax when you’re feeling anxious or having a panic attack. This app guides your inhales and exhales using visual and audio prompts (so you don’t wind up hyperventilating, which I know I tend to do if I don’t do some sort of guided practice).
Similar: Online Relaxation Exercises (web)
Sworkit (iOS, Android, and web): Exercise is an important part of mental health, and this app allows you to practice a number of strength training, yoga, and stretching exercises. It prompts you with an exercise, which you hold or repeat for a certain number of seconds on a timer, and then it prompts you again with a new move.
Similar: Official 7 Minute Workout (iOS and Android), FitStar Yoga (iOS), DoYogaWithMe (web), dA-Yoga-Challenge
Virtual Hope Box (iOS and Android): If you’re not into having a million apps on your phone, this is a good, well-rounded one to download for simple coping tools. You can customize this app with things that will improve your mood, like pictures of your loved ones or your favorite music. You can also be distracted by puzzles if you’re suffering from a negative thought loop, or you can relax yourself with diaphragmatic breathing or muscle relaxation exercises.
Similar: Self-Help for Anxiety Management (iOS and Android)
Do you have any apps or digital tools you’d recommend? Do you like having mental health apps like these on your phone? What are some of your favorite offline coping methods? Let us know in the comments!
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Hi everyone,
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