Data gathering and support for mental health have entered a new era because to technology. The public, medical professionals, and researchers now have new options to seek assistance, track progress, and deepen their understanding of mental health thanks to mobile devices including cell phones, smartphones, and tablets.

Mental health applications(apps) are mobile applications designed to help users improve their emotional well-being, become more mindful, and address common mental health issues. Some mental health apps allow users to access online talk therapy or psychiatric care. Others may help you to begin a meditation practice, cope with stress and anxiety, or improve sleep quality.

The best mental health apps are affordable, user-friendly, and well-designed, with few technical glitches. Many of these apps have unique features that allow you to improve your overall wellness in enjoyable, accessible ways. High-quality therapy apps remove some of the usual barriers to mental health care, while mindfulness apps can help you achieve better focus and productivity.

What Types of Mental Health Apps Are Offered?

There are a variety of types of mental health apps designed to address specific needs. These include:

1. 1. Meditation: Many mental health apps focus on mindfulness techniques, such as guided meditation and grounding exercises. Look for apps with meditation sessions that are user-friendly for beginners if you lack experience in this area.
      
      
   2. Coping skills: Some mental health applications help users build crucial life skills, like healthy stress management techniques and the ability to concentrate better while working or studying, by using games, activities, and online worksheets.
      
      

   3. Addiction: Are you in recovery or trying to get sober? Sobriety apps can help you track your progress and celebrate milestones.
      
      

   4. Anxiety and depression: If you have anxiety or depression, talk therapy with a licensed provider through a therapy app may help to treat your symptoms or supplement your in-person therapy.
      
      

   5. Sleep problems: Many people use mental health apps to help with sleep issues, such as insomnia and nightmares. Features like sleep-scapes, guided visual imagery, audio narration (“bedtime stories for grown-ups”), soothing music, and nature sounds may help you fall asleep more easily.

The Pros and Cons of Mental Health Apps

Technology, in the opinion of experts, has a lot of potential for both patients and doctors. The following are just a few benefits of mobile care:

1. 1. Convenience: Treatment can take place anytime and anywhere (e.g., at home in the middle of the night or on a bus on the way to work) and may be ideal for those who have trouble with in-person appointments.
      
      
   2. Anonymity: Clients can seek treatment options without involving other people.
      
      

   3. An introduction to care: For many who have in the past refrained from seeking mental health care, technology can be a helpful starting step.
      
      

   4. Lower cost: Some applications are free or less expensive than conventional treatments.
      
      

   5. Service to more people: Technology can help mental health providers offer treatment to people in remote areas or to many people in times of sudden need (e.g., following a natural disaster or terror attack).
      
      

   6. Interest: Some technologies could appeal to patients more than conventional therapies, which might motivate them to stay in therapy.
      
      

   7. 24-hour service: Technology can provide round-the-clock monitoring or intervention support.
      
      

   8. Consistency: Technology can offer the same treatment program to all users.
      
      

   9. Support: Technology can complement traditional therapy by extending an in-person session, reinforcing new skills, and providing support and monitoring.
      
      

   10. Objective data collection: Technology can quantitatively collect information such as location, movement, phone use, and other information.

This new era of mental health technology offers great opportunities but also raises a number of concerns. Tackling potential problems will be an important part of making sure new apps provide benefits without causing harm. That is why the mental health community and software developers are focusing on:

• Effectiveness: The biggest concern with technological interventions is obtaining scientific evidence that they work and that they work as well as traditional methods.
  
  
• For whom and for what: Another concern is understanding if apps work for all people and for all mental health conditions.
  
  

• Privacy: App developers must be able to ensure users’ privacy because apps deal with very sensitive personal data.
  
  

• Guidance: There are no industry-wide standards to help consumers know if an app or other mobile technology is proven effective.
  
  

• Regulation: The question of who will or should regulate mental health technology and the data it generates needs to be answered.
  
  

• Overselling: There is some concern that if an app or program promises more than it delivers, consumers may turn away from other, more effective therapies.

The best free apps for mental health include:

• Better Stop Suicide
• iBreathe
• MindShift CBT
• Quit That!
• Recovery Record

Mental health apps can help you if you’re dealing with a common mental health challenge, such as depression, stress, anxiety, or grief. Mental health apps can also help you deal with day-to-day problems like insomnia, lack of focus, and procrastination. Some mental health apps are designed to help people who have recently gotten sober or want to get sober.

You might especially benefit from using an online therapy app if you:

• Live in a remote area
  
  
• Need to find a more affordable form of therapy
  
  
• Have a busy schedule
  
  
• Feel more comfortable communicating via text
  
  
• Have a disability that makes face-to-face therapy less accessible

However, mental health apps aren’t for everyone. Mental health apps should generally not be used by people in active distress. A mental health app also might not be the best choice for you if you’ve been diagnosed with a severe mood disorder or schizophrenia or if you are experiencing psychosis.

Thus, mental health apps can be highly effective in helping people manage some mental health conditions. However, these apps don’t replace mental health professionals. These apps may be most effective when used alongside work with a therapist.

Reference
Braun, A., & Cronkleton, E. (2022, June 21). 13 of the Best Mental Health Apps to Use in 2022. Healthline. Retrieved January 3, 2023, from https://www.healthline.com/health/mental-health/mental-health-apps

Dorwart, L. (2022, December 20). Best mental health apps . Verywell Mind. Retrieved January 3, 2023, from https://www.verywellmind.com/best-mental-health-apps-4692902