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5 EFFECTIVE APPS TO HELP YOU MANAGE STRESS AND ANXIETY RIGHT NOW

It’s easy to feel lost, confused and overwhelmed with the COVID-19 pandemic currently overtaking the world, but it doesn’t have to stay that way. Even with remote working, social distancing and lots more alone time, there are still several helpful ways to de-stress and get your mind in a healthy place – one of them being using technology.

According to the Anxiety and Depression Association of America (ADAA), this selection of apps could be just what is needed to help you pass the storm:

1. Headspace

Targeted to anyone who wants to learn meditation to reduce anxiety and stress and improve their attention and awareness; good for a beginner to establish a regular meditative routine. The skills taught include mindfulness and cognitive diffusion, breathing exercises, meditation practice, tips for increased relaxation, concentration; may be applied to anxiety and depressive disorders, PTSD, and OCD, especially in conjunction with a health provider.

2. Happify

Happify is a self-guided app that aims to increase positive emotions through exercises and games supported by positive psychology and mindfulness research. An initial questionnaire is used to suggest “tracks” for an individual’s use, and subsequent activity content is geared towards various aims such as reducing worry, building relationships, increasing fitness, or coping with chronic pain. Activities are backed up with a blurb about research or scientific rationale that the user is encouraged to read. It is free with paid upgrades.

3. Anxiety Coach

Anxiety Coach is a self-help app that addresses fears and worries using CBT strategies. The app walks you through making a list of feared activities and helps you master them, leading to less fear and worry. The app includes tools for a severity self-test, making a plan, anxiety tracking, and viewing your progress.

4. Breathe2Relax

A simple, intuitive, and attractive mobile app designed by the National Center for Telehealth & Technology to teach breathing techniques to manage stress. The skills taught may be applied to those with anxiety disorders, stress, and PTSD.

This app can be personalised to a pace that the user finds relaxing; includes a video demo, reading materials, and charts to map personal progress.

5. Sanvello

Targeted to help those with anxiety and mood disorders and stress, this app teaches deep breathing, behavioral exercises, excises and identifying cognitive distortions (negative thinking patterns), and learning how to replace them with positive thinking patterns. It???s also good for those experiencing bouts of anxiety between treatment sessions.??

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