You must be actively washing your hands with soap, using sanitizer, wearing a mask, and keeping away from everyone to help yourself and others. While you are focusing so diligently on your physical well being, don’t forget to look after your mental and emotional well being as well.
The pandemic spread is causing fear, anxiety, and stress among people. Some people realise it while others are being affected unknowingly. It is a difficult time for our mind as well since it has to do things differently. Limiting social interactions, being at home all day, staying away from home for some, having so much time free are some major changes your mind has to adapt to.
Chart yourself a mental well being plan so you get through this lockdown less stressfully.
Here are 7 interactive mental health apps to let you stay positive emotionally :
Calm
Some of us may be sleeping too little or too much with our routines disrupted due to the pandemic. The Calm app will help you get quality sleep, meditate and relax so you are able to cope with stress. The app has a bunch of sleep stories, breathing courses, guided meditation, music, and exercises.
Wysa
While this app has a bot attending to you, it is definitely a great one to keep you on track emotionally. An AI chatbot converses with you and helps you track your mood, rearrange your thoughts ( as a part of Cognitive Behaviour Therapy) and be optimistic. The programmed chats in the bot are very simple, friendly and pleasant. The app also provides recommended meditations and audios based on the user’s chat.
Headspace
Similar to Calm, Headspace also has a lot of options for guided meditations. They aren’t focused as much on sleep but they provide tips on how to be mindful when managing stress. With stress in control, a person will automatically sleep better.
Happify
Just like its name, Happify is an energetic app that lets you play games but the right kind. These aren’t just games since they carry a lot of meaning. Through gaming, you can address and cope with the problem you are facing such as anxiety, low confidence, parenting, etc. There are different tracks for each problem.
Talkspace
If you are genuinely getting bogged down and affected by the ongoing situation or even something else, you must use this app. Prioritise your mental well being along with your physical well being. Talkspace connects you to a licensed therapist for a certain amount. The conversation happens on video chat, messages or calls through the day.
BioBase
This app is backed by AI and is available on iOS for stress management. It tracks the user’s stress by assessing body stress, testing brain functions and tracking mood. The app will view the user’s stress over weeks and give results for the user to learn how to manage stress.
Stigma
As most therapists suggest journaling when you feel uneasy, this app provides you with a tool to do that. It is an easy way to journal your feelings on the app and then the app recognizes words and writing style to you. This lets you track your thoughts and feelings more clearly. Moreover, the app also tracks your mood and gives you a calendar or graph to see progress.
Talking helps, even digitally
Psychology has always prompted us to be better listeners and hence psychologists spend a lot of time just listening. If you are feeling overwhelmed during this pandemic, know that it is alright. Use any of the apps above or websites that are letting you talk about how you feel. Talking about it is the first step in feeling better.