The Kaiser Family Foundation reports that nearly one-half of Americans say they have been negatively affected by the COVID-19 quarantine. In addition to the worry of potential infection, there is the added stress of finances and isolation, which have left many of us reeling from the effects of the global pandemic. There are resources available to help us cope in the form of mental health and substance abuse counseling. There are also reasonably priced and even free apps on the market that can help with coping day-to-day. In this article, we review seven mental health apps.
#1 What’s Up
This is a free app that uses Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) to teach new behaviors to overcome anxiety, depression, and stress. Use it to track new habits that help you manage negativity and other counterproductive emotions and behaviors.
Download: IOS or Android for free.
#2 MoodKit
This app is $4.99 and it also uses CBT to alter mood and change behavior. The app offers a series of exercises and planning to help the end-user conquer their worries by changing their behaviors. The goal is to help the end-user practice self-care and healthy attitudes.
Download: IOS
#3 Twenty-Four Hours a Day
This is a $5.99 addiction app based on the book of the same name. The goal is to give people living with substance abuse issues a medication to help them cope with their addictions.
Download: IOS
#4 Mind Shift
This free app is designed for teens and young adults dealing with anxiety. The app helps young people deal with their anxiety by thinking about these feelings and encouraging you to ride out these intense and sometimes crippling emotions.
#5 SAM (Self-Help for Anxiety Management)
=As an alternative, consider SAM, another free app to help you manage anxiety. This tool helps you build a 24-hour anxiety toolkit for tracking anxious thoughts and behaviors. There are 25-different self-help techniques within the software and a portal to check-in with other users online.
#6 IMoodJournal
If you have bipolar disorder, this $2.99 app can help you keep track of symptoms, moods, behaviors, energy levels, and how much sleep you’re getting. Then you’ll see daily summary charts to help determine a pattern to your highs and lows.
#7 Talkspace Online Therapy
This app is different than the others on our list. If you can’t afford a therapist but believe an app won’t be enough to manage your stress, Talkspace Online Therapy bridges the gap between professional (and expensive) therapy and a (low cost or free) app. Download this app and for $65 a week and up you can text message a trained professional as frequently as you need to and receive a response. There is support available for individuals and couples as well.
PrideStaff recognizes the stress we’ve all been under. Some of your stress may be financial. If you’re out of work, contact us. We may have a job available that will help alleviate your stress and get you back on track.
