The pandemic has changed things around – from how we live and work to how we rest. But it’s also brought with it a global rise in mental health problems. And while your smartphone cannot take the place of a trained counsellor or be a substitute for therapy, you can ease your life and help steer and navigate your well-being and mental health in the right direction with just a click of a button, with mental healthy apps.
While mental health apps offer enough benefits to make a much sought-after digital tool, experts caution that due diligence is needed. “The apps can’t be used to diagnose a condition, and it lacks the interactive and personalised approach of an actual therapy session. If someone is dealing with clinical depression, PTSD or anxiety, then it’s best they go to an actual therapist who can guide them according to their individual needs by analysing the history and present scenario of the person. Apps are not a substitute for professional mental health care,” cautions Holistic Yoga & Well-being Coach Jenil Dholakia. However, “It gives them a feeling of connecting with a friend who can guide them. It brings in accountability rather than dependency because when an individual uses the app excessively, the app is programmed to suggest that the user needs to see a therapist. The convenience of using these mental health apps and easy access are other benefits besides providing anonymity, services at lower costs or no cost, and round-the-clock monitoring,” says Saarika Reddeppa, Counselling Psychologist, Beautiful Minds at the Bengaluru-based SWITCH Wellness.
I Am – Daily Affirmations
This daily affirmations app has Bella Hadid’s seal of approval and attempts to help you rewire your brain, build self-esteem, and change negative thought patterns. The key here is to try to get out of the “impossible” mindset and learn to use positive affirmations to change things around.
Moodfit
Based on the premise that when it comes to mental health and well-being, one size certainly doesn’t fit all, this app comprises a set of customisable tools, including a mood journal, gratitude journal, breathing exercises, mindfulness meditations, sleep tracking tools, reports that summarise your activities and identifies patterns and more.
Calm
This one remains an all-time favourite with its guided meditations that vary in length from 3 to 25 minutes to suit any schedule. And if that’s not enough to lull you into deep sleep, you can opt to listen to sleep stories for adults narrated by Kate Winslet, Lucy Liu, and Matthew McConaughey, as well as try movements meditations or listen to their vast music library, all designed to get you into a state of flow.
Being: My Mental Health Friend
A self-therapy app that combines music therapy, a mini-habit tracker, and advice from trained caregivers, this app is your mental health friend in your pocket. While it’s no replacement for therapy, it goes beyond mindfulness practices to help you deal with emotional and mental struggles in a safe space.
Innerhour: Mental Health Care
This app believes that you need to spend just 5 minutes a day on self-care. Their programme includes tools such as personalised plans, activities handpicked by therapists, a digital psychological diary for insights, and self-help courses.
Source: vogue.in
