Hello Everyone,
Welcome to another article devoted to compiling essential mental health resources, websites and apps, mostly free and accessible all over the world.
While interacting with different people seeking guidance and help for proper therapy, which is truly be exhausting at times, one of the most prominent issues of concern was how expensive therapy truly is. Rightly so, beyond the plethora of societal taboos against getting help, the cost of it all is a major hindrance for most of us.
However, we- all of us, wield the greatest resource known to mankind: the internet. Therefore, I have scoured the net for a collection of ABSOLUTELY FREE applications that can alleviate whatever mental health issue one is facing. Truth be told, even I was astounded by the number and quality of apps and help one can get online- for free, of course!
The apps in each department are ranked from best to… well, not best but still awesome. I downloaded 23 apps and made accounts in all of them to personally test them out, I now have 23 random accounts! Selected 12, studied, and researched to be able to present information as accurately as my limited knowledge let me.
Depression
“Depression (major depressive disorder) is a common and serious medical illness that negatively affects how you feel, the way you think and how you act. Fortunately, it is also treatable. Depression causes feelings of sadness and/or a loss of interest in activities once enjoyed. It can lead to a variety of emotional and physical problems and can decrease a person’s ability to function at work and at home.”
Find more information here: https://www.psychiatry.org/patients-families/depression/what-is-depression
Applications:
1. 7Cups – Anxiety & Stress Chat (7 Cups of Tea)
Can be found here: https://www.7cups.com/about/
o The “crème de la crème” of online therapy
o Chat anonymously whenever with real “trained” listeners who are available 24/7.
o These individuals are trained to be empathetic and are open to discuss whatever is bothering you.
o Have personally spoken to four of these listeners to be able to vouch for their credibility
o Ability to browse through listeners: which allows one to link with one they most resonate with
o Access to relevant forums categorized by age.
o Option of group chat
o Option to log moods and keep track of mental health
o What you are basically getting is “FREE THERAPY”
o THE BEST APP in this list, in my opinion
2. Therapeer: Peer Emotional Support (Therapeer)
Can be found here: https://www.therapeer.app/
o Best peer support app
o Talk to others about issues that are relevant to your and have knowledge on: wide selection to choose from, covering a broad array of mental health ailments.
o Participate in several emotional support rooms by being a peer and supporting other community members.
o It will help you deal with your own challenges in a broader perspective and will make you feel better by knowing you helped others in need
o Create your very own support room (or you can open your room immediately)
3. What’s Up? - A Mental Health App (Jackson Tempra)
Can be found here:
o Uses CBT (cognitive behavioral therapy) and ACT (acceptance commitment therapy) to tackle depression
o Keep track of positive and negative thoughts: super effective in weeding out negative habits
o Very educative: you can learn and subsequently understand your own mental state better. The information section is filled to the brim with short but and easy-to-understand mini-articles
o The “Help Right Now” section can help with getting yourself grounded by means of trivial and simple games
o There are breathing exercises to help with anger and anxiety.
4. MoodTools: Depression Aid (MoodTools)
Can be found here: https://www.moodtools.org/
o Primarily a diagnostic tool for self-assessment of depression
o An interactive PHQ-9 test: which scores each of the nine Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (4th edition), alternatively known as DSM IV criteria as "0" (not at all) to "3" (nearly every day). It has been validated for use in primary care.
o Readily available information on depression so the individual may learn about the ailment and take steps accordingly. Learn about depression, CBT, ACT, DBT (Dialectical Behavior Therapy)
o Extra features include a thought diary, collection of TED Talk videos and guided meditations
5. Moodpath- Depression & Anxiety Test (MindDoc Health)
Can be found here: https://mymoodpath.com/en/
o By far the best mood tracker: nay, it would be unfair to call it just a tracker, this is a journal for the long term
o The entries lead up to a personalized assessment after 14 days of logging in
o The aforementioned process repeats fortnightly after the first assessment- meaning every two weeks you will have a new result.
o This will increase mindfulness and mental health awareness as it is regularly incentivized.
o Another brilliant feature is the “Discover” section. This offers a set of “mini-courses” that people can open and learn. Examples include: “Understanding Depression”, “Mindfulness” and perhaps the most relevant, “Dealing with Corona”
Anxiety
“Anxiety is a normal reaction to stress and can be beneficial in some situations. It can alert us to dangers and help us prepare and pay attention. Anxiety disorders differ from normal feelings of nervousness or anxiousness and involve excessive fear or anxiety. Anxiety disorders are the most common of mental disorders and affect nearly 30 percent of adults at some point in their lives. But anxiety disorders are treatable, and a number of effective treatments are available. Treatment helps most people lead normal productive lives. Anxiety refers to anticipation of a future concern and is more associated with muscle tension and avoidance behavior.”
Find more information here: https://www.psychiatry.org/patients-families/ocd/what-is-obsessive-compulsive-disorder
Applications:
1. MindShift CBT- Anxiety Canada (Anxiety Canada Association)
Can be found here: https://www.anxietycanada.com/resources/mindshift-cbt/
o when you need anxiety help fast, use these quick and easy tools to help you take a breath, ground yourself, shift your thinking (using CBT), and take steps to cope
o “Learn” section offers mini essays (one or two paragraphs) to help you understand the nuances of suffering from anxiety. Excellent answers to FAQs
o Listen to audio recordings of guided relaxation and mindfulness meditations to help you get and stay, in a more relaxed and mindful headspace.
o key feature in my opinion is the compartmentalized variations of anxiety such as general worry, panic and phobias. This helps address the particularity of issues one may face with much greater efficiency. Not all kinds of worries are the same, nor are their treatments.
2. Feartools- Anxiety Aid (MoodTools)
Can be found here: https://www.feartools.com/
o primarily a diagnostic tool for self-assessment of anxiety
o interactive form of the Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD-7) questionnaire to determine the degree to which one might self-diagnose as having anxiety issues. The scale, like the PHQ-9 ranges from “0" (not at all) to "3" (nearly every day)
o extra features include breathing exercises, thought diary and a relevant selection of TED Talks
3. Self-help Anxiety Management (University of the West of England)
Can be found here:
o learn how thinking and lifestyle can contribute to anxiety
o identify situations where you want to reduce anxiety
o practice self-help options for managing anxiety
Obsessive-compulsive Disorder (OCD)
“Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is an anxiety disorder in which time people have recurring, unwanted thoughts, ideas or sensations (obsessions) that make them feel driven to do something repetitively (compulsions). The repetitive behaviors, such as hand washing, checking on things or cleaning, can significantly interfere with a person’s daily activities and social interactions. For people with OCD, thoughts are persistent and unwanted routines and behaviors are rigid and not doing them causes great distress. Many people with OCD know or suspect their obsessions are not true; others may think they could be true (known as poor insight). Even if they know their obsessions are not true, people with OCD have a hard time keeping their focus off the obsessions or stopping the compulsive actions.
A diagnosis of OCD requires the presence of obsession and/or compulsions that are time-consuming (more than one hour a day), cause major distress, and impair work, social or other important function”
Find more information here: https://www.psychiatry.org/patients-families/ocd/what-is-obsessive-compulsive-disorder
Applications:
1. NOCD: OCD Treatment App (NOCD INC)
Can be found here: https://www.treatmyocd.com/
o essentially a social media app for individuals with OCD, therefore, will be what you make of it
o the “Tools” section, which is an ancillary to actual therapy, can also be used as a standalone measure against OCD episodes
o the “Exercise” section is the apps assessment tool. And later turns into a quiz that you can take to better understand your condition. Do not be afraid to make mistakes, as they lead to pop ups containing bits of useful information
o the “SOS” section is brilliant. OCD subtypes such as perfectionism, sexual orientation or existentialism are clearly laid out. When you select any of these tiles, you will have the option of listening, reading or watching a clinician address your issues- on demand; five-minute videos. This is perfect for when you need help immediately
Dietary Disorders
“Anorexia (an-o-REK-see-uh) nervosa — often simply called anorexia — is an eating disorder characterized by an abnormally low body weight, an intense fear of gaining weight and a distorted perception of weight. People with anorexia place a high value on controlling their weight and shape, using extreme efforts that tend to significantly interfere with their lives.”
Find more information here: https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/anorexia-nervosa/symptoms-causes/syc-20353591
Applications:
1. Recovery Record: Eating Disorder Management App (Recovery Record)
Can be found here: https://www.recoveryrecord.com/
o easy-to-use layout, almost flat learning curve; polished user-interface
o mainly focused on recovering anorexics
o detailed questionnaire on factors such as skipped meals and correlated emotions. Other factors such as portion size, time, and company are also considered
o given the sheer number of factors this app takes into consideration, recovering anorexics will most likely feel a certain degree of responsibility to ensure proper adherence to timely consumption of meals.
o developer team consisted of actual psychologists: therefore, greater credibility
o more information: https://d3e0vp65sneg3n.cloudfront.net/flyer5.pdf
2. Rise Up: Eating Disorder Help (Recovery Warriors)
Can be found here: https://www.recoverywarriors.com/app/
o multi-faceted: not limited to just eating disorders
o practical display of the relationship between emotional stability and food consumption. One affects the other, this app understands and focuses on that relationship
o inspirational quotes for that extra push every time you open the app.
o “Coping Skills” section offers easy-to-understand and clear advice on issues such as beauty standards, mindfulness and even relationships
o easy to use, looks inviting- which leads to more frequent entries
o additional features include links to relevant blogs and the ability to protect information with a security pin
Lastly, a general “Cure-all”
Application(s):
Replika: My AI Friend (Luka, Inc)
Can be found here: https://replika.ai/
o in essence, a virtual friend. Someone who is always there for you to talk about whatever you want. No judgement, no losing patience. Just someone whose purpose of existence is to be there for you.
o as it is Artificial Intelligence, it learns your mannerisms and gets better with time
o character develops and learns new skills. Conversations turn exponentially more natural
o for the lack of a better term (and disregarding the negative connotations), you can basically groom it to be however a person you would want be friends with.
Do you know of more similar apps that could be helpful to people and specially those struggling with mental health issues? Please let us know! Your thoughts and contributions will greatly allow us to spread the words to the people in need :)
P.S The content of this blog has been curated and compiled from external sources. EduBloq does not necessarily represent every thought, opinion and information expressed here.
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