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Wellbeing Apps

Wellbeing Apps

Free apps to monitor, manage or improve your wellbeing

These days so many of us use apps in our everyday life for anything from shopping to entertainment to travel, but have you considered using them to look after your wellbeing and mental health?

There are now more and more apps out there that can help with anything from managing your general wellbeing to those for more specific health concerns. Listed below are some apps* to get you started. Whilst these apps can be useful, they are not a replacement for seeking medical advice if you have concerns about any symptoms you are experiencing.

*This list has been compiled by Mind in Brighton and Hove as a guide to Apps available to support your wellbeing. We are not able to recommend individual Apps. Please check the suitability of each App, and if there are any cost implications or compatibility issues. Whilst most of the apps listed below are free to download, please be aware of potential in-app purchases.

Apps For Mental Wellbeing

Apps For Depression and Anxiety

Apps For Physical Wellbeing

Apps To Support Those Suffering From Eating Disorders

Apps To Support Those with Gambling Problems

 

Apps For Mental Wellbeing

Elefriends

Elefriends is a supportive online community from the mental health charity Mind. We all know what it's like to struggle sometimes, but now there's a safe place to listen, share and be heard. Whether you're feeling good right now, or really low, it's a place to share experiences and listen to others.

  • Post updates and catch up with the community feed.
  • Read and write posts offline.
  • Share photos directly from your device.
  • Passcode protected.
  • Choose when and how you want to receive notifications.
  • Moderated by the 'Ele handlers' from 10am until midnight.

  

 

Silvercloud

(Free to use)

Silvercloud provides a wide range of supportive and interactive programmes, tools and tactics for mental and behavioural health issues. These programmes address wellbeing, life balance, time management, communication skills, goal setting, communication and relationship management, anger management, stress management, relaxation and sleep management, among many others.

  

 

RCPsych Mental Health App

(Free to use) This app is only available on the App Store for iOS devices.

This is an application developed for the Royal College of Psychiatrists by Dr. Melvyn Zhang.

The aim of this application is to: 1. Provide general public information about key mental health disorders 2. Provide links to relevant videos and podcasts 3. Provide links to the Royal College Website to which members of the public could find further information about mental health disorders

 

Happier

(Free to use) This App is only available on the Apple Store for iOS devices.

Happier helps you stay more present and positive throughout the day. Its Apple Watch app is like your personal mindfulness coach -- use it to lift your mood, take a quick meditation pause, or capture and savour the small happy moments that you find in your day.

  • Share how you feel using our Apple Watch and we'll help you lift your mood with inspiring quotes, clear your mind with a positive meditation break, or easily capture and share something positive using just your voice.
  • Use Happier as an on-the-go gratitude journal to record happy moments both big and small.
  • Take our bite-sized, expert-led courses to discover new ways to find joy, calm, and satisfaction - they take just a few minutes a day, and help you become more resistant to negativity you may encounter, and more resilient overall.
  • Connect with other Happier users in a positive and supportive environment.

 

Diary Mood Tracker - Daylio

(Free to install. Contains adverts and in-app purchases)

Daylio enables you to keep a private diary without having to type a single line. Pick your mood and add activities you have been doing during the day. You can also add notes and keep an old school diary. Daylio is collecting recorded moods and activities in the statistics and calendar. This format will help you to understand your habits better. Keep track of your activities and create patterns to become more productive.

  

 

Catch it

(Free to use)

Catch It is a joint project between the Universities of Liverpool and Manchester, to help users better understand their moods through use of an ongoing diary.
The app was designed to illustrate some of the key principles of psychological approaches to mental health and well-being, and specifically Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT).

  

 

Mental Health Recovery Guide

(Free to use)

There are 17 essential things you need to know to fast track your recovery from mental illness. The Mental Health Recovery Guide (MHRG) will tell you what they are.

If you suffer from depression, schizophrenia or bipolar disorder, and if you are a mental health outpatient, or a newly discharged psychiatric in-patient at the UK's NHS or elsewhere in the world, MHRG will help you to get well and stay well.

  

 

Harm

(Free to use)

Calm Harm provides tasks that help you resist or manage the urge to self-harm. You can add your own tasks too and it's completely private and password protected.

The four categories of tasks target the main reasons for why people self-harm. Distract helps to combat the urge by learning self-control; Comfort helps to care rather than harm; Express gets those feelings out in a different way and Release provides safe alternatives to self-injury.

  

 

Stay Alive

Stay Alive

(Free to use)

This app is a pocket suicide prevention resource, packed full of useful information to help you stay safe. You can use it if you are having thoughts of suicide or if you are concerned about someone else who may be considering suicide.

  

 

Podcasts

It's also well worth taking a look at the 'Mental Health Foundation's 16 free podcasts' to help you live a mentally happier life - from New Years' Resolutions to Relaxation for Better Sleep to Mindfulness and How to Overcome Fear and Anxiety. Can be listened to on the Mental Health Foundation website, downloaded or subscribe to on iTunes.

 

Apps For Depression and Anxiety

WellMind

Wellmind

(Free to use)

Wellmind is your free NHS mental health and wellbeing app designed to help you with stress, anxiety and depression The app includes advice, tips and tools to improve your mental health and boost your wellbeing.

  

 

What's Up?

(Free to install. Contains in-app purchases)

What's Up? is a fantastic free app utilising some of the best CBT (Cognitive Behavioural Therapy) and ACT (Acceptance Commitment Therapy) methods to help you cope with Depression, Anxiety, Anger, Stress and more! With a beautiful, modern design, simple heading and easy-to-follow methods, you can get to what helps you the most in seconds!

  

 

SAM: Self-help for Anxiety Management

SAM

(Free to use)

SAM is an app to help you understand and manage anxiety. The app has been developed in collaboration with a research team from UWE, Bristol.

SAM will help you to understand what causes your anxiety, monitor your anxious thoughts and behaviour over time and manage your anxiety through self-help exercises and private reflection.

The "Social cloud" feature will enable you to share your experiences with the SAM community while protecting your identity.

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Mood Tools - Depression Aid

(Free to install. Contains in-app purchases)

If you are feeling sad, anxious, or depressed, lift your mood with MoodTools. MoodTools is designed to help you combat depression and alleviate your negative moods, aiding you on your road to recovery.
The app contains several different research-supported tools. They include:

  • Thought Diary - Improve your mood by analysing your thoughts and identifying negative/distorted thinking patterns based on principles from Cognitive Therapy
  • Activities - Regain your energy by performing energizing activities and tracking your mood before and after, based on Behavioural Activation Therapy
  • Safety Plan - Develop a suicide safety plan to keep you safe and utilize emergency resources during a suicidal crisis
  • Information - Read information, self-help guidelines, and find help with internet resources
  • Test - Take the PHQ-9 depression questionnaire and track your symptom severity over time
  • Video - Discover helpful YouTube videos that can improve your mood and behaviour, from guided meditations to enlightening TED talks.

 

Fear Tools - Anxiety Kit

(Free to use)

FearTools is an evidence-based app designed to help you combat anxiety, aiding you on your road to recovery. This application is especially useful for those suffering from Generalized Anxiety Disorder, Phobias, and Social Anxiety Disorder.
The app contains several simple, useful, and powerful tools. They include:

  • Thought Diary - Challenge and reframe your unhelpful thoughts with this cognitive therapy technique
  • Exposure - Overcome your fears with gradual exposure, an effective behavioural therapy technique
  • Breathe - Relax with this simple and customizable paced breathing tool

Information - Read information, follow self-help guidelines, and find additional resources.

 

Apps For Physical Wellbeing

Couch to 5k

(Free to use)

Walk and run your way to 5k this Couch to 5k app designed to take total beginners from walking to running for 30 minutes in just 9 weeks. Millions of people have already started running with our simple Couch to 5k plan - so download it now, grab your trainers and get ready to become a runner.
Presented in association with BBC Get Inspired, the app builds you up gradually with a mix of running and walking. All you have to do is choose one of our four famous trainers and let them guide and motivate you through each session.

 

Smart Recipes

(Free to use)

The FREE Smart Recipe app from Change4Life is an easy way of helping you prepare tasty, healthier meals the whole family will love.
We all love tasty food but it's not always easy to cook for the family if you're short on time and the kids are picky.
Remembering ingredients and keeping track of portion sizes can be a hassle. But don't worry; our Meal Mixer will take care of that for you.

  

 

Relax Melodies

Relax Melodies

(Free to install. Contains adverts and in-app purchases)

Relax Melodies is a relaxation and sleep app that allows you to select sounds and melodies that you like and combine them to create a mix. Lay back, listen, and enjoy falling asleep. This app can also be used in many other situations aside from sleep; perfect during some of your favorites activities such as relaxing at the spa, exercising in your yoga or relaxation classes, massaging sessions, or even when taking a nap! For parents, the ideal to help your baby fall asleep!

  • 50 High quality ambient sounds, including 2 binaural beats frequencies for brainwave entrainment.
  • Mix your favorite sounds together with different volume to create your own personal melodies and get infinite possibilities!
  • High quality Retina graphics
  • Include 8 off the shelf favorites for easy startup
  • Create, Save, Name, Sort and Replay your favorites easily
  • Multiple Alarms & Timers system. Use your own favorite as alarm to wake up slowly.

    

 

Apps To Support Those Suffering From Eating Disorders

Rise Up - Eating Disorder App

(Free to use)

Rise Up + Recover is an app for people struggling with food, dieting, exercise and body image. The app is based upon self-monitoring homework, a cornerstone of cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT).

With the Rise Up + Recover app you can:

  • Log your meals, emotions and behaviours from the privacy of your mobile phone
  • Export PDF summaries of your Meal Log and Check-In to share with your treatment team
  • Set custom reminders to inspire you to keep moving forward
    Rest assured that your personal information is protected behind a pass-code
  • Share motivational and inspirational quotes, images and affirmations
  • Access a wide range of resources to build a strong recovery warrior mindset
  • Find support and professional treatment nearby

  

 

Recovery Record - Eating Disorder App

(Free to use)

Recovery Record is the smart companion for managing your journey to recovery from eating disorders including anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, obsessive eating disorder, binge eating disorder and compulsive eating disorder.
With Recovery Record you can:

  • Keep a record of meals, thoughts and feelings from the privacy of your mobile phone.
  • Collect jigsaw pieces to earn hidden rewards.
    Customise your log form, meal plan, reminder schedules and alarm tones.
  • Share your Recovery Record with your treatment team, so they can help you to understand your behavioural trends and triggers.
  • Receive and send anonymous encouragement messages and virtual gifts from/to 1000s of other people using the App.
  • Access 1000s of meditation images and affirmation messages.
    Perfect for every stage of recovery from anorexia, bulimia, OED, BED, CED and other eating disorders.

  

 

Apps To Support Those with Gambling Problems

Gamban

Gamban is free for all students with a ".ac.uk" email address, and is brought to students in partnership with the NUS.

gamban® is a software product that blocks access to online gambling. It offers users a secure, reliable, and affordable option to stay away from gambling sites and apps, helping those with a gambling problem to fight the urge. Once installed, the device will no longer be able to access gambling websites and apps. The software can be quickly installed on computers, mobile phones and tablets. We advise users to install gamban® on all the devices they use, so they are fully protected. It works on Mac OS, Windows, Android, and iOS.