Useful Apps
Depression and Anxiety
Get Self Help
This website offers free cognitive behavioural based self-help and therapy resources, including worksheets and self-help mp3’s.
MindShift
https://www.anxietybc.com/resources/mindshift-app
MindShift is designed to help teens and young people cope with anxiety by teaching them how to relax, develop more helpful ways of thinking and identify active steps to help take charge of anxiety
MoodKit
http://thrivereport.com/products/moodkit
Approved by NHS Choices and listed as one of Healthline’s Best Apps for Depression 2017, this app uses CBT principles to help people with depression and anxiety manage and track their moods. It has a “thought checker” to identify negative thoughts and an “activities” tool to suggest wellbeing activities.
MoodTools Depression Aid
This app provides six evidence-based tools to aid clinical depression and negative moods. It contains info, self-tests, videos, a thought diary, activities, and a suicide safety planning feature to help keep the person safe when they are feeling distressed.
Positive Penguins (for children)
Aimed at 8-12 year olds, this app helps children understand their feelings and challenge negative thinking. Four positive penguins take children on a journey to help them better understand the relationship between what they think and what they feel.
SAM
This is a self-help app for anxiety which includes a personal toolbox, negative thought buster, colouring exercise and information. Developed by researchers at University of West England and winner of Best Anxiety App 2016 in the Healthline awards.
Stop Panic and Anxiety Self-Help
https://www.excelatlife.com/apps.htm#panicapp
This is a self-help app for people experiencing panic attacks. It can provide immediate audio assistance during a panic attack and help prevent panic attacks. As it is targeted to specifically help panic attacks, it may not be suitable for all other forms of anxiety. Listed as one of the Best Anxiety Apps 2017 by Healthline.
Youper (for Social Anxiety)
http://www.youper.co/start-now
This evidence-based app has been developed to help people with social anxiety gain confidence in social situations. Using the principles of CBT, ACT (Acceptance Commitment Therapy) and MBSR (Mindfulness-based Stress Reduction), it aims to help people understand their anxiety, control it and then challenge it using real-life guided practice exercises. The Essential Train (4 programmes) is free, then users pay to personalise their app experience according to their needs.
Suicide
Stay Alive
http://www.prevent-suicide.org.uk/stay_alive_suicide_prevention_mobile_phone_application.html
This free app offers help and support to people with thoughts of suicide and people concerned about someone else. Key features include: Quick access to UK national crisis support helplines, a mini-safety plan, a LifeBox to which the user can upload photos from their phone reminding them of their reasons to stay alive, strategies for staying safe, tips on how to help a person thinking about suicide and suicide bereavement resources.
Child Bereavement UK
https://childbereavementuk.org/our-app
This app, developed by the Charity, Child Bereavement UK and a group of young people who have experienced bereavement aims to help young people who have lost somebody close to them feel less alone, and provide information on where they can get more support. It is not exclusively for young people bereaved by suicide, but may be helpful to them and also help as bereavement is a suicide risk factor.
Psychosis
Self-Harm
EMoods Bipolar Mood Tracker
An app to help users track their moods, medication, sleep and other common symptoms related to bipolar disorder.
Actissist (Active assistance for psychological therapy)
http://research.bmh.manchester.ac.uk/actissist
One to watch: An app under development by the University of Manchester, which aims to deliver CBT-informed strategies via mobile to people experiencing first episodes of psychosis
Calm Harm
http://www.stem4.org.uk/calmharm
App based around principles of dialectical behavioural therapy (DBT), developed by a clinical psychologist. Aims to help young people resist the urge to self-harm by using four task categories which reflect the reasons why many people choose to self-harm: distract, comfort, express or release. Won Digital Innovation award category at the National Positive Practice in Mental Health Awards 2016
Self-Heal
http://www.self-healapp.co.uk/Home
Uses DBT principles to help users resist the urge to self-harm. Also uses an image library for distraction and to promote recovery
Alumnia
Not an app but a website: This online course by selfharm.co.uk for young people aged 14-18 helps them find other ways of dealing with the ups and downs of line.
Eating Disorders
Recovery Record Eating Disorder Management App
https://www.recoveryrecord.com
Go-to app for eating disorder recovery for all eating disorders. Includes: meal logging, meal planning, coping skills, rewards for recovery wins, social and secure, can be used in conjunction with treatment teams. Great reviews.
Rise Up Recovery Warriors
https://www.recoverywarriors.com/app
Eating disorder recovery tools including meal logging, behaviour tracking, emotions and thought tracking. Also information and activities around body image, mindfulness and relationships. Can be used in conjunction with treatment teams. Featured in Forbes magazine feature “Technologies innovating mental health in 2016” Extended features (podcasts, etc) on website.
Other Apps & Resources
If there is something that you use that helps you and you want to share with others please let us know wellbeing@victoriaplum.com