Since the pandemic began, the mental health sector has been put under immense pressure. Approximately 1.6 million people in England are currently waiting for specialised treatment from the NHS, and a further eight million people that would benefit from the support can’t even access the waiting list.
This has resulted in the UK facing one of the biggest mental health crisis’s in recent times, and has meant people have had to begin seeking alternative treatments. Subsequently we have seen a rise in the number of mental health apps on the market. Deloitte has predicted that global spending on these apps will reach close to $500 million this year.
Next month we celebrate Mental Health Awareness Week – a week for educating people about mental health and an opportunity for the whole of the UK to focus on achieving good mental health. With this in mind, we’ve taken a look at four apps that can help support your mental wellbeing.
Togetherall was founded in 2007 as a response to the lack of safe spaces to talk about mental health online. Their anonymous online community allows people to connect with one another to discuss what they’re feeling, with no judgement. The app is moderated by a clinical team and mental health professionals who offer 24-hour support to all members.
It is now commissioned by the NHS, local authorities, employers, and universities. They also work with the Ministry of Defence and Help for Heroes to provide free support for all UK serving personnel, veterans, and their family members.
Accredited by the NHS, the Feeling Good app provides audio programmes as part of Positive Mental Training that can lift your mood, help you feel more positive, sleep better and deal with stress in a healthier way.
Dr Alastair Dobbin, a GP, and Dr Sheila Ross, a health promotion specialist, teamed up to create the Positive Mental Training programme for mental health and depression recovery in the NHS. Developed from a Swedish Olympic Sports Performance programme that aims to shift the focus from clinical illness to self-development.
Clear Fear was created by Consultant Clinical Psychologist Dr Nihara Krause for teenage mental health charity stem4.
It uses Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) that focuses on learning to reduce the physical responses to threat instead of trying to avoid it. This is achieved by learning to breathe and relax, as well as changing thoughts and behaviours and releasing emotions. You are also able to track your progress in the app to see the impact it is having.
Launched by Suzi Godson and Kerstyn Comley in 2017, the award-winning MeeToo app is a safe and anonymous forum for teenagers wanting to discuss any issue that is affecting them. All posts are moderated, and any high-risk users are supported behind the scenes by in-house counsellors.
Every month, 6,000 young people aged 11-25 use MeeToo to help each other and each post receives an average of 3 replies helping users feel less isolated regarding their situation. The app also has a directory where users can contact support groups, call helplines and access other useful resources.
If you’re a business operating in the healthcare industry and would like to discuss how you increase your brand awareness, get in touch today to find out how our team of experts can help.
