With almost 2 million apps available on Apple devices, and almost 3 million available on the Google Play Store, there is an app for EVERYTHING…even one that does nothing.
Apps are incredibly useful in all areas of life, from finding new routes to a destination to managing your finances. There are so many built-for-purpose apps, including mental health apps designed to specifically help you to manage your wellbeing or deal with anxiety and stress.
Many young people experience mental health challenges. Among 16 to 24-year-olds, approximately 1 in 4 have reported they are struggling with their mental health.Â
We all face difficult moments and to cope we can sometimes find ourselves spending more and more time using our phones to escape.Â
So why not download an app designed to help in these moments?Â
Here are 5 FREE Apps to get you started.
Each mental health app on this list has been designed with consultation from experienced professionals in the healthcare sector, including psychiatrists, therapists, counsellors and individuals with lived experiences of mental health, so you can be sure you’re in safe hands.
Also, every app we’ve featured is available on both Apple and Android devices at the time of writing, so most people should be able to access them.
- Calm
- Headspace
- Hub of Hope
- MyPossibleSelf
- What’s Up?
1. Calm
Calm is an app featuring a variety of mindfulness, wellbeing and guided activities specifically designed to help you relax, ground yourself and stay calm.
Designed to be a soothing way of managing your mental health, it features something for every situation, including work-related stress, coping with anxiety and easing the symptoms of depression.
Best feature: Daily Calm. Taking time for yourself every day is important. Daily calm is a 10-minute mindfulness session you can do anywhere, at any time. In these few moments, you can forget about any tasks you have to do, acknowledge your feelings, and be in the present moment. It’s a great mind-clearer and opportunity to refocus on your emotions.
Other features:
- Sleep Stories to help you get a good night of rest
- Soundscapes to help you focus
- Check-ins to help you stay on track and monitor your emotions
Price: Calm offers both free and premium options. The free version features Daily Calm and a limited selection of other features, including Sleep Stories, Soundscapes and guided meditations.
Download Calm for Android | Download Calm for iOS
2. Headspace
Headspace is an app that can support you to stay on track and practice mindfulness in difficult situations. It features guided meditation activities of all lengths, including Mindfulness 101 starter sessions and open-ended unlimited sessions you can use in different situations, making it flexible toward your individual needs.
Best feature: Move Mode. Research shows that poor physical health impacts mental health and wellbeing. Led by professional and experienced personal trainers, Move Mode includes a range of gentle strengthening exercises to help train both your mind and body simultaneously.
Other features:
- Timed and guided mindfulness practices to help you stay focused
- Sleep stories to help you relax and rest peacefully
- Personalised calendar to help you stay on track with mindfulness practice
Price: The Headspace mental health app offers both free and premium options. The free version features a limited selection of exercises and guided mindfulness activities. As a bonus, students get 85% off a premium subscription, making it just 67p per month – Winning!
Download Headspace for Android | Download Headspace for iOS
3. Hub of Hope
Hub of Hope is a directory-based app featuring professional support services within the UK. The database features many organisations that offer targeted support to anyone who feels they may need mental health and wellbeing support. The database is updated regularly with information about charities and organisations, who can also list their services on the app, including support for a wide variety of wellbeing needs, such as hotlines, pharmacies and therapists.
Best feature: Location Tracker. The location tracker allows you to type in any location and find services that operate in that area. It is a useful tool as it lists opening times of charities, hotlines and support services and allows you to sort by distance.
Other features:
- Search by type to help get specific and targeted support
- Information is not kept or stored on the app maintaining your privacy
- Need help now button for emergency situations
Price: Hub of Hope is a free app and will always be free. Some services offered by organisations listed on the database may incur a fee.
Download Hub of Hope for Android | Download Hub of Hope for iOS
4. MyPossibleSelf
MyPossibleSelf is a wellbeing app specifically designed to support you in managing your mental health through tailored activities. Users design their own schedule of positive exercises including guided meditations, mindfulness sessions and check-ins, with the goal of developing and maintaining healthy routines.
Best feature: Check-in Calendar. The check-in calendar lets you highlight specific emotions you may be feeling throughout the day. The option of pre-setting check-in moments is useful to track your feelings across a period of time as this can support you to develop skills in emotional regulation and patterns of positive wellbeing.
Other features:
- Tailored activities to help you as an individual
- Database of NHS-approved support to help you access further services
- Space for notes and recording feelings to help you track your emotions
Price: The MyPossibleSelf app is a completely free app for mental health. After making a free account, in which all your details remain confidential and private, you can access all the content in the app at no extra cost.
Download MyPossibleSelf for Android | Download MyPossibleSelf for iOS
5. What’s Up?
What’s Up? is an app that helps users learn coping strategies for specific wellbeing needs and emotions, such as anxiety, depression, stress and anger. The minimalistic interface features self-help techniques for when times get tough that you can use anywhere at any time to ground yourself and take positive steps towards getting back on track.
Best feature: Metaphors. This helpful deature can be used to put thoughts into perspective and help you explain how you may be feeling in simple and identifiable ways. The Metaphors feature on the app is a great way of understanding mental health through relatable stories, scenarios and analogies.
Other features:
- Database of support both in the UK and USA to help you find professional support
- Grounding activities to help you focus
- Personal diary and check-in to help you stay on track
Price: What’s Up is a free app. Donations towards development are accepted, however, all features are accessible. There is an option to donate to change the colour scheme and personalise the background, although all other features and elements are free.
Download What’s Up? for Android | Download What’s Up? for iOS
Looking to a brighter future
In a world where so many people face challenges with their mental health, it’s great to see the variety of apps and mobile services that provide support and practical tips for maintaining positive wellbeing.
However, if things get too tough to handle, then the following will also help:
- Reach out to a friend, family member, colleague, teacher or classmate
- Contact your GP or doctor for tailored support or a referral to a community mental health team
- Call the Samaritans 24/7 confidential support line on 116 123
- Text ‘SHOUT’ to 85258 for SHOUT’s confidential support chat
- If you’re in a crisis or emergency, contact 999
Whether through an app, in-person, self-care techniques, meditation or medication, we need to place more priority on understanding our emotions and maintaining positive strategies for good mental health. Hopefully these resources will help you in your journey towards improving your mental health.