Don’t Worry be Appy

I will openly admit to being a phone addict and in the midst of some dark times and anxiety ridden days I went looking for apps that would help me during periods of panic or depression. I found a lot of great meditation apps but here are the top 5 I keep on my phone and use often as a method of self therapy and distraction.

1. Stop Breathe and Think by Tools for Peace  lets you check in with yourself and identify your emotions and feelings and then provides meditations and exercises to help you stay calm and focused. The meditations play right on your phone and you can go back to them at any time. This app is perfect for travel and when you only have a few moments alone.

2. What’s Up  by  Jackson Tempra  Not to be confused with the social media app of similar name, What’s Up combines CBT (Cognitive Behavioral Therapy) and ACT (Acceptance Commitment Therapy) to create an app that can distract, calm, and center with a flick of your finger. My favorite part is the grounding game. It keeps your mind occupied until the panic attack or uneasy feeling passes. It teaches you to counteract the ten most negative thinking patterns. It also includes a diary, quotes and habit tracker.

3. DBT911 by annadroid – This is the most clinical of the apps and is based off of Dialectical Behavior Therapy. This type of therapy was designed for those suffering from personality or mood disorders, but is an excellent resource for anyone with stress, anxiety or depression too. DBT revolves around mindfulness and validation and this app packs a punch. It has different modules that cover every aspect of DBT, over 150 suggestions to practice DBT skills,  as well as the DBT Diary Card. You can build a personalized crises list so you can take it wherever you go.

4. Bliss Gratitude Journal by John De Mott – Bliss is a gratitude journal, yet so much more. There are scheduled exercises and writing prompts that focus on being thankful. The result of these exercises are that your outlook becomes more positive and you will see your mood shifting to more content happy patterns of thought. I really love this app. Focusing on the positive, or silver lining and being grateful can honestly change your heart. Anyone interested in Law of Attraction or manifestation through gratitude will really appreciate this one.

5.Conscious – Makan Studios has created a beautiful app that sends you a new challenge every morning in the form of something to be conscious of that day. It could be something as simple as noticing nature when you are outside. At the end of the day they invite you to complete the challenge by adding a journal entry about your experience, however this is optional. You can even set up reminders throughout the day to stay conscious and complete your challenge.

 

Photo by Pixabay.com

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