Social distancing will soon become the norm in the coming months due to the mass outbreak of the Coronavirus. In times of uncertainty, it is but natural for people to panic and it won’t be surprising if things were to spiral out of control in the most dramatic fashion. One may feel anxious, depressed, or even lonely. However, it is to be remembered that your mental health is as important as your physical health during these testing times. If you’ve been wanting to contact a therapist now or have no access to your face-to-face therapy schedule, here is a list of 5 apps and websites that will connect you to a certified mental health professional.
I. Inner Hour
An interactive app that has different features like guided meditation, mood tracking and different techniques to tackle stress and anxiety. The platform is especially helpful if you’re looking to talk to a certified therapist over a secure line in case of a mental health emergency. You can book a time slot with a therapist of your choice and pay via UPI amongst other acceptable payment methods. All their therapists are experienced and only employ tried and tested techniques of clinical therapy. The therapy sessions are decently priced: Rs 500 for a 30-minute session and Rs. 1000 for a 60-minute session. You can download the app on the Playstore or App Store. To read more about the app and its features, click here.
II. YourDOST
Our friends are always posing as our trusted aides during various stages of mental health problems. However, they cannot be a substitute for therapy. This website has a special self-analysis test to help identify trigger areas and even offers thought training modules catering to those specific problems. You can even opt to talk to a therapist via text or call. The website has three broad categories for the training modules: Self, Career, Relationships. Their experts are available via prior bookings only. It is not totally free but it provides you first two chats for free & then you can subscribe to their plan which is as low as Rs 99/3 months. Their pricing chart is available here; additionally, they have a 50% discount on these prices. You can read about their mental health services here.
III. Wysa
The front page displays “Your feelings are valid. These are difficult times, and it is natural to feel anxious and vulnerable. But you don’t have to go through this alone. Until we get through this, Wysa’s AI chat, and tool packs for anxiety and isolation support will remain free. Wysa has helped over a million people last year. We hope it can help you.”
Known for its great Artificial Intelligence aided chat feature, Wysa is a great new tool that uses machine learning to detect depression using sensor feeds from the phone. The users can access the chatbot on-the-go. The self-reflective feature of the chatbot has shown success since the inception of this app. You can download the app on the Playstore or App Store. Visit their page for more details.
IV. WayForward
Connect with verified mental health professionals online at any time. The company caters to the needs of an individual or even corporate companies looking to therapies their employees. This is a Digital Emotional Wellness platform with mood trackers and genuine stress-reducing techniques. They use modules based on the science of CBT, mindfulness & positive psychology, formulated by experts in the field. You can visit their website here. Download the app on Playstore or App Store.
V. What’s Up
The app uses CBT (Cognitive Behavioural Therapy) and Act (Acceptance Commitment Therapy) to help its users. It has features like daily mood journaling and analysis of thinking pattern. You can download it on the Playstore or App Store.
Illustration by Raul Miranda for Homegrown.
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