Top 6 Mental Health Apps: An Alternative to Therapy?

With the increasing prevalence of stress and the numerous mental health conditions it invites, psychologists have turned to specialized mobile applications to promote mental wellness.

So while nothing can compare to in-person consultations, most people are either too busy to regularly visit a therapist or just need an extra push to seek medical aid. This is where the following apps come in (in no particular order):

1- Pacifia:

Free download:

Monthly ($5.99), yearly ($35.99), or one-time ($199.99) subscription for full feature access.

Exclusively targeting stress, anxiety, and depression, Pacifia is a highly popular app designed in conjunction with licensed psychologists. Unlike most apps that specialize in only one technique or practice, Pacifia acts as a one-stop destination to help relieve stress, anxiety, and depression.

The app contains a wide range of professional-grade meditation tools, mood-tracking tools, self-help guides, a health-tracker, daily challenges and goal tracking, and even a dedicated peer-support community filled with expert individuals you can reach out to, anytime anywhere.

2- Lantern:

Monthly Subscription ($49) (Services can be cancelled anytime with a full refund).

Modelled after popular online personality tests, new users first take a test covering body, mood, sleep, social life, and anxiety/stress to determine their strongest and weakest areas.

Based on the results, the app then provides tailored daily schedules of exercise and activities for a detailed and personalized approach to your condition. Lantern can also be used on web platforms, unlike most mobile-based applications.

3- 7 Cups:

Free Download

Sometimes, all you need is someone to talk to, and 7 cups provides just that. Developed alongside certified psychologists, the application is populated by a community of over 160, 000 ‘volunteers’ who are readily available for when you just need to vent about a bad work day, or sort through your complicated thoughts.

Each volunteer possesses excellent listening skills and undergoes detailed training sessions in any or more of the 40 available courses to provide medically sound advice. You can have both confidential and anonymous one-on-one chat sessions with a designated volunteer, and even participate in specialized chatrooms for additional support and information from your peers.

4- Headspace:

Free Download (basics course with mediation fundamentals)

Monthly Subscription ($5.74-$14.95) (full library access)

One of the best online meditation apps, Headspace helps you calm down by equipping you with all of the tools required to achieve a happier, healthier, stress-free life. It contains hundreds of themed meditation and mindfulness sessions to reduce stress, and improve focus and attention on a daily basis.

Headspace also contains specialized ‘SOS sessions’ for instantly coping with panic and anxiety attacks, along with a separate mode for children.

5- Moodpath:

Free Download

Moodpath helps you address concerns about your mental health by asking daily questions to assess your mental state and well-being on any given day. Much like a digital glucose meter, the app continues to compile your answers for 2 weeks, then generates an electronic report that you can share with your therapist for detailed insight into your thought, feelings and emotions.

It also contains over 150 psychological exercises and videos to help you understand and improve your mental health during and after the 2-week period.

6- SuperBetter:

Free Download

Built around a unique game format, users progress through different ‘quests’ comprised of real-life exercises, and are given in-game reward points. The goal of this game is to promote mental, physical, emotional, and social resilience in a goal-setting to best engage users, accelerate their recovery, and improve their mental state on a daily basis.

All of the above applications are available for Android and iOS. However, note that these apps are most effective when combined with professional psychotherapy and medication (if required).

Try your hand at these apps and don’t hesitate to reach out to a top Psychologist in Lahore, Karachi and Islamabad through oladoc.com, or call our helpline at 042 3890 0939 for assistance to find the RIGHT Doctor for your gestational needs.