Which mental health app should I download? How do I know what's okay to use?
Which mental health app should I download? How do I know what's okay to use?
| What to Look For | What to Avoid |
| Transparent and viewable Privacy Policy
-Always read these carefully |
Apps with no / hidden Privacy Policy |
| Recommendation by a clinical psychologist or a research study showing effectiveness | Dangerous permissions
-Ask yourself if your personal information shared with third parties -Ask yourself if you will be able to remove your personal from the app |
| Ability to use app with guidance of a healthcare professional / in tandem with your primary care provider | Direct-to-consumer (D2C) sales
-Companies that enter the market directly, without a third party / middleman -Gives the consumer less privacy -Producers can freely test new methods that aren’t always evidence-based |
| “Evidence-based” tools or practices
-Backed up by scientific evidence such as clinical expertise and research |
In-app purchases or increasing costs of apps |
| Multiple modes of intervention
-Mood tracking, prompts / notifications, goal-setting, challenges, etc. |
Apps that display conflicting or false information not based in science
–ex: Myers-Briggs (Personality Type) |
| Multiple learning styles
-Videos, audio, reading |
Flashy ads for apps with little to no scientific backing
-Be cautious of apps that use famous spokespeople |
| Contains features that compliment your interests
-Meditation, texting, journaling, self-care tasks, etc. |
Apps that do not follow HIPAA guidelines
-The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act |
*created by Dr. Stanger’s Digital Mental Health Class, MO 2021
Mental Health App Examples
Bearable
Mood and habit tracking app that may help with anxiety, depression, and other mental health issues.Keep track of your mood, symptoms, daily activities, and other health factors such as sleep, medication, exercise, and food diary.
Woebot
Chatbot that keeps track of your daily mood and can help you with your varying concerns.Cope with however you’re feeling with mood and gratitude journals or just chat with Woebot to discuss your worries.
COVID Coach
Mood, wellbeing, PTSD, and anxiety tracking app that can help you deal with the mental strain of the pandemic.Use the tools this app provides to help manage your stress about COVID-19, get better sleep, and set goals for the future.
MindShift
Targets fears and anxiety’s in teens and young adults through teaching mindfulness.Track your mood or journal to calm your fears. Alternatively, deal with anxiety in the moment by using some of the app’s provided breathing or mindfulness exercises.
Mood Mission
Evidence-based app designed to empower you to overcome feelings of depression and anxiety by discovering new and better ways of coping.When you tell MoodMission how you’re feeling, it gives you a tailored list of 5 simple, quick, effective, evidence-based Missions to improve your mood.
Smiling Mind
A unique Australian tool developed by psychologists and educators to help bring balance to your home, work or school life.Use formal and informal mindfulness tools, including a ‘Wellbeing Check In,” to help improve areas in your life like Stress, Sleep, Relationships, Focus, Awareness & Responding.
Apps Created by the Veteran Affairs Organization
CBT-i Coach
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Insomnia (CBT-I) is an evidence-based psychotherapy for treating insomnia. CBT-i Coach is a mobile app for people who are engaged in CBT-I with a health provider, or who have experienced symptoms of insomnia and would like to improve their sleep habits. Features include:. Education about CBT-i and how sleep works. Tips to help develop positive sleep routines and improve sleep environments. Sleep diary to track wake and sleep times. Tools to help relax while getting ready for sleep or when trying to go back to sleep.
Insomnia Coach
The Insomnia Coach app was created for everyone, including Veterans and Service members, to help manage insomnia. The app is based on Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Insomnia (CBT-I). Features include: Guided, weekly training plan to help you track and improve sleep. Sleep coach with tips for sleeping and personal feedback about your sleep. Interactive sleep diary to help you keep .track of daily changes. 17 tools to help you get your sleep back on track.
Mindfulness Coach
Practicing mindfulness means grounding yourself in the present moment. Mindfulness has been shown to be helpful for reducing stress and coping with unpleasant thoughts and emotions. Mindfulness Coach will help you practice mindfulness meditation. Features include: Education about the benefits of mindfulness. Mindfulness exercises to practice on your own or with guidance. Strategies to help overcome challenges to mindfulness practice. Log of mindfulness exercises to track your progress. Reminders to support your mindfulness practice.