I spend A LOT of time connected to devices. In fact I’m rarely disconnected and even find it hard to sleep at night without a film or podcast on. I always want to do a bit of a digital detox but fail miserably. Looking at it in a different way though there are lots of apps, and games out there that are amazing. I thought I’d share my faves:
Pacifica | A CBT app for catching those thoughts
What They Say:
MANAGE STRESS. LIVE HAPPIER. Daily tools for stress and anxiety alongside a supportive community. Based on Cognitive Behavioral Therapy & Meditation.Learn to identify and correct distorted thinking patterns.
What I think:
Pros: This is the most user-friendly and easy to use CBT app I have come across. Having explored CBT in ‘real life’ I have found it easy to continue to use these techniques within this app. My favourite bit is the Thought Tracker which enables you to capture your thoughts, then explore behaviours such as ‘fortune telling’ or ‘mind-reading’ (two of my habits). It then gives you the chance to turn these thoughts around to balance them. It also has a voice recording capability which I haven’t yet tried out.
Cons: I’m not sure how this would be for someone who was completely new to CBT. I love it because I understand all the terms. I also feel the loss of someone human or a trained professional to guide you. They often will pick up on issues within your responses to thoughts and catch those places where you are still being negative. It’s a useful tool but not a replacement for real therapy.
Breathe | Mindfulness with achievement badges
What they say:
GET MEDITATING IN 5 MINUTES. EASY.With this app, you can develop and apply kindness and compassion in your daily life through a process called STOP, BREATHE & THINK.
STOP | Stop what you are doing. Check in with what you are thinking, and how you are feeling.
BREATHE | Practice mindful breathing to create space between your thoughts, emotions and reactions.
THINK | Learn to broaden your perspective and strengthen your force field of peace and calm by practicing one of the meditations.
What I think:
Pros: I loved this app instantly on appearance and for the ease of use. The best thing is closing your eyes for ten seconds and scanning your body and mind. It then recommends you different meditations depending on your current metal and physical state. I also love the badges as rewards and have even woken up early to get the early bird one.
Cons: My only issue is that I seem to get the same meditations all the time which gets repetitive and puts me off.
Never Alone | Truly demonstrating the potential of games to create learning
What they say:
Never Alone (Kisima Ingitchuna) is the first game developed in collaboration with the Iñupiat, an Alaska Native people. Nearly 40 Alaska Native elders, storytellers and community members contributed to the development of the game. Play as a young Iñupiat girl and an arctic fox as they set out to find the source of the eternal blizzard which threatens the survival of everything they have ever known.
What I think:
This game is utterly beautiful. It demonstrates the power and potential that video games have as an interactive learning tool. The storytelling is powerful, the game is absorbing and there’s a documentary thrown in there too. So far I haven’t found a con!
I’m also glad that the world is waking up to the potential of video games. They are not all unsociable and violent, but provide a creative and interactive platform for learning. TED talks have plenty of debate on this here.
My Pain Diary| a comprehensive diary to keep track of chronic illness
What they say: CHRONIC PAIN & SYMPTOM TRACKER. Track one or more chronic pain conditions and keep your entries organized with Color Flags.
What I think:
Pros: This is a nice app with lots of detail. You first of all identify the type of pain or condition you have then add details. This includes adding photos, triggers, symptoms and even the weather. It’s helpful for me because you can download a report to take to the doctors or rheumatologist.
Cons: It takes quite a while to set up all the tabs for different conditions and options.
Daily Yoga | Easy to follow, high quality yoga routines
What they say:
The world’s most dedicated yoga app – fitness on the go!
What I think:
Pros: The routines are easy to follow with both written, spoken and image based instructions. Theres a wide variety of routines even on the free app.
Cons: If your workout gets interrupted mid session, for example a low battery, I cannot see a way to restart where you left off.
Headspace | Techniques and meditations to heal the soul
What they say:
GET SOME HEADSPACE | Headspace is meditation made simple. Learn online, when you want, wherever you are, in just 10 minutes a day.
What I think:
Pros: Like Breathe this is another great looking app with lovely design. The 10 day plan is easy to follow and a good starting point. Theres lots on the app in the free version to keep you going for a while. I like the fact you can link up with friends as this motivates me.
dfulnessCons: I got a bit bored after a while and felt reluctant to pay for it when there other free trials around. As a general point I love practicing mindfulness but find it difficult to concentrate when very anxious.
So these are my 5 apps or games. Please comment below with ones you love…
theresawolfatmydoor.com 
One thought on “Digital Life | A Guide to Healthy Apps”