You are missing out on self-care.
UX analysis of mental-health apps.
There’s been a lot of times we are on pilot mode to complete our daily tasks, assignments, research projects, reading and cooking. In this monogamy of routines, we forget to make time for the most important thing — Our bodies and mental health.
When was the last time you took a deep breath and felt wonderful?
maybe go out for a walk with yourself and found peace lingering in your ears, like becoming a calm musical tone.
since September was the Mental Health awareness month I was eager to write this out as a collection of whatever resources, insights, data and analysis.
it might be useful to you.
Let’s look at the first part of this process
— empathise and defining our problem.
1 in 4 people will experience a mental health problem of some kind each year
Help is available but not very accessible. 60% of the entire global population cannot afford good mental health services, some of them even live in areas where mental health is a new concept, often stigmatized.
From a design thinking perspective, and in the age of the internet —
the doors seem a little open.
But with the increasing number of resources, websites and apps how can one know which product is well defined, designed and suitable for us?
I felt the need to step up and take action for well-being. I felt so overwhelmed with apps, journals, diaries, lists of things and talks. You don’t have to go through all of it, save some time and let me help you.
but if you still feel you need extra care and help feel free to reach out.
keep scrolling to get to the list of apps and extra free resources —
I’ll divide the review into parts as what is best for, what worked for me, issues found, and reviews. In the end, there’s a rating so that all the lazy peeps out there can just keep scrolling without having to read too much. After all, I want you to shine and smile.
I used a simple metric to rate the overall user adaptation, and effectiveness of all the apps I tried and analysed. ( I designed this gradient buddy on Figma).
*drumrolls* Here we began. (excuse my preference of roman numerals)
Apps I found useful,
with digging deep to find out if they’ll be helpful for you —
Intellect is a very minimalistic, easy to use self-care app made in guidance with professionals in mental health. It makes you understand what you are feeling, and why you’re feeling it.
what worked for me — Intellect Rescue sessions and Guided Journeys worked for me. I have had a hard time coping with Anxiety and Procrastination. They have personalised Journeys and daily guided journaling options that made me more self-aware of why am I anxious and what can I do to feel better next time. It has a nice contrast and is colour-blind and hearing aid friendly too. It also helped me identify my assertive habits, and ways to improve.
Issues- It has audio to explain basic psychological terminologies in a very scientific way. ( I understood it cause I am a psych student too) but for normal users, it could be complex to listen to explanations of stressors, mind, neurons, behaviour. A save explanation feature is needed.
Reviews- daily check-ins are what most users struggled with. Some features are different in other countries, but it’s mostly free. Since it is a habit-building app, things take time and you gradually improve and learn. there’s no quick fix to things. Everyone almost found Rescue sessions enjoyable and worthwhile.
2. Talkspace
Talkspace is an AI chatbox enabled application that identifies your needs and matches you with a therapist near you. (licenced therapist). It has a nice and easy interface.
What worked for me -the chatbox is pretty smart at assessing your needs. I got linked to my professor tho XD.
Issues- subscriptions cost, the ping of therapists you aren’t matched to, too many notifications, hard sign-up process, AI glitches. I found the call feature daunting and overwhelming. Plus the plans are very confusing.
See it for yourself-
Reviews- A lot of people faced issues with whom they were connected, and at many times, no one was available. Some people having night-panic-attack issues found it hard to get help.
3. Super Better
Super Better is a very wholesome game that makes taking care of mental health fun, effective, engaging. The interactive and cute play points are rewarding to help you create better choices.
what worked for me- I loved mental resilience points and quests. Found myself drinking more water. Vanquishing bad guys is a cool concept to get rid of self-destructive habits and have fun. Loved the gamification.
Issues- fewer updates, bugs and complex navigation. A lost of times what-should-I-do now feeling emerges. NOT so easy to use on the first go.
Reviews-
I found this app on NHS UK approved list too, so it is medically tested :)
4. Calm / Headspace
Calm is a meditation, action, sleep stories app that helps you relax and unwind. It also has guided breathing and focus sessions, by top coaches (new feature)
What worked for me- I have been an active user of calm since 2018, when I was a student, I used it for sleep stories (they were free). Now guests like harry styles narrate your sleep stories XD (only for plus users). Their music to unwind works, it is soothing and has the perfect natural feel to it. Epic vibe.
Issues- background could be bugging, a lot of users found loading issues and frequent experiments in the Catalogue. ( I got confused on how much calm keeps on changing all the time)
Reviews-
— — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — —
Headspace is a fun minimalistic meditation and relaxes app to help you unwind and focus on mental wellbeing.
what worked for me- yoga sessions, favourites features and a landing page that’s very navigable to start /end the day. Loved the positive, playful content.
Issues- a lot of users found crashes. The player suddenly stops at times and logs in/ out randomly. I think a timer for sleep sessions is needed. (which they added later)
Reviews- I would overall not rate it any more than calm, since both of these apps nearly have the same goals and freemium marketing. It’s better to see what works for you and what doesn't.
however, HEADSPACE is beginner-friendly and easy to use.
5. Happify
Happify has been featured in Forbes and various medical journals such as ADAA. It’s created by AI experts and doctors to reduce stress, worry and manage emotional well being.
what worked for me- timed sessions that are in my control, daily games with cool gradients ( I love purple gradients ). It has fun landscapes that teach something interesting about me. Community forums are interesting, I forgot to read the newsletters but they seem informative and guide me to what shall I do more/less of.
Mobile App Rating Scale (MARS) gives an overview of HAPPIFY as 4 out of 5.
Issues with Happify
good things are paid found myself bored after a while, didn’t use the app after a week or so.
Other nice apps to try ( I tried some of them)—
- InnerHour- perhaps the most lively app design to pastel up your mind and help with all kinds of self-care stuff from sleep to depression.
- Youper Ai- An Ai chat box for help
- iSleepEasy-Sleep sounds and nice themes
- Presently-Gratitude journal with nice illustrations
- BetterMe-a reinforcement app
- Journey- daily self-reflection and mood tracking journal
I hope something somewhere helps you, or anyone. Bookmark this article for the future or forward it to a friend. I’ll be really happy if you leave claps to validate me for finishing writing this article at 3 after nearly a month.
-YourPal
