Mental Health Awareness Week runs from the 12th to the 18th of May this year. There are many resources available to support your mental wellbeing. It’s a digital age, and mental health apps have become increasingly popular. With so many apps available, knowing which ones are right for you can be difficult. So, we spoke with two of our Experts by Experience: Zak, who has extensive knowledge of the Brain in Hand app, and Phoebe, who is licensed by the Organisation for the Review of Care and Health Apps (ORCHA) to give app advice.
What are Mental Health Apps and Why are They Useful?
Mental health apps are digital tools designed to support and improve psychological wellbeing. They offer many different features, from self-help techniques and mood tracking to guided meditations and access to support services. Some apps are free, while others need to be paid for, but depending on your circumstances, the fee might be met as part of a support or mental health plan. The range is broad, covering general mental health, specific conditions like ADHD or autism, support for families, and even linking physical and mental health needs.
What Kind of Mental Health App is Right for Me?
With so many apps available, it can be hard to see the wood for the trees, and working out which app is best can be difficult. Phoebe points out that a major challenge is simply discovering what support exists: “Knowing where to look is key. You might think something’s out there, but until you know it exists, you don’t know to ask.”
To address this difficulty, we have links at the end of this article to mental health app libraries so you can discover for yourself the different kinds of digital support on offer. Phoebe suggests that when seeking support, instead of guessing, ask directly: “What do you have? What do you offer? Because I won’t know if I need it or want it or think it will help until I find out.”
Phoebe explains that getting the right app means considering your specific needs and how easily you can access the features that matter most to you. What might be an invaluable feature for one person may have little value for another, depending on their challenges.
For Zak, accessibility is top of the list. “Having the least clicks possible is important because if I’m not thinking very clearly, if I’m in a bit of a pickle and distressed, I need to be able to press one or two things to get to where I need to be in that moment.”
ORCHA: Finding Quality Apps
When it comes to looking after our minds, we want to ensure anything used is safe and effective. This is where the Organisation for the Review of Care and Health Apps (ORCHA) comes in. They aim to set the standards and drive better adoption of health and care apps by carefully assessing and recommending them.
Phoebe, who is licensed by ORCHA to recommend apps, explains, “The whole purpose of ORCHA is to make sure that the apps they recommend are actually good. They’ve all been verified and vetted, and that’s why we can recommend them because they aren’t dodgy or bad in any way.”
Brain in Hand: A Powerful Support Tool
Our Experts by Experience discussed Brain in Hand, a digital self-management support system designed to help autistic and other neurodivergent people live more independently. It combines a smartphone app and website with human support. Zak, who has used it for over seven years, is impressed by its ease of use, especially during stressful moments and has stuck with it because “It’s got everything I need.”
Zak particularly values the monitoring system and access to direct, personal help. “On my home screen, if I just press the red dot there—one click—and I’ve got a helpful phone call on its way.” Users can personalise the app with their daily routines, potential challenges, and helpful coping strategies. With diaries, reminders, and easy access to pre-planned solutions, it’s a system that offers structure and reduces anxiety.
Having easily available personalised coping mechanisms increases confidence in daily life, but when self-management isn’t enough, Brain in Hand offers human support, too. Zak explains, “If I’m in a real pickle and I can’t think clearly enough about how to access my own strategies, I can just push the red button and they’ll call me, usually, within minutes.”
When you press the button on a challenging day, a member of the Brain in Hand team calls. As they have access to users’ coping strategies, they can gently remind you of your own—what experience has shown you works and is helpful. Zak says the support responders access your pre-loaded strategies and “Talk you through what might help in that moment. They don’t tell you what to do.” It’s designed for managing “emotional overload” rather than crises like an immediate self-harm risk.
For Zak, Brain in Hand has made a big improvement to wellbeing and independence: “I haven’t had an inpatient stay since getting the app. I’ve been able to use Brain in Hand to manage my mental health in the community, rather than escalating or needing A&E. I’m definitely much happier being more stable and mentally well.”
Other Tools for Specific Needs
Beyond comprehensive support systems like Brain in Hand, other apps target specific challenges:
- Communication Support: Zak uses a speech app called Speech Assistant for situations where speaking is difficult, like medical appointments. It allows Zak to use pre-programmed buttons for common phrases, frequently requested information, medication details, or specific needs during an examination. Messages can also be typed into the app, and it speaks them aloud, allowing Zak to “take back control over my appointments” and communicate effectively even when unable to speak.
- Task Management and Executive Function: For managing daily routines and tasks, particularly helpful for those with ADHD, Zak mentioned using apps like Global Task that help by “breaking down tasks, chunking them down into individual steps.” Zak gave the example of breaking down a morning routine or even a simple task like brushing teeth into its smallest components to ensure completion.
- Gamified Motivation: Zak mentioned newer task management apps that “turn into a game.” Completing steps earns points or rewards within the game, which can provide what Zahiri calls the necessary “hit of dopamine” to help people with ADHD initiate and complete tasks they might otherwise struggle to finish.
Finding What Works
To help you discover more about the mental health apps available, Mind has partnered with the Organisation for the Review of Care and Health Apps to assemble a library of mental health apps you can trust >>
You may wish to look at some NHS-recommended health and lifestyle apps, too >>>
Or check out this NHS library of recommended adult mental health apps >>>
OMH—the Right Support at the Right Time
We’ve created a wellbeing kit for Mental Health Awareness Week–check it out and discover resources to improve your mental and physical health. And remember, Open Mental Health is here to support you. Call Mindline Somerset 24/7 for mental health support at any time of the day or night on 01823 276 892 or freephone 0800 138 1692. Alternatively, Mindline Live Web Chat is available on our website every day from 8 pm to 11 pm.