The following mobile applications for mental health and self-care and recovery are meant as a resource, not a treatment plan. You will notice that the application is described and then reviewed by a Family & Children’s Services mental health practitioner. Most of these applications are available in the iTunes store.

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Stress & Anxiety Companion

Stress & Anxiety Companion

Platform:
Android: No; iPhone: Yes

Description:
Gives you the tools you need to manage anxious feelings and identify their triggers so they won’t trip you up in the future. It can help you build your mental muscles to make you stronger and happier.

F&CS Review:
Has relaxation, progressive muscle and breathing exercises. Thought cards are great. Brain games distract if you are having a panic attach. Easy to use. More for generalized anxiety disorder than stress.

Cost:
$4.99

Self Help for Anxiety Management

Self Help for Anxiety Management

Platform:
Android: Yes; iPhone: Yes

Description:
Offers a range of self-help methods for people who are serious about learning to manage their anxiety. It includes self-monitoring for anxiety with graphic display, information about anxiety, thinking and anxiety, physical relaxation, mental relaxation and Health & Anxiety.

F&CS Review:
It had thorough psychoeducation, some relaxation exercises, ways to rate 4 different areas of anxiety, a tracker that logged rated anixety, a way to record yourself when anxious and can playback later. You can also set up an account to talk to others using the app. Easy to navigate through app.

Cost:
Free

PTSD Coach

PTSD Coach

Platform:
Android: Yes; iPhone: Yes

Description:
Provides users with education about PTSD, information on professional care, self-assessment for PTSD, opportunities to find support, and tools that can help users manage the stresses of daily life with PTSD.

F&CS Review:
PTSD coach has positive attributes. It was designed by the VA for veterans and refers to the VA hotline for assistance. It has many breathing and relaxation exercises if you report certain symptoms and the severity.

Cost:
Free

Start-depression test, pill reminder

Start-depression test, pill reminder

Platform:
Android: No; iPhone: Yes

Description:
Take a depressions test, track your progress, side effects, and see yourself improve. Start helps you decide if your new antidepressant works for you.

F&CS Review:
You choose which meds you are taking and it will send you a reminder when it is time to be taking them. Every two weeks the app will give you a new patient health questionnaire. This app also gives you the side effects for your meds. You can set it up to give you notifications for taking meds. It can also track progress while on the meds. (This feature is mostly for new meds- not for meds you are stable on).

Cost:
Free

Relieve Depression

Relieve Depression

Platform:
Android: No; iPhone: Yes

Description:
A quick and efficient way to determine your level of depression. This will give the causes and ways to relieve it. Here you will find information, test for depression, and be given various hints and techniques to help brighten up your life.

F&CS Review:
Has good basic information about depression and coping skills. There is a random selection feature that will select something for you to do to help with depression, in case you feel indecisive at the moment.

Cost:
Free

CBT-i Coach

CBT-i Coach

Platform:
Android: Yes; iPhone: Yes

Description:
This is an app for people who are engaged in Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Insomnia with a health provider, or for those who have experienced symptoms of insomnia and would like to improve their sleeping habits. The app will guide users through the process of learning about sleep, developing positive sleep routines, and improving their sleep environment. This app is not intended to replace therapy. This should be used in conjunction with therapy.

F&CS Review:
Includes information about sleeping patterns and PTSD. It has mindfulness exercises, caffeine alerts, techniques for grounding, and exercises on cognitions that you want to challenge. This app includes most contents from “PTSD Coach”.

Cost:
Free

CPT Coach

CPT Coach

Platform:
Android: No; iPhone: Yes

Description:
For those who are participating in Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT) with a professional mental healthcare provider. The app contains support materials for a complete course of CPT to help clients manage their treatment. It also includes between session assignments, readings, PTSD symptom monitoring and mobile versions of CPT worksheets.

F&CS Review:
This is a very helpful app. It has the exact homework assignments that are provided in session. You can type directly onto the homework assignments on the phone and save that you can bring to sessions. You also have the function to put in your therapist name, contact information, and scheduled appointments. This is a great tool to use if doing CPT.

Cost:
Free

Mindfulness coach

Mindfulness coach

Platform:
Android: No; iPhone: Yes

Description:
This app is developed to help you learn how to practice mindfulness. It offers exercises, information, and a tracking log so you can optimize your practice.

F&CS Review:
Good educational materials and practice exercises.

Cost:
Free

Headspace- Meditation techniques

Headspace: Meditation techniques

Platform:
Android: Yes; iPhone: Yes

Description:
Meditation made simple. If you enjoy meditation and want to learn more then you can gain access to hours of original meditations. These include guided and unguided lessons. Sessions range from two to sixty minutes long. Subscriptions can cost $12.99/month

F&CS Review:
Free app download includes 10 free sessions of mindfulness meditation (called take 10). You get 100 minutes of content for free, including 3 short videos explaining certain aspects of mindfulness using metaphors. You have the option to subscribe monthly, yearly, lifetime or you can just continue to cycle through the 10 free sessions. It is simple to use and easy to understand.

Cost:
Free

Virtual Hope Box

Virtual Hope Box

Platform:
Android: Yes; iPhone: Yes

Description:
Designed for use by clients and their behavioral health providers as an accessory to treatment. The VHB contains simple tools to help clients with coping, relaxation, distraction and positive thinking.

F&CS Review:
It has distractions with games like Sudoku, photo puzzle, inspirational questions, coping cards, and guided meditations. It is completely free, there is no subscription or paid option.

Cost:
Free

Calm- Meditation techniques for stress reduction

Calm: Meditation techniques for stress reduction

Platform:
Android: Yes; iPhone: Yes

Description:
The Calm App is a free download. The free 7 Days of Calm program provides seven 10-minute sessions on the basics of mindfulness. Other free content includes Body Scan, and Loving Kindness. As well as timed and open-ended meditations. Users can choose from a variety of free background scenes such as mountain lake, tropical beach, or various piano music backgrounds.

F&CS Review:
I think it is great for mindfulness. Probably even better than headspace because it has more free content.

Cost:
Free

MediSafe- Medication Reminder

MediSafe: Medication Reminder

Platform:
Android: Yes; iPhone: Yes

Description:
This app helps you manage your medications, refills, drug interactions, measurements and doctor’s appointments to improve health.

F&CS Review:
Provides a virtual pill box divided by four different times of the day. You get a physical representation of your pills. It is persistent in reminding you to take your meds. This is very helpful for people who need constant reminders. You can put in your doctor’s information. You have the option to create a profile online if you choose to do so. You are putting personal information on your phone and the app is not password protected, so just be aware. This app is a great way to track your progress.

Cost:
Free

Pill Reminder by Drugs.com

Pill Reminder by Drugs.com

Platform:
Android: No; iPhone: Yes

Description:
A comprehensive personal medical record.

F&CS Review:
Easy to download and easy to use.

Cost:
Free

I am- Daily Positive Reminders

I am- Daily Positive Reminders

Platform:
Android: No; iPhone: Yes

Description:
Provides daily affirmations that help rewire our brains, build self-esteem and change negative thought patterns. Empower yourself by verbally affirming your dreams and ambitions. Choose from a variety of daily intentions and set reminders to be delivered throughout the day.

F&CS Review:
You can customize the affirmations that resonate with you and you can set how frequently you want the affirmations.No limits or upgrades required.

Cost:
Free

Gratitude Journal 365

Gratitude Journal 365

Platform:
Android: No; iPhone: Yes

Description:
Keeping a gratitude journal can become a positive habit, but only with discipline. With continued exercise, practicing gratitude will create more abundance, prosperity, well-being and happiness than you ever thought possible. Free for 7 days then must upgrade.

F&CS Review:
Great way to learn how to practice gratitude. Once you get the hang of it you can switch to a free “notes” app to keep your own journal to avoid upgrade payment.

Cost:
Free for 7 days then must upgrade.

T2 Mood Tracker

T2 Mood Tracker

Platform:
Android: Yes; iPhone: Yes

Description:
Monitor your mood on six pre-loaded scales (anxiety, stress, depression, brain injury, PTDs and general well-being). Ratings are displayed on graphs to help users track moods over time. Notes can be recorded to document daily events, medication changes and treatments.

F&CS Review:
Simple and easy to use. It only has five feelings and may be better for teens. The graphs and charts are good.

Cost:
Free

MoodTools- Depression Aid

MoodTools- Depression Aid

Platform:
Android: Yes; iPhone: Yes

Description:
Designed to help you combat depression and alleviate your negative moods, aiding you on your road to recovery. Contains a though diary, different energizing activities, safety plan, information, the PHQ-9 depression questionnaire and videos that can improve our mood and behavior. This app has guided meditation to enlightening TED talks.

F&CS Review:
Includes a safety plan. You can link friends/family in contacts and it will notify them if needed. It includes warning signs and coping strategies and who to call.

Cost:
Free

Optimism

Optimism

Platform:
Android: No; iPhone: Yes

Description:
A mood charting app that helps you develop strategies for managing depression, bipolar or other mental health conditions. A network connection is needed to use this app.

F&CS Review:
Mood tracker, starts with mood 1-10 and how well you coped. It has stay well strategies. Tracks triggers, tracks symptoms, how well you took your meds, and your sleep. Gives charts and reports on data. Has to be connected to internet to work.
Cost:
Free

eMoods

eMoods

Platform:
Android: Yes; iPhone: No

Description:
It is an android app designed to keep track of a person’s mood.

F&CS Review:
Somewhat easy to use.

Cost:
Free

My3

My3

Platform:
Android: Yes; iPhone: No

Description:
An app to help with safety planning and keeping up with appointments.

F&CS Review:
Recommended and reviewed by National Suicide experts.

Cost:
Free

USafeUS

Platform:
Android: Yes; iPhone: Yes

Description:

uSafeUS places sexual assault, dating violence and stalking prevention resources directly into the hands of survivors and allies on college and university campuses.

uSafeUS provides survivors, allies, family members, faculty, staff, and community members at US colleges and universities with instant access to localized information and tools for the prevention of and response to sexual assault, stalking, and relationship violence. uSafeUS includes interactive tools to help keep students safe in potentially dangerous situations.

F&CS Review:
Simple and easy to use. It only has five feelings and may be better for teens. The graphs and charts are good.

Cost:
Free