Suffering from a mental illness can leave anyone feeling lost or lonely. While those experiencing distress should see a mental health professional as soon as possible, modern technology offers new tools to help people with various psychological conditions better manage their day-to-day lives. In particular, apps for smartphones and tablets have proven helpful to many. But which apps are the best?
In general, the best apps have been endorsed by psychologists holding a PhD or MS in Psychology, which helps ensure that the apps conform to mental health standards and that they utilize techniques developed at the best colleges for psychology. Additionally, these apps offer a high level of functionality, making them easy and convenient to use. Recently, members of the Anxiety and Depression Association of America rated some of the most popular mental health apps.* Here are six they reviewed:
Breathe2Relax
Simple in concept, this app can nevertheless have a strongly positive impact on a person’s life. It teaches breathing techniques to help relieve stress. While the app can help anyone calm down and focus, it’s particularly helpful to those suffering from anxiety or PTSD.
Headspace
Meditation has a long history of helping people deal with psychological stress. This app helps people begin and establish a meditative routine, and teaches mindfulness, breathing exercises, cognitive diffusion, and other skills of meditation. The app can be particularly helpful for those with anxiety, depression, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), or obsessive compulsive disorder.
What’s My M3
The symptoms of a mental health disorder are not static. They can come and go, which makes it important for those with a psychological condition to monitor their mood and mental state to ensure they aren’t heading in the wrong direction or getting close to a crisis. This app helps people monitor their mental health by using a clinically tested assessment reviewed by mental health professionals. The app is good for those with major depression, bipolar disorder and anxiety disorders, as well as those with PTSD.
PTSD Coach
Developed by the National Center for PTSD, this app helps those with mild to moderate PTSD progress through self-guided treatment. It provides education, assessment tools, advice for managing PTSD symptoms, and help with finding additional treatment resources.
Self-Help Anxiety Management
Anxiety disorders are the most common mental illness in the U.S., affecting 18% of the population.† This app provides those with anxiety multiple tools to help them manage their condition. They can monitor their anxious thoughts and behavior to gain insight and understanding of their illness, and they can learn skills and self-help exercises that can mitigate their anxiety.
Panic Relief
Panic attacks affect people with panic disorders as well as those with anxiety, PTSD, and other mental health conditions. Panic attacks are characterized by a near paralyzing terror and include physical symptoms like shortness of breath and even chest pain. This app exists to help people manage a panic attack, and provides techniques that have been shown to reduce a panic attack’s debilitating effects.
How You Can Become a Mental Health Professional
If you’re interested in working with people who have a mental illness, you should consider earning a master’s in psychology. It’s the perfect psychology degree for those who want to apply the latest psychological research and theory to real-world problems. A master’s degree in psychology can give you a deeper understanding of human behaviors, a skill applicable to all kinds of jobs. Careers in psychology include roles from marketing, advertising, and research to healthcare and social service organizations.
The good news is, it’s now more convenient than ever to complete a psychology master’s program. Thanks to online education, you don’t have to attend a school of psychology at a specific time and location. Instead, you can enroll in an online master’s in psychology program and enjoy a previously unheard-of level of convenience and flexibility. Through an online university, you can take online psychology courses, allowing you to complete your coursework from home on a schedule that can allow you to continue working full time while you earn your degree in psychology.
A master’s program in psychology can give you the skills you need to help people with mental health conditions. A psychology degree program that’s online can give you the opportunity you need to earn your master’s sooner rather than later.
Walden University is an accredited institution offering an online MS in Psychology degree program. Expand your career options and earn your degree in a convenient, flexible format that fits your busy life.
*Anxiety and Depression Association of America, Mental Health Apps, on the internet at www.adaa.org/finding-help/mobile-apps.
†Anxiety and Depression Association of America, Facts & Statistics, on the internet at www.adaa.org/about-adaa/press-room/facts-statistics.
Walden University is accredited by The Higher Learning Commission, www.hlcommission.org.