Choosing a Mental Health App
According to recent studies on mental health in the US, the number of people diagnosed with mental illnesses has grown spontaneously in recent years. Unfortunately, a significant percentage of victims of mental health disorders do not seek professional help for their mental problems. This is due to multiple factors, including financial constraints, mobility challenges, anxiety, and the fear of mental health stigma. Fortunately, mental health experts have gone out of their way to adopt modern technology, particularly mobile applications, in efforts to assist victims of mental disorders. With mental health apps, people can seek help from professional therapists from any place and at any time. This article offers a guide on how to choose the best mental health app.
Benefits of Using a Mental Health App
Seeking professional help via modern technology comes with plenty of benefits. Here are some benefits connected to using mental health apps.
- Convenience
Mental health apps are highly convenient compared to traditional office therapy. Patients can participate in therapy sessions in the comfort of their homes without necessarily having to walk into the therapist’s office. Since a majority of Americans use smartphones on a daily basis, mental health apps are a reliable option to get help on one’s mental problems. Notably, victims of mental disorders can schedule an appointment with a professional therapist at any time suitable for them.
- Patient Engagement
Mental health apps are enhanced with appealing technological features that make it easy for anyone to follow up on therapy sessions. Such features include reminder notifications that enable you to get treatment efficiently. Professional therapists are also readily available to respond to your inquiries, as well as offer you help based on your mental needs.
- Cost-effectiveness
Compared with the brick and mortar method of counseling and mental therapy, mental health apps are cheaper. All you need is a smartphone, internet connectivity, and a few bucks to get access to mental therapy online.
Differences between Various Mental Health Apps
Over the past couple of years, a wide range of mental health apps have seen their way into the teletherapy industry. Here is an outlook of some of the best mental health apps in the market.
1. 7 Cups App
The 7 Cups app provides online therapy through instant messaging, where users can seek therapeutic help and counseling without booking an appointment. Details and credentials relating to the featured online counselors and volunteer trainers are posted on the app. Such information includes their affiliations, biography, and life experiences. 7 Cups also provide virtual groups where the subscribers can interact and share personal experiences on matters of mental health. The good thing with the 7 Cups app is that all these services are free. The only package you pay for is getting a session with a licensed therapist, which comes at an affordable rate. 7 Cups also features two platform categories, including Teens Platform and one for those aged above 18.
2. Headspace
Headspace is popular for providing mental health therapy via meditation. The app features themed meditation sessions that seek to address varying conditions, including anxiety, stress, depression, and sleep. For a calmer state of mind, then Headspace is the ideal mental health app for you. The app also comes with animated interfaces that provide clear guidelines on how to undertake certain exercises as you monitor your body changes.
3. Betterhelp
Betterhelp is one of the leading online therapy service providers in the US. The app features over 5000 licensed therapists and licensed practitioners, pulling up to one million users. One feature that makes Betterhelp an outstanding app for mental health therapy is its wide range of services offered to users. Some of the areas of specialty offered in the app include depression, anxiety, stress, grief, intimacy, and trauma. Betterhelp allows you to interact with your therapist at any hour of the day. You can also schedule a session suited to your availability. You can also chat, phone call, or video chat with your specialist.
4. Pacifica
The Pacifica app comprises of tools that are built using the principles of relaxation, mindfulness, mental health, and cognitive-behavioral therapy. This means that users can get help across multiple areas, including sleep, stress, depression, and focus. Pacifica offers mental health services for as low as $4 a month.
5. Talkspace
Talkspace features clinical specialists who are trained and licensed to offer online therapy, each having an experience of 3000 practice hours. The app specializes in message therapy, where users can interact with their therapists via chats, video calls, and audio messages. Talkspace comes with a variety of packages valued at different prices to suit the various needs of the users. From as low as $65, you can get professional assistance on mental health for an entire week. If you would like to receive therapy together with your spouse, then Talkspace is the app to use. The app features sessions for spouses or partners at a lower rate.
In Summary
While most victims of mental illnesses struggle with the fear of mental health stigma, e-therapy has made it easy for these people to get professional help in the comfort of their homes. Not only are mental health apps cheap to use, but they are also convenient and engaging. Today, the teletherapy industry is dominated by a wide range of mental health apps, each of which provides unique services to online users. Some of these apps include Talkspace, Betterhelp, Pacifica, 7 Cups, and Headspace.