Looking For A Great Mental Health App? Here Are 5 Must Haves.
It was a beautiful sunny morning. I laced up my shoes, grabbed my headphones, and picked my favorite playlist. I opened my running app, hit start, and started for my morning run. As I set for my morning exercise, I began to think how incredibly valuable this simple little running tracker was for me. Distance, time, average times, milestones, and even encouragement have all helped keep me on track and motivated.
When I returned home, my wife let me know that she had just subscribed to a mental health app recommended to her. No joke—actual events. So naturally, that got me thinking.
In our last post, we talked about training our minds using some of the same proven effective strategies for improving our physical health. There are hundreds of thousands of apps to help with our physical health, but what’s out there that can help our mental health. And if you’re like me, you want something simple, practical, cheap, and not just another lost app on our phones that collects proverbial digital dust.
Click Here to Learn More About the Benefits of Running
Moodfit
Summary: Moodfit is a comprehensive app that provides tools for better mental health. But it also helps the user understand how and what lifts your mood and brings it down. It combines valuable tools like positive messaging, goal setting, breathing exercises, and journaling to help you identify and process distorted thinking and to help you understand the critical relationship between your mood and lifestyle factors like nutrition, sleep, and exercise.
Works on: iOS and Android
Cost: Free to download. 7-day free trial. Some features are available for free, but the premium unlocks everything for $40/year.
Link: https://www.getmoodfit.com/
Impulse Brain training
Summary: This app offers a great way to improve mental health using entertaining and challenging mind games. They offer a wide range of personalized workout plans for different brain areas (e.g., memory, attention, concentration, mental maths, problem-solving, creativity, etc.) as well as training games to boost cognitive abilities. Games are challenging enough to ensure you progress over time and are comprehensible to any age and expertise level. Just like your body, a healthy mind requires some exercise. This app is a great start and investment in making the goal of a more healthy mind a reality.
Works on: iOs and Android
Cost: This app offers a 3-day free trial and three different payment options
$6.99/wk
$39.99/yr
$49.99/lifetime
Link: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/impulse-brain-training/id1451295827
Gratitude Daily Journal
Summary: It has been established that gratitude improves mood and overall mental health. This app guides you toward gratitude through prompted journaling, positive affirmations, vision boards to help focus on dreams and goals, and daily motivation to help keep you focused on the positive.
Works on: iOS and Android
Cost: Free with an option to go pro for $4.99/mo
Link: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/gratitude-daily-journal/id1372575227
I Am - Daily Affirmations
Summary: For some of us, negative thoughts impact us more than we realize. We allow doubt, lies, and a false reality to take up space in our minds, rent-free. I Am is a straightforward app that helps to rewire our brains, build self-esteem, and change negative thought patterns. You can choose your intentions and customize the kind of message delivered to you several times a day.
Works on: iOS and Android
Cost: This one is free for three days but does require a subscription. There are also a few different subscription options.
$3.99/mo
$59.99/yr
$99.99/lifetime
Link: https://iamaffirmations.app/
Neurocycle
Summary: This app is part of the work of Dr. Caroline Leaf. She developed a proven system to help detox your brain using a 5-step process to help take back control over your thoughts and your life. The program is designed to teach you to overcome anxiety, stress, and toxic thinking by helping you: Find the root cause of your toxic thoughts, eliminate the root, and rebuild a healthy thought pattern and habit.
Works on: iOS and Android
Cost: This app is a more significant investment but promises sizable results if used to the fullest extent.
$14.99/mo
$29.99/3 mos
$99.99/year
Link: https://www.neurocycle.app/
There are, of course, thousands of great apps that can help you improve your mental health. But these are a few of our favorites, many of which we use daily. But it’s also important to note that even if you don’t think you’re struggling with toxic thoughts, negativity, brain fog, or overall mental fatigue—it doesn’t mean you don’t need to focus on your mental health. People who are in great physical shape are because they work at it—even when they eventually get in excellent physical condition. It’s not enough to get in shape; you must stay in shape. The same is true of your mind. Get it in shape, then work to keep it in shape. And these apps will certainly help make that happen.
