Help with stress and anxiety is only a tap away thanks to the thousands of mental health apps available. These apps can be a convenient way to help manage your mental health because you can learn self-coaching, breathing exercises and meditation.
But with so many apps available, with varying degrees of quality, it can be hard to figure out which ones are the best.
The Medibank Better Health Foundation commissioned Deakin University to assess more than 40 mental health apps and determine the best ones to manage stress and anxiety.
So, what were the top apps?
1. Clear Fear
Clear Fear is an app developed for teenage mental health charity stem4 and teaches users to learn to breathe, relax and be mindful as well as changing thoughts and behaviours. However, researchers noted that minors should use the app with the supervision or support from parent or carer.
2. Headspace Meditation and Sleep
Headspace Meditation and Sleep is an app designed for adults to help with stress and anxiety through guided meditation and mindfulness exercises. Individuals under the age of 18 need the involvement and consent of a parent or legal guardian.
3. Smiling Mind
Smiling Mind is a free mindfulness meditation app developed by psychologists and educators. The app offers a wide range of guided meditations for all ages and offers programs designed for classrooms, workplaces, sporting clubs and bedtime.
Download your Medibank Better Minds App
Want to manage your mental health on your own terms, in your own time? Medibank’s Better Minds app provides wellbeing checks, personalised skills training and one-on-one coaching with health professionals for anyone who may need extra support. And it’s all included with your hospital membership.€
How were the apps assessed?
Deakin’s Health E-technologies Assessment Lab Framework for Mobile Health Evaluation (D-HEAL FMHE) helps organisations assess and recommend the best health apps to consumers in Australia.
The D-HEAL FMHE framework assesses: clarity of purpose of each app, user experience, accessibility, value, content and information validity, privacy, security, ethics and legal, technical features, interoperability, user engagement and developer credibility.
Most importantly, each app is evaluated based on how it provides mental health support without direct clinical intervention.
“Apps can provide benefits that traditional support channels cannot offer,” says researcher Dieu Nguyen.
“Such as the ability to use them at their convenience, no travel costs, self-coaching via non-medical approaches, and customisation of app features for their preferences in most instances.”
These apps are a great place to start if you’re keen to find one to help with stress and anxiety but there’s a few things to keep in mind when you sign up.
“As a starting point, looking at the app description is very important to check whether the app contents and functionalities described actually meet the consumer’s needs and expectations,” says researcher Sithara Wanni Arachchige Dona.
“Most importantly, consumers need to look for developer credibility and the privacy and security aspects of a mental health app,” says research team member Mary Rose Angeles.
24/7 Medibank Mental Health Support
Medibank health insurance members can speak with a mental health professional over the phone or online at no extra cost.~ Call 1800 644 325 or chat online anytime of the day or night, 7 days a week. |
No waiting periods on psychology and counselling consultations
You shouldn’t have to wait for your health insurance to claim for mental health support. That’s why there are no waiting periods for counselling and psychology consultations on Medibank extras and packaged products.§
Telehealth services
Access mental health services from the comfort of your own home. Medibank members with eligible extras can access psychology or counselling consultations face-to-face or through telehealth, with benefits payable towards Medibank recognised Counsellors only.#
Explore more from Better Minds
Things you need to know
€ Not available for members with extras only cover, Overseas Student Health Cover or Overseas Workers or Visitors Health Cover.
~ Some referred services may involve out of pocket costs and waiting periods may apply.
§ For members with mental health support included in their Extras cover. Annual limits apply. Counsellors must be registered with Australian Counselling Association, Psychotherapy and Counselling Federation of Australia, Australian Traditional Medicine Society.
# Check your cover summary to see if these services are included on your extras cover and if annual limits apply. Counsellors must be registered with Australian Counselling Association, Psychotherapy and Counselling Federation of Australia, Australian Traditional Medicine Society.
While we hope you find this information helpful, please note that it is general in nature. It is not health advice, and is not tailored to meet your individual health needs. You should always consult a trusted health professional before making decisions about your health care. While we have prepared the information carefully, we can’t guarantee that it is accurate, complete or up-to-date. And while we may mention goods or services provided by others, we aren’t specifically endorsing them and can’t accept responsibility for them. For these reasons we are unable to accept responsibility for any loss that may be sustained from acting on this information (subject to applicable consumer guarantees).