In honor of World Mental Health Day on October 10 and National Depression and Mental Health Screening Month, we’re highlighting apps aiming to assist the millions of people seeking to improve their mental health. In 2019, an estimated 970 million people worldwide were living with a mental disorder, according to the World Health Organization. And in the U.S., over 1 in 5 adults face mental health challenges, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports. As the need for accessible mental health support continues to grow, apps have become an easy and popular method for managing stress, anxiety, and other conditions.
Here are some of the most popular mental health mobile apps.
10. Happify
Happify offers users science-backed activities and games designed to enhance their mood and overall well-being. The app also monitors users’ emotions over time, allowing them to track their progress and assess the app’s effectiveness.
09. How We Feel
How We Feel is a journaling app made in conjunction with Yale University’s Center for Emotional Intelligence that helps users better understand their emotions. The app also tracks users’ sleep, exercise, and health trends to help users identify patterns over time.
08. Ahead: Emotions Coach
Ahead bills itself as “the Duolingo for your emotional intelligence.” The app is designed to serve as a “personalized pocket coach that provides bite-sized, science-driven tools to boost emotional intelligence,” according to its website. It was a finalist for the social impact category of the 2024 Apple Design Awards.
07. Headspace
Headspace is a meditation and sleep app that features a variety of courses and guided meditations. It also offers bedtime meditations and exercises to help users relax and improve their sleep quality.
06. Breeze Mental Health App
The Breeze app offers several research-backed psychological tests to help users better understand the underlying reasons for their emotions. It also includes routine plans based on cognitive therapy and a journal.
05. BetterHelp
BetterHelp (TDOC) is the world’s largest therapy service, offering professional and affordable online counseling. It is a telehealth platform with a network of over 30,000 licensed therapists that can provide sessions online.
04. I am — Daily Affirmations
I Am is a daily affirmation app designed to help users overcome negative thoughts and boost self-esteem. Users can choose from a selection of positive affirmations or create personalized ones, which the app delivers daily via notifications or widgets.
03. Me+ Daily Routine Planner
Me+ is a daily routine planner and self-care app designed to help users build healthy habits and maintain consistent routines.
02. Calm
Calm is a mental health app that offers mindfulness tools and guided meditations to help users reduce stress, improve sleep, and live healthier lives. It is the top meditation app on the Apple app store.
01. Finch: Self Care Pet
Finch is a self-care app that helps users improve their mental health by caring for a virtual pet bird. The bird grows and evolves based on the user’s real-life actions, encouraging positive habits and well-being.
