Top Apps for People with Bipolar Disorder
Do you often have ups and downs in your mood? Or are you disturbed by sudden awakenings? Constant mood disbalance stops you from concentrating on important things – this is just the beginning of the list. Learn how to relieve these unpleasant symptoms and become free of such disturbances.
The progress helps people to overcome and control their diseases, and one of the popular ways is by using mobile phones, particularly, installed mobile apps.
Speaking about bipolar disorder, there is no exception for the applications which perfectly match requirements of people who suffer from bipolar disorder.
Let’s see what can help you in day-to-day life and become a useful and indispensable assistant to cope with this disease.
Why Do We Need Bipolar Applications?
First of all, let’s find out what bipolar disorder is, and why it is so scary that people are afraid of it.
Bipolar disorder (BD) is a brain disease, another name for which is manic-depressive illness, which causes extremely acute curves in mood. The episodes of depression, sadness, and apathy are often observed in patients with such diagnoses. However, there can also appear episodes of sudden feeling of energy, hyperactivity, etc. The frequency of such ebbs and flows vary from person to person, thus, there is no common description.
For better diagnose, doctors distinguish 4 categories of bipolar disorder:
- Bipolar I disorder is expressed by manic experience along with depression. Usually, if these symptoms are durable (take more than a week), the patient should be hospitalized urgently.
- Bipolar II disorder is less severe than previous one, but still, treatment shouldn’t be neglected.
- Cyclothymic disorder also has above mentioned symptoms but they can last much more longer, for instance, in adults more than 2 years, and in teenagers and children – more than 1 year.
- Other specified and unspecified bipolar and related disorders – the other symptoms which do not meet requirements of mentioned above.
In order to avoid a bad illness experience, patients are able to monitor their health status by themselves.
Smartphones are widely spread among people all over the world, thus, they turned out to be the best tool for everything. Particularly, they can serve as a mood tracker if you install bipolar apps on your smartphone.
The evidence of the influence of mood tracking with using cellphone was scientifically confirmed through numerous research studies. They are able to keep data like in a diary, and then make a chart with peaks and troughs, and even more: reminding to take drugs, to make some procedures, and to give some basic instructions. Some of them can record a patient’s voice for defining the current condition and alert for possible deterioration and better examination at a doctor’s appointment.
Such a progressive method shouldn’t be ignored! Go on reading and find out what the recommended apps are.
Best Apps for Android
Having a mobile app doesn’t need many resources, so installing one bipolar app will not consume it greatly, but you’ll just benefit from it. There is a list of highly rated Android apps, which could definitely save your life and make it much easier.
- UP! is an app which allows the collection of data of your sleeping tendencies, life, activity level, and social communication. It also contains some instructions and helpful information in order to learn more about manic episodes. It is free of charge and available on Google Play Store.
- Depression & Bipolar Disorder. This application is some kind of handbook with advice against depression and bipolar disorder. The patient can easily do some tests in order to figure out his current condition. This app is free on Play Market.
- Mood Log allows a patient to build charts and diagrams based on customized his/her data. The levels of mood can be scored by numbers or words. Some health conditions, such as pain or disturbances, can also be entered. No charges required.
- Youper is an artificial intelligence application which provides you with necessary quick support through the chat. It helps to fight against anxiety and depression, as well as to raise your mood and daily activity. Youper was created by expert psychiatrist Dr. Jose Hamilton in order to better people’s lives through cognitive-behavioral therapy (СBT) and acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT). It’s free to install on Play Market.
- aiMei, like the previous one, has artificial intelligence, which acts as a prompter, doctor, and a friend – not real but virtual. It is arranged as a chat. Built-in tests allow the patient to identify mood condition and then build diagrams and charts. It’s free on Play Market.
Obviously, lots of applications have repeated features, but each of them is not the same. They also can be paid or free, but usually some of them suggest purchasing an extended version or upgrading an app. Anyway, this decision is up to the user.
Apps for iOS
Like Android apps, the iOS applications also have the same features and keep up with them. Here is the list of the best mood trackers for iOS:
- Stigma is symbiosis of a diary, a mood tracker, and a blog. It has a built-in reminder to enter your mood rate, where you can easily write your feelings and even share them anonymously if you choose. This acts as social support which is so important for people with diagnosed BP. The free basic version has limited options for users, however, they can be extended after paying 2.99 USD on a monthly basis.
- What’s Up? is a mental health app which helps to overcome unpleasant symptoms such as anxiety, anger, and stress through CBT and ACT approaches. The distinguishing features are some articles for reading, diary, habit tracker, quizzes, breathing techniques, and lots of interesting facts. And what more? The theme of the application is changeable, so you can set any one which suits you, and all the data is well-protected with a passcode. Isn’t it wonderful?
- MoodKit, unlike the other applications, was created by doctors. This tool does not just help relieve bad symptoms and prevent their appearance, but to improve your way of thinking and approaches of self-help. It costs 4.99 USD.
- BrainWave Tuner is designated to treat brain activity with music. But this music is not modern – it is a mix of nature sounds. They help to relieve pain and stress, and they are also used for better sleeping. BrainWave Tuner is available on iTunes for 3.99 USD.
- DBT Diary Card and Skills Coach is an app by licensed doctor who specializes in dialectical behavioral treatment (DBT). This type of treatment was clinically approved as behavioral therapy against BP. Besides the main feature of this app, it also has built-in options for monitoring your mental health. It’s available for 4.99 USD.
- Moods: Mental Health Tracking is the simplest option to track your mood. Just push the suitable button to describe your current condition and you can also jot down notes if you want. There is no fee for this.
The majority of mood tracking apps for iOS have paid versions; however, this doesn’t mean that freebies are useless. Try them, and, for sure, you’ll find the best option.
Applications Available for Both Operating Systems
This is not the end of the list of top-rated applications. Recommended applications for both operating systems include:
- Daylio allows you to stay informed about your mental condition. Creating visuals based on the patient’s input data make improvements easily-observed. There is also a built-in reminder to update data. Icon-based design makes it easy to use the app. You can get Daylio either on Google Play Store or iTunes, and if you want to get rid of annoying ads – you can pay 3.99 USD then.
- eMoods must be the most useful and the simplest app because of its UI (user interface). It has a distinguishing way of assigning the mood each day – by color. Both patient and doctor will enjoy using it, since the exported data is saved in PDF form. However, the extended paid version is also available.
- iMoodJournal has a journal structure. Adding a hashtag also you allows to navigate your diary easily. They act as a bookmark of peaks and troughs of bad and good moods. This app is available for $2.99 on iTunes and for $1.99 on Google Play Store.
- Talkspace online is a platform for connecting therapy professionals and patients for urgent matters. There are some options for individuals and couples, as well. However, this type of service requires a payment of 49 USD per week.
- MoodTools contains helpful videos of how depression and suicide tendencies can be prevented. Along with videos, the patient can track and examine his mood according to cognitive-behavioral therapy approaches.
- The DBSA Wellness Tracker was made by Depression and Bipolar Support Alliance (DBSA). Tracking your habits, meds, and sleep, this tracker can easily build a graphic chart of your health based upon your mental history.
- The T2 Mood Tracker was developed particularly for telehealth, thus this application has all the important features to get overall visual report of the patient’s condition. You can download it for free.
- Breathe2Relax contains information which allows you to obtain crucial breathing techniques to overcome stress. The condition after exercises can be also logged for self-assessment.
- Medisafe Pill & Med Reminder is a handy reminder tool – not to forget taking pills against unpleasant symptoms. This app can also remind you to refill your medication.
All these applications contain life-saving and essential features. If you were diagnosed with such an illness, your doctor will require monitoring your mood on a daily basis. These tools will be the most useful things ever.
Do They Really Work?
Great news to all the patients who want to take care of themselves and keep their mind clear and healthy. All these modern gadgets, applications, and tools are really nice inventions for humanity, particularly, the apps which help people to overcome their diseases.
All of them are made in such a way that people can easily use them on a daily basis intuitively. All these helpers are also adjustable, so you can set them up according to your requirements. Definitely, they work and help, and millions of users can confirm this.
Unfortunately some patients sooner or later face bad feeling and symptoms, which last durably. In this case, appropriate medications are an indispensable part of treatment. ModafinilXL has the variety of drugs which were exactly created and help to overcome these symptoms of bipolar disorder effectively.