BEST FOR THERAPY AND JOURNALING
BetterHelp
BEST FOR THERAPY AND MEDICATION
Brightside Health
Charles Herbert Best FOR SELF - assistant
Talkspace: Self-Guided
BEST FOR GUIDED MEDITATION
Headspace
Whether you want to wind down before sleep , reflect on your tactual sensation , or work through your trouble with atherapist online , genial wellness apps offer up an accessible and convenient fashion to use your screen time on activity that support your well - being .
Our reviews squad mystery shopped different mental wellness apps , identifying the best options for meditation , genial wellness tracking , on-line therapy , journaling , and more .
Our Top Picks for the Best Mental Health Apps
What Are Mental Health Apps?
TheNational Institute of Mental Health ( NIMH)puts genial health apps into different categories : self - management , knowledge improvement , skills education , social support , symptom tracking .
There are a variety of mental health apps on the marketplace . Some apps help users relax , sleep better , or meliorate store . Others assist users join to a peer counselor or a health care professional . Apps like BetterHelp and Brightside are intended for usage with a therapy or psychiatry subscription .
Unless you employ a mental health app to take care therapy or see a psychiatrist , they are not stand for to diagnose , evaluate , or treat a mental illness .
You can assign a feeling to your journal entry to help you keep track of your moods.
Compare the Best Mental Health Apps
- As of January 2023
Why You Can Trust Our Best Mental Health Apps Review
We severally investigate and recommend product and service we believe will enrich the life of our lecturer and converge their specific needs . We ’ve spent many time of day carrying out in - depth research on the genial health apps market . you could trust our review because we did the legwork for you in these specific way :
Best for Therapy and Journaling: BetterHelp
Pros
Cons
TheNational Alliance on Mental Illnesssays journaling is one of the most efficient and simplest coping mechanism for pull off mental illness . Of the 200 masses who responded to our reviews team ’s January 2023 BetterHelp survey , 61 percent said that they liked the online diary and used it often .
Our reviews squad count close to 75 diary prompts , related to issue like impression , anxiety , and relationship , as well as general questions about how the user is doing . The journal also offer an option to write on an empty Thomas Nelson Page if you do n’t desire to use a prompt .
EveryBetterHelpsubscription includes one 30- to 45 - minute therapy academic term per week , with the distance of each sitting depend on your needs and your therapist ’s docket .
On BetterHelp , you and your therapist can comprise journaling into therapy sessions , or you’re able to use them as part of a ego - care routine .
you’re able to also attend one of 200 hebdomadary 90 - min bread and butter group sessions that are hold in by BetterHelp therapist . With your subscription , you ’re allowed to join one chemical group . Sessions are held at the same time weekly and with the same participants unless someone joins or allow for the chemical group . grant to our January 2023 sketch of 200 BetterHelp users , radical sessions are a democratic add - on to on-line therapy , with 94 percent of respondents aver they attended a mathematical group session at least once a month .
Prices vary and initiate at $ 65 / week , with the exact price depending on your location , therapist availableness , and therapist preferences . It does n’t admit insurance , but it accepts compromising spending account ( FSA ) and wellness rescue account ( HSA ) dollars . One focus group participant state BetterHelp ended up being tacky than mental wellness care through her indemnity , so it ’s deserving liken costs to make certain you get the best mess .
BetterHelp App Reviews
On theApp Store , BetterHelp catch 4.8 out of 5 asterisk from close to 95,000 ratings . OnGoogle Play , it gets 4.6 out of 5 principal from over 36,000 ratings . Positive reviews mention the restroom of the app for live therapy sessions , group sessions , and journaling . Negative reviews note that the app can be slow and crash at time . According to our January 2023 survey of 200 BetterHelp exploiter , 66 percent of respondents said they were slaked or somewhat satisfied with their experience , 13 percent feel neutral about it , and 21 percent enjoin they were dissatisfied or somewhat dissatisfied with their experience .
Best for Therapy and Medication: Brightside
Brightside
WithBrightside , you could see with your therapist every week , obtain on-going psychiatric care , and look out self - care videos , making it one of the dear apps for mental health . Because it monitor your anxiety and Great Depression over time , it might be a good pick for those looking for a mental health tracker app , too . The app is only available on theApp Storefor Apple devices , although our revue team corroborate that its development team is working on an Android app .
There are three subscription options :
Brightside uses periodic genial health questionnaire to evaluate your mental health symptoms and determine whether your treatments are mould . To measure your anxiousness , it uses the GAD-7 assessment , which according toresearch published inJAMA Internal Medicine , is an accurate way of life to measure out the hardness of anxiety . To judge your depression , it uses the PHQ-9 , which according toresearch release in theJournal of General Internal Medicine , is a credible way to measure out the severity of depression .
When we appraise 200 Brightside users in January 2023 , 75 percent of respondents say they liked the self - trailing tool and find it useful . Self - care videos were also well liked , with 65 percent of respondents enounce they love them and used them often .
Brightside is in - electronic web with Cigna , Aetna , and United Healthcare . It ’s also in - internet with certain regional insurance carriers . you’re able to use itsinsurance chequer toolto see whether it is in - connection with your indemnity . Brightside accepts HSA / FSA dollars . In our survey of Brightside exploiter , 56 percent suppose they used HSA / FSA dollar to pay for services . Additionally , 76.5 pct of responder said they had wellness insurance and used it to ante up for Brightside therapy , while 21 percent enounce they had health insurance but did n’t use it .
Brightside App Reviews
TheApp Storegives Brightside Health 4.6 out of 5 stars , from about 50 evaluation . Positive reviews mentioned the simplicity of booking session and the power to chatter with a therapist . damaging reviews mention the app not go properly . The app is not yet available on Google Play .
Best for Self-Help: Talkspace: Self-Guided
Talkspace
The Talkspace : ego - Guided app offer therapist - led workshops , guided get a line course on genial wellness topic , chance for daily reflexion , and meditations to help user gain assurance , connect with others , and accomplish personal goal at their own gait . Talkspace : Self - Guided is available on theApp StoreandGoogle Play .
One of the big attracter of Talkspace : Self - Guided app is its pick of self - pace courses on topics like anxiety , depressive disorder , body mental image , work tenseness , postpartum depression , and communicating . Within each topic , lessons provide opportunities for users to read about issues and follow up by answer question about how their lives are affected by them .
you’re able to also attend therapist - top live or on - demand classes on subjects like trauma , sexuality , personal growth , multifariousness , equity , and comprehension . When we survey 200 Talkspace exploiter in January 2023 , 96 percent of respondents say they pay heed workshops at least once a month . While most division are geared toward individuals , there are also class for couples and category .
For live sessions , you join the workshop through Zoom . The therapist who host the session gives an overview of the topic and carry exercises to help you practice what you ’ve learned . At the end of the session , they reach the socio-economic class up for discussion .
Talkspace : ego - Guided be $ 29.99 per month . If you experiment with the app and like it , you may want to count sign up for aTalkspacesubscription for one - on - one tending . It offers three therapy plan and one psychiatry plan , which includes medication management with a licensed psychiatrist . price are as follows :
Your exact cost may vary and depends on your geographic location . Talkspaceaccepts indemnity , but you may want to compare the cost of therapy with insurance versus without insurance . Of the 200 Talkspace users we surveyed , 60 per centum enjoin they opted to devote for therapy with their insurance policy , while 30 percent allege they had policy but chose to give without it . Additionally , 49 per centum of respondents order they used FSA or HSA dollar to help cover therapy through Talkspace .
Talkspace Self-Guided App Reviews
On theApp Store , Talkspace Self - Guided gets 4.6 out of 5 stars from close to 290 ratings at the clock time this article was written . OnGoogle Play , it nonplus 4.4 out of 5 star from approximately 165 military rating . Positive reviews praise the app as a downcast - cost option to therapy . Negative reviews mention being charged after the free test despite canceling . Some reviewers thought that the courses were too text - heavy for an app .
Best for Guided Meditation: Headspace
According toresearch published inJAMA Internal Medicine , there is moderate evidence to fend for the effect of speculation and mindfulness programs on reducing symptoms of anxiousness , depression , stress , and pain . Headspace has more than 500 meditations , including three - minute “ mini ” meditations , walking meditations , and advanced meditations . Headspace is uncommitted on theApp StoreandGoogle Play .
Each day , the Headspace app curates a list of meditations and aware activities for you , including a “ sleepcast ” to aid end your sidereal day . A sleepcast is a 45- to 55 - minute sound recording segment you listen to before seam that starts with a speculation or breathing exercise to avail you wind down , abide by by a bedtime story . The storyteller walk you through dissimilar places , such as an marine museum or treehouse , while describing the imagery with soothing speech and tranquillize music in the screen background . Headspace remixes each of its 71 sleepcasts every night , so they are always a small unlike each time you heed .
Headspace also offers a library of narrated mindful crusade videos for yoga , dancing , and cardio , to coach your trunk along with your mind . Every video is unequaled , but the narrators focus on common radical , such as setting aim for the activity , ride out present in your body , focusing on your intimation , and practicing ego - compassionateness .
Headspace cost $ 12.99 per month or $ 69.99 per year . For a family program patronise up to six news report , it cost $ 99.99 per class . If you are n’t ready to pull to a subscription , you may sample its services during a innocent seven - day test . If you ’re an adult student at a post - secondary college or university , you’re able to get adiscounted educatee membershipthat be $ 9.99 per year .
Headspace offers costless memberships toeducatorswho endure in the United States , United Kingdom , Canada , and Australia . Teenagersages 13 to 18 also get free access to Headspace through its partnerPeer Health Exchange .
Headspace App Reviews
On theApp Store , Headspace gets 4.8 out of 5 asterisk from more than 922,000 ratings . OnGoogle Play , it grow 4.4 out of 5 stars from more than 292,000 ratings . Reviewers bring up that they ascertain the app useful but that it does n’t always turn as it should . They also mention trouble navigating the app interface after recent updates .
Is a Mental Health App Right for Me?
Mental health apps bid commodious living for those with barriers to in - individual resourcefulness . When our brushup team go over 1,000 online therapy drug user in June 2023 , 62 percent of respondents tell the convenience of being at home was the top intellect for choosing on-line genial health resources .
In the same sketch , 42.1 pct of respondents said they would try out ego - help strategy such as a self - take app , speculation , or exercise if they could n’t get at online therapy .
According to the NIMH , mental health apps can offer introductory or subsidiary care alongside traditional therapy . Since your app options vary wide , look at which have suit your needs :
Guide to Choosing the Best Mental Health App
According to the NIMH , there are a few thing you could do when choosing a mental wellness app :
How We Chose Our Best Mental Health Apps
Our reviews team determine our top picks for the dear mental health apps base on the following criteria :
How We Research and Evaluate the Best Mental Health Apps
Our reviews team extensively scrutinize mental health app platforms to make certain we only commend those we conceive will make a difference to our reader . Together , we ’ve researched striking brands by mystery denounce the platforms , realise the experiences of real customer , and consult with independent mental health professionals to well translate why people essay out genial health apps . Our method include going past the paywall to test online therapy platforms for ourselves , conducting in - depth interviews with direction groups , and deploying surveys to bring in real client insights .
take more about how we researched andtested online therapy platformsthat offer mental wellness apps in ouronline therapy recapitulation methodological analysis .
Bottom Line
Mental health apps provide a commodious mode to access resource that could benefit your mind and eubstance , such as therapy , medicinal drug , and meditation . For therapy with journaling , our review team recommendsBetterHelp . If you have an Apple gadget and are concerned in both therapy , possible intervention with antidepressants , and depression and anxiousness tracking , considerBrightside . For a self - help app that involves self - guided mental health program , healer - led classes , and expression exercises , Talkspace : Self - Guidedis our selection . If you are looking for an app that offers a salmagundi of guided speculation or a detached mental wellness app for stripling and educators , we recommendHeadspace .
In Emergency Situations
If you are in crisis , waiting for an on-line therapy designation is not safe . In case of an emergency , call 911 . That include plans to harm yourself or others . If you ’re having suicidal persuasion , you may call the988 Suicide and Crisis Lifelineby dial 988 . Help is uncommitted 24/7 . you’re able to also post a text subject matter to the Crisis Text Line at 741741 . A crisis counselor will respond via text to help you stay calm and make certain you ’re safe .
you’re able to also attain out to theSubstance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration ( SAMHSA ) National Helplineat 800 - 662 - HELP ( 4357 ) . The SAMHSA helpline is a free , confidential , 24/7 , 365 - days - a - class treatment referral and info Robert William Service for individuals look genial or substance purpose disorders .
Frequently Asked Questions
Although there are benefits to using mental health apps , according to astudy publish in November 2019 inFrontiers in Psychiatry , more research needs to be done in parliamentary law to gauge their efficacy . The study evaluate 293 genial health apps that claimed to aid with anxiety and depression and observe that only 3 per centum of the apps bring out enquiry to support their statements . One of those apps was Headspace .
While there are nofree therapyapps , there are free apps that can help you with your mental health . TheHealthy Minds Programis a free , evidence - found genial wellness app that teaches mindfulness and meditation skill . It is uncommitted onGoogle Playand theApp Store . TheDepartment of Veterans Affairsalso offer a variety of complimentary apps , likePTSD Coachfor ego - direction of symptom of post - traumatic stress disorder .
genial health apps are deserving considering if they become your need and are grounds - based . Consider a innocent trial before purchasing any apps to gauge whether you find them utilitarian .
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