Are you thinking : "I dislike writing! I can't possibly sit down and write a handwritten journal the conventional way!"
Well, luckily Mental Health Apps are here to save the day. And of course, apps you need to know are the journaling apps!
With apps, you no longer have to sit down and spend time writing until your hands go numb and sore. In fact, journal entries can be done in less than a few minutes with an app. In this age, there are apps to help you in your mental health journey.
Just a few short sentences/phrases would be enough.
But of course, this doesn't replace proper professional help. The journals are only there to help you understand your moods and be aware of your feelings but are not there to personally give you the human support you fully need. They are supplementary tools that psychologists have created as we all understand that not everyone can afford regular therapy and we also can't see a therapist everyday.
Btw, commitment level needed : just a few minutes in the morning or evening.
One day, we decided to explore and install all the mental health apps on the App Store that appealed to me the most. And in this post, I'm going to narrow it down to the best 5 I've come across so far. I judged them based on the amount of features available for free, usability and design interface.
But then again, it's up to you to decide which you love best. Without further ado, here are five of our favorites.
1. Daylio
Like the others, Daylio is a pocket-like dairy that you can bring along with you wherever you go.
It helps you track and record your moods throughout the week. For best results, please remember to on notifications for reminders!
It's functional and you can even generate feedback reports based on the mood's you've recorded over the week. Use it continuously to see results.
Moreover, Daylio upon setting up your first mood journal, Daylio uses a mood ranking system from rad to awful. After that, it allows you to select activities that you've done throughout the day to see what's been making you feel the way you feel. This is important as you will separate the activities that bring you joy and those that don't.
Only the Daylio app is able to read your entries, and other apps/third-party apps are not able to view this information. Read Daylio's privacy policy here.
How I personally use Daylio :
For the record, Daylio is the app I use most regularly now simply because I feel like it's easy to use and you can easily scroll to see your past activities and moods. I record the activities I've done for the day and click on the emoji that best represents my mood for the day.
The important thing here is to be honest about how you're feeling.
On the notes section, I tell the journal why I've been feeling this way, what I've been grateful for and what are the thing's I would hope for in life to make myself feel better. Even if it's hard to think of something grateful, think of the smallest things like being able to breathe, or the birds in the sky, or the weather.
Utilize the notes section well.
Links:
Read more about Daylio :
How people have used Daylio :
Daylio is available on both the App Store and Play Store.
2. 5-Minute Journal
According to the app, 5 minutes is all you need to keep a journal. In the morning, you can think of the things you're grateful for. At night, you can reflect on things.
The app is suitable for those who want to journal but don't know where to start for those who want to reflect on their lives which makes it great for busy people!
5-minute journal is known for being a gratitude journal. It focuses on lot about what you can be grateful for no matter how your day went.
You can also track your progress and set reminders. What amazes me is that the app allows users to choose between light/dark mode based on their preferences. Light mode can be used for morning journaling and dark mode for evening journaling.
In just a few minutes, 5-minute journal app will bring your mind back to the littlest of things that matter the most when our minds are filled with problems.
It also has an emoji mood tracker like Daylio, and upon writing your journal you will be able to see mini challenges/tips and quotes related to mental well-being.
It's a guided flow for your entries with questions such as :
3 things you're grateful for
What will you do to make today great?
Daily Affirmations
Highlights of the day
How could I have made today even better?
This app also comes with password protection. So it's good news for those who don't like your privacy invaded.
Links:
Read more about the 5-minute journal app : https://www.intelligentchange.com/products/five-minute-journal-app
How to use:
How people have used 5-minute journal app:
Privacy Policy:
5-minute journal is available both on the App Store and Play Store.
3. CBT Thought Dairy
CBT (Cognitive Behavioral Therapy) helps you identify negative and distorted thinking patterns. You can use this diary to record negative emotions, revaluate your thoughts, and analyze flaws in your thinking. (quoted from psycom.net)
Like the apps above, you can track your mood with using an emoji scale from sad to happy.
There is also a feature where you can track cognitive distortions. This helps you identify negative thoughts and patterns you're having.
Once you have selected these cognitive distortions, you are able to write some notes in the challenge and alternative thoughts section. See below:
The good thing about this app is that it provides you cognitive distortions so that you don't have to crack your head when you don't feel like it. In the end, you become more aware of these thoughts in your head, and know that it's important to reframe them so that you'll improve your well-being.
After days of journaling with the CBT Thought Diary, you'll be able to see your insights based on your entries. Like the rest, it comes with a gratitude section.
Links :
Read more about CBT Thought Diary :
Privacy Policy:
What is a CBT tracker diary :
CBT Thought Diary is available at App Store and Play Store.
4. Daily Beans
Watch this cute video of Daily Beans:
Among the five, I would have to say that this app has the CUTEST interface among them! It's made by a Korean developer, and instead of using regular emoji's, Daily Beans uses... beans instead!!
With just a few steps, you'll be able to track your moods using beans and a monthly calendar is provided so you can have a look at how you felt over time. You can not only look at your monthly insights, but your annual insights too!
Tap your mood and then summarize them with colorful icons (which are the activities you've done during the day). I would say that this is my second favorite after Daylio, but it will appeal more to people who love a cute design that will make your day! 🌞
When you're recording your mood, you can also track your sleep patterns by recording your sleep time. Other than that, I recommend that you utilize the notes section to record your feelings for the day!
The timeline is also good feature you can use to easily see the flow of your moods as time passes.
Daily Beans provides a PIN lock for your diary as well.
Daily Beans is available on the App Store and Play Store.
Links :
Read more about Daily Beans :
Privacy Policy:
(can be viewed in the app)
5. Tangerine
This is an app where you can track your moods, habits and journal at the same time! I think a feature that stands out in this app is the 'Habits' feature where you can set goals to better yourself and improve your well-being.
When you set habits, the app reminds you to take action and celebrates your achievements. Streaks allow you to celebrate milestones.
The Emoji's are just your regular phone emoji's, unlike other apps; but it helps you track your mood the same way. Like the other apps, Tangerine allows you to reflect on your day and analyze your moods. It also lets you know which are the activities that are making you happy or sad.
When you record a journal, you will be able to see answer questions like :
What you're grateful for
What made you smile today
People that you're grateful for
A challenge you've been experiencing
As usual, insights, stats and reports are available for you to get to know your routine better.
Enable dark/light mode based on preference!
Links:
Read more about Tangerine :
A review of Tangerine :
Privacy Policy :
Tangerine is available on the App Store and Play Store.
And...that's all!
Ultimately, its up to you to decide the best mental health journaling app for yourself. There are far more apps than those I mentioned here, and it's worth exploring.
In the end, what's important is that it works for you and it helps you in your day-to-day well-being journey. With a journal app, you will be able to journal on the go without carrying a notebook around. It saves time, and you won't have to strain your wrists.
Personally, I tend to write longer pages when I'm writing my journal in a notebook compared to an app. I find that I journal less frequently when using a notebook. Unless I have the time to do so, I won't mind. But the great thing about these apps is, you can even lie on your bed on your bed doing it.
All these apps have their premium features that you could explore if you'd like.
Journaling is a great way to declutter our mind and acknowledge our moods. Not only that, it allows you to reflect on yourself and be aware of negative thoughts you're having. Indeed, I think keeping a journal is worthwhile.
Let us know if you've ever kept a mental health journaling app.
If yes, have you found it useful?