Disclaimer: I am in no way sponsored or associated with any of the following applications or companies. The following is my own experience and understanding of these tools. Please check out these apps yourself or contact their support for most up-to-date information.
When we think of mobile applications, social media is often the first to come to mind. However, there are many helpful tools out there that can help in your mental health journey. These are the top three apps that I use to improve my mental health.
Gamifying To-Do Lists: Habitica
Habitica is an app that combines to-do lists, habit tracking, and RPG gaming elements. You can set your own daily goals, habits (both positive and negative), and longer term to-do lists. There are two important stats that are impacted by your real life habits and accomplishments – health and experience. Your health will decrease if you miss daily goals or partake in a negative habit. If your health points hit zero, your experience will reset for that level. You can gain experience and level up through completing dailies, positive habits, and items on your to-do list. As you level up, your character becomes stronger and you can earn currency to buy weapons and armor. These will come into play later as you can challenge monsters for more rewards.
Perhaps the most unique aspect of this application is the existence of guilds. Guilds are online communities that are focused around specific goals. There are guilds dedicated to learning new languages, developing a regular exercise routine, and more. Players can add community goals to their own lists which can be helpful to those who do not know where to start. Being part of a group also adds accountability and provides more motivation.
While I think this is a fantastic app for those looking for a little motivation, I do have a few criticisms. To begin with, some features, like guilds, are locked behind levels. This can be a motivation to level up, but it can also be a deterrent if you are looking for help on creating goals right away. The app does give you some basic goals to start but you will have to add your own if you want to speed up progression. For me, the largest issue is that you have to already have a certain level of motivation and discipline to track your habits (especially negative habits) to begin with. For this reason, I only tend to use the app when I have a lot on my to-do list and see myself slipping on self-care. Still, it has helped me break down my long-term goals and get through more hectic times in my life.
Mental Health Breaks: Kinder World
Kinder World offers a cozy atmosphere in which you can build your own sanctuary. The main component of the game is growing plants through simple self-care tasks. As of the time of this writing, the options for these tasks are deep breathing, emotional naming, or writing a reflection. The developers have stated they are working on expanding on these tasks so more may come in the future. As you grow plants, you will earn currency which you can use in the store to buy cosmetics for your rooms or to get new plants. You can also earn free cosmetics through events or social media giveaways.
While the game is free, there are in-game items and real merchandise you can buy to support the creator and the independent artists they work with. There is a large focus on inclusivity and handmade art which I find contributes to the cozy feel. I have actually played a few games from these developers and can say they all have the same relaxing, cute vibes.
I find this app to be most useful as a mental health break when in times of stress. It is something you can either check diligently or leave alone for a few days. I’ll check in once in a while to water my plant and decorate. This makes it the ultimate zero stress app for relaxation and I can’t see what new features they add in the future.
Habit Building: Finch
Finch is the app I saw so many ads for but never tried until recently. And man do I wish I started sooner. This app truly has it all. When you first open it, you will be asked to take a quiz which will help it identify your personal goals. You will then be provided with a suggested list of daily goals which you can edit to your liking. Finally, you will meet your new friend – an adorable bird who will grow with you. By completing dailies, you can earn energy which your bird will use to go on adventures. Through these adventures your bird will develop its own personality and bring back goodies like cosmetics or currency.
This app is absolutely packed with features. In addition to the daily tasks, you will also get new quests everyday which will provide currency. These tasks can involve breathing exercises, writing prompts, or simply interacting with your bird. In turn, you can spend the currency on cosmetics for your bird and birdhouse. The app also has a mood tracker. This does not provide any reward but can be a really useful tool which can be reviewed in your insights tab alongside statistics about your habits. If you are having an especially stressful day, you can view all of the activities at any time through their “First Aid Kit”.
This used to be a paid only app but the move to free access has attracted many people such as myself. You have the option to subscribe to their premium version which grants access to exclusive cosmetics, the premium track for the holiday events, and more breathing exercises. Even if you are unable to afford the premium version, there are ways to get access for a limited time. During my first week, my bird came back with a free three day pass. You can also sign up for a free week trial if you want to try it for longer. Additionally, there is a monthly raffle for a free month of premium. The app also has a guardian program in which those who want to give back can sponsor a free premium subscription for those who are less fortunate.
The only negative I can really say I have about this app is that there are so many components – some of which are never explained. So take some time to explore the app. It can take awhile to realize everything it has to offer.
Conclusion
All of these apps have their place and I have found them beneficial in different ways. That being said, if you are looking for my number one suggestion, I have to say Finch offers the most features and is the most well-rounded app of the bunch. What are you looking for in a mental health app? Have you tried any of these? Let me know below!
As always, thanks for reading!
Reminder: While these apps may be useful in managing stress and teaching healthy habits, they are not a replacement for crisis services or professional treatment. If you are in need of help, please check out the resources page.
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