Android
Best Apps for Anxiety in 2020
This is a trying time, and we all need help from each other. If you’re dealing with anxiety from Coronavirus and the unknown, here are some apps that can help you address your anxiety or depression.
These apps can help you learn about anxiety or depression, self treat or play an important role in aiding your treatment with the help of a professional.
The best anxiety apps are not a one size fits all way to improve your mental health and to approach depression. These apps have helped me and people I know, but you will need to find the one that works best for you. If you are already talking with a professional, ask their opinion on apps that can help your mental health.
One of the best parts about these apps for mental health is that they are a great stepping stone for helping yourself or for reaching out to a professional on your time through your phone. There are several paid apps with monthly or annual fees, several with free trials and other one-time payment apps that can help you through a DIY route.
In many cases, insurance will not cover the cost of these apps, but the overall cost is cheaper than paying for an in-person session.
Can Anxiety Apps Really Help?
The best apps for depression and anxiety are proven to help you.
There is research that indicates online help for social anxiety is as effective as in-person therapy, and that treating depression over the internet delivered no significant difference from face to face treatment.
Apps are not always a substitute for professional help, even those that connect you to a trained professional, but for many users, it is a starting point and a step that is easier to take than going to a therapist in real life.
If you are having thoughts about suicide or harming yourself, you need to seek professional help immediately by reaching out to local help or by calling the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-8255 to speak to someone who can help.
Best Anxiety Apps
Most of these apps are available on iPhone and Android and you can try most of them for free. Some of the apps are designed for you to use on your own, while others will connect you with a trained professional.
- Talkspace
- Joyable
- Happify
- MoodKit
- Pacifica
- Woebot
Check out the best depression apps and anxiety apps that you can download today to get help.
Talkspace
Use Talkspace to get help with anxiety.
Talkspace is an app that allows you to connect with licensed therapists directly from your phone or computer using a chat tool.
While the company did not make Talkspace to replace in-office therapy, it is a great tool for getting therapy when you cannot go to an office.
The app is anonymous and you don’t have to reveal your real name to the therapist unless you choose to do so.
TalkSpace uses over 1,500 licensed therapists and can help you with;
- Anxiety
- Addiction
- Depression
- Eating Disorders
- PSTD (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder)
- LGBT Issues
- Relationships (Family or Friends)
- Suicidal Thoughts
While typing is a common way of communicating, you can also use audio, video or picture message to share with a therapist.
Therapists through Talkspace may reply once or twice a day, or you may end up setting up a specific time to communicate with the therapist each week.
Here are the four plans you can choose from as an individual, and there is a couples therapy option.
- Unlimited Messaging Therapy Basic: $32/week for 1 therapist check-in per day (billed as $128 monthly)
- Unlimited Messaging Therapy Plus: $39/week for 2 therapist check-ins per day (billed as $156 monthly)
- Unlimited Messaging Therapy Premium: $49/week for 2 therapist check-ins per day + 1 Live Session/month (billed as $196 monthly)
- LiveTalk Therapy: $99/week for 2 therapist check-ins per day + 4 Live Sessions/month (billed as $396 monthly)
There is no commitment to use the service. Once you purchase a plan, you cannot get a refund for any unused time. There is no free trial, but there is a free consultation with a matching agent who can help you understand how the service works.
Download TalkSpace for iPhone or Android.
Joyable
Joyable offers a seven day free trial.
Joyable is a coach supported app that helps you overcome depression and anxiety. This app uses Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for treating both of these conditions.
While using Joyable, you will complete online activities each day that will help you develop skills that you can use to work on anxious thoughts and overcome depression.
These activities will take about 10 minutes and you should plan to do them at least once every 1-2 days for the bees benefit.
Instead of working with a licensed therapist or doctor, Joyable links you to a coach who can help you with support, motivation, and feedback as you use the app.
Joyable is $99 a month and it does include a free seven-day trial so you can see if this is a good fit for you. You don’t need to enter a credit card to use the free trial.
While using the app you can take a test to get a baseline of your depression or anxiety levels and an estimate of the improvement CBT and Joyable can provide.
Download Joyable for the iPhone or use the browser on Android.
Happify
Use Happify to find happiness and work on your emotional health.
The Happify app can help you improve your mental and emotional health using an app on your iPhone or Android device.
With a mix of positive psychology and cognitive behavioral therapy, Happify can deliver you more control of your mental health.
You’ll use small periods of time to work on your emotional health and the app will measure your progress, allowing you to see the steps you are making throughout the journey.
According to Happify, 86% of users who use the app frequently are happier in 2 months.
Unlike the first two options, this is a DIY approach where you don’t talk to a therapist or coach. This makes it more affordable. Happify Plus is available for as low as $4.99 a month through in-app purchases.
Download Happify for iPhone or Android.
MoodKit
Use Moodkit to track your mood and anxiety so you know how you are doing.
MoodKit is an iPhone app designed to help you track and manage your mood.
There is a range of activities and tips that you can follow and act on to improve your mood. These are based on psychological principals that will help reduce negative feelings.
Using CBT principles, the app can help you as a standalone tool, or when combined with professional help.
With Thought Checker, you can identify the drive behind your thoughts and why you are feeling that way, allowing you to change your thinking and your positively impact your feelings.
The Mood Tracker helps show your overall mood and progress you are making as you work on addressing depression or anxiety.
MoodKit is a one time purchase, so you don’t need to worry about subscriptions. There is no free trial.
Buy MoodKit for iPhone for $4.99.
Pacifica
Pacifica can help you with CBT activities and a peer support community.
The Pacifica app offers tools that you can use each day to manage anxiety and stress. This tool uses a combination of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy and meditation to help you.
You can start with guided self-help paths that allow you to listen to audio lessons and complete daily tasks that focus on CBT or mindfulness.
The app will also help you track your mood and health, as well set goals and record your thoughts. You can tap into relaxation techniques in the app or connect with others in the Peer Support community.
Pacifica is free to download, but it requires a subscription for full access with plans for 1 month at $8.99 and a year at $53.99. You can also buy a lifetime subscription for $199.99.
Download Pacifica for iPhone or Android.
Woebot
Woebot can check in on you each day and see how you are doing.
Woebot is a chatbot that can help you with depression with the use of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy.
One thing I like about Woebot is the conversational manner feels like you are chatting with a friend. You also get emoji and even funny gif replies. There are times I swear I’m texting with a real person while using Woebot.
With Woebot you can track your mood, learn about patterns, learn through CBT and you can start to feel better. Woebot is available 24/7 and is just a text away. Woebot will reach out to talk to you, but you can always snooze the conversation to later.
A recent study at Stanford University found significant reductions in anxiety and depression in 12 to 28-year-olds compared to an information-only control group. In this study, 85% of the participants used the app daily or almost daily.
Start using Woebot on Facebook Messenger, iPhone, iPad or Android. The app is free to use.
