Do You Need an App For Anxiety?

According to a study published in Journal of American College Health, despite the increased availability of mental health mobile apps, college students show poor engagement with them because of issues related to safety, simplicity, credibility, and customizability (Melcher et al., 2020). The authors of the journal article had 100 US college students complete a survey and participate in a brief conversation about their opinions and attitudes toward mental health mobile apps. They found that 53% of college students had downloaded a mental health mobile app, but only 19% of students were currently using them. This article has implications for the future development of mobile apps and the use of technology to better address the growing mental health needs among college students.

What Are Mental Health Mobile Apps?

Growing in popularity are applications (AKA apps) that are available for download (for free, paid once or recurring with a subscription, and/or with in-app purchases) on our smartphones that address mental health concerns (e.g., anxiety, stress). These self-help apps often include education (e.g., coping strategies), resources (e.g., helplines), activities (e.g., deep breathing exercises), and tools (e.g., mood tracking) for improving mental health. College students often download a mental health mobile app when faced with the stress and anxiety of transitioning to college, managing academic coursework, and facing social pressures.

5 Apps For Anxiety

• Calm: https://www.calm.com/

• Self-Help for Anxiety Management: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/self-help-for-anxiety-management/id666767947

• Breathe2Relax: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/breathe2relax/id425720246

• Insight Timer: https://insighttimer.com/

• MindShift: https://www.anxietycanada.com/resources/mindshift-cbt/

Benefits of Mental Health Mobile Apps

• Free or inexpensive access to mental health resources

• Immediate access to mental health resources when there is a long wait to schedule an appointment with a psychologist

• Convenience of self-help anytime, anywhere

• An introduction to mental health care when apprehensive about committing to treatment

Barriers to Mental Health Mobile Apps

• Difficult to use with poor interface (e.g., too many features making it complicated)

• Difficult to understand or poor privacy policies limiting trust

• Lack of reliable, useful information from credible sources (e.g., mental health professionals, research-based)

• Lack of customization, or a one-size-fits-all approach

While mental health mobile apps can complement traditional therapy by extending learning, practice, and monitoring of skills, they are no replacement for counseling provided by a trained mental health professional. Seek support from a psychologist who can provide evidence-based treatment for mental health concerns, such as anxiety. Student Success Psychological Services offers online counseling that can help. Click here to learn more.

Find the link to the full research article here: https://doi.org/10.1080/07448481.2020.1825225

Melcher, J., Camacho, E., Lagan, S., & Torous, J. (2020). College student engagement with mental health apps: Analysis of barriers to sustained use. Journal of American College Health, 1-7.