In our digital age, technology has become an integral part of our daily lives. While it offers numerous benefits, like increased connectivity and access to information, there is growing concern about its impact on our mental health.
The Dark Side of Technology: Impact on Mental Health
Research has identified several ways in which technology can negatively affect our mental health:
1. Doom Scrolling: This term refers to the act of continuously scrolling through negative news or social media feeds, which can lead to feelings of anxiety, depression, and hopelessness1.
2. Keeping up with the Joneses: Social media platforms often portray idealized versions of reality, which can lead to unhealthy comparison, envy, and dissatisfaction2.
3. Not Being Present in the Moment: Excessive use of technology can interfere with our ability to be present in the moment, impacting our relationships and overall well-being3.
4. Need for Approval: Many people seek validation through likes, comments, and shares, which can lead to a reliance on external validation for self-esteem4.
Despite these potential hazards, it's important to remember that technology itself isn't inherently harmful. It's how we use it that determines its effect on our mental health.
Using Technology for Mental Health: The Power of Apps
While the dangers of technology usage are real, it can also serve as a powerful tool for promoting mental health. One way is through mental health apps, which can offer support and resources at your fingertips.
There's promising evidence that some mental health apps can help improve symptoms of anxiety and depression, especially when used alongside traditional therapy and medication5. However, not all apps are created equal. It's crucial to choose apps that are evidence-based and prioritize your privacy.
Here are some top-rated mental health apps for 2024 as rated by Therapist.com.
Best for healthier thought patterns: Happify
With tools designed for handling stress and boosting self-confidence, Happify aims to help you understand how your thoughts impact your life. The app offers quizzes, games, and activities based on positive psychology, mindfulness, and CBT.
Best for self-awareness: Moodfit
Moodfit is mostly a mood journal that helps people learn how different variables influence their state of mind. Tracking your mood can help you spot trends related to the time of day, day of the week, and other factors. The app also offers a gratitude journaling tool, breathing exercises, guided meditations, and assessments for anxiety and depression.
Best for stress management: Insight Timer
Insight Timer features an extensive library of free guided meditations for managing stress, improving sleep, and more. Users can explore content, including mindfulness exercises, music tracks, and ambient sounds designed to promote relaxation.
Best for anxiety: MindShift CBT
MindShift CBT helps users manage anxiety, panic, perfectionism, and phobias through CBT techniques. You can learn how to relax and be more mindful, explore how your thoughts and feelings connect, and take steps to cope with high-stress moments. The app also has a community space for finding and offering peer-to-peer support.
Best for depression: Sanvello
Sanvello is another app rooted in CBT that’s designed to help people feel better when they’re down. You’ll be encouraged to check in with your mood and answer a few daily questions to receive personalized suggestions. You can also follow along with one of many “guided journeys” designed to help you build coping skills.
Best for obsessive-compulsive disorder: NOCD
NOCD connects people with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) to licensed therapists trained in exposure and response prevention (ERP) therapy. Between face-to-face sessions, users can explore in-app videos, therapeutic tools, and exercises. The app also manages a community space where people can share their experiences and find peer support.
Best for managing mood disorders: eMoods bipolar mood tracker
eMoods helps people with bipolar disorder and other mood disorders monitor and understand their mood patterns. Users can track daily emotional highs and lows, sleep patterns, medications, and other factors. You can also generate reports that chart your mood swings and triggers, then opt to share them with your therapist and other health care providers.
Best for posttraumatic stress disorder: PTSD Coach
PTSD Coach was developed by the US Department of Veterans Affairs for people who have—or suspect they may have—posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). The app offers educational resources about PTSD, tools for assessing and tracking symptoms, tools for handling daily stress, and direct links to support. Please note that if you think you have PTSD, it’s important to talk with a mental health professional as soon as possible.
Best for medication adherence: Medisafe
Medisafe helps users stay on top of their prescribed medication schedule by providing personalized reminders for each dose. The app offers time zone adjustments for travelers, as well as features like drug interaction warnings, refill reminders, and appointment alerts.
Best for relaxation: Calm
Calm, an app for relaxation, mindfulness, and improving sleep, offers a library of guided meditations that focus on everything from anxiety to self-acceptance. Features include a 10-minute daily calming meditation, “sleep stories” narrated by celebrities like Harry Styles, a music library, and short videos that include mindful movement and stretching exercises.
Best for eating disorders and disordered eating: Recovery Record
Recovery Record helps people with eating-related challenges work toward their recovery goals and develop healthier habits. Your plan is personalized according to your preferences and activity—you can record your thoughts and feelings alongside each meal and link your account with your professional treatment team, if you have one, to receive feedback messages from them.
Best for recovering from addiction: I Am Sober
I Am Sober can be used by anyone who’s trying to quit drinking, smoking, misusing drugs, or other addictive behaviors. You can use a sober day tracker to visualize your progress, add messages and photos to remind yourself why you quit, analyze your day to find potential triggers, and see how much time and money you’re saving by staying sober. You can also view withdrawal timelines for specific addictions, so you know what to expect as you progress.
Best for supporting your child’s mental health: Moshi
Moshi offers interactive activities, stories, meditations, and tools to help kids ages 12 and under find new ways to play, learn, listen, and cope better with stress. The app has more than 50 child-friendly guided meditations and breathing exercises, plus hundreds of hours of sleep content—including bedtime stories and lullabies—to help little ones drift off faster.
Best for helping teens to stop self-harming: Calm Harm
Calm Harm provides activities, techniques, and resources designed to help teenagers end cycles of self-harm and find alternative forms of emotional release. By journaling within the app, teens can identify their patterns and triggers, which may help them avoid relapsing in the future.
Best for soothing suicidal thoughts: Better Stop Suicide
Better Stop Suicide offers self-care tools, activities, and resources for people who are experiencing suicidal thoughts and depression. One of its key features is the option to record a life-saving message as a reminder of purpose, strength, and hope. The app is designed to help you calm your mind through check-ins, “feel better” task suggestions, and gratitude checklists so you can think more clearly about how you want to move forward. If you’re in crisis, help is available now: Call or text the free, confidential 988 Lifeline anytime at 988.
While these apps provide valuable resources, they should not replace professional mental health care. Always consult with a healthcare provider for a comprehensive treatment plan.
In conclusion, while technology poses some risks to our mental health, it can also be harnessed as a powerful tool for supporting our well-being. By being mindful of our digital habits and making informed choices about the tools we use, we can navigate the digital world in a way that supports our mental health.
Footnotes
Blog written by:
Lisa Anderson
Owner of A Healing Place