Self-Help Apps That Make Mental Health Easier to Maintain

By Amber Courtney

Depression and anxiety are the most common mental disorders in the United States, especially
among the millennial generation.
According to The Journal of Abnormal Psychology, the rate of depression for young adults
age 18 to 24 has risen 50 percent over the last 10 years. The recommended and most effective
forms of help is medication and counseling.
But, those options are not always available to those who cannot afford health insurance or
have the ability pay out of pocket. This can leave young adults left to suffer emotional turmoil.
Luckily there is help to be found in the thing that is always closest to us: our cellphones.
There are apps available on smartphones that can help combat mental ailments such as sadness
and anxiety. Here is a list of four apps, all of which are free to download.

If you ever need a shoulder to lean on or someone to vent to, going to someone you know isn't
always the most comfortable option. That's where the app Wisdo can come in handy. Wisdo acts
as a social media, of sorts, full of people willing to share their experiences of hardship and
support those in need. It has different support groups for different experiences someone may
have suffered through. Each group is full of people to talk to and connect with over shared
experiences. For those who need a friend, Wisdo might be the way to go.

Youper
    Youper is an app that claims to be your "personal mental health assistant." It makes it seem as
if you are texting your own personal psychotherapist. The app does not offer any solutions to
your feelings but instead gives you the steps you need in order to soothe yourself such as guided
meditation, writing down problems and identifying triggers. It definitely sounds helpful.

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Replika acts as an interactive chat. You choose different topics, and your "Replika" acts as a
Siri of sorts, chatting with you, asking questions, and giving advice. You even get to name and
customize your "Replika" egg. All the conversations have pre-generated responses so it may
lose its appeal after a while, but it still might be helpful when it comes to giving out advice.

Woebot
This app acts as an assistant to help you figure out solutions to your issues. The app uses
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy techniques to guide the user through whatever negative thoughts
they're having and get them to reach rational conclusions. Out of all the apps, this one may be
the most productive, therefore the most effective, because it helps you work out your negative
thoughts versus just helping you feel better about them. I definitely suggest this one

Hopefully at least one of these apps can be of great assistance to students struggling to get
by. It is important to note that these are not replacements for professional help. Talking to a
therapist will always be the best form of treatment. Using these apps can aid in non-serious
mental struggles temporarily. I suggest anyone who may need them to check them out.