When people were still using dial-up connections and the internet was only accessible via a browser, a man called Aaron Swartz wrote an article for the website The New York Times which outlined his thoughts on how the internet could be developed to help people with mental health difficulties.
This is not just because those facing severe anxiety or depression need technology to help them cope but also because mental health is often seen as taboo within most communities.
In Aaron’s article, he suggested using technology to create mobile apps that could be downloaded onto smartphones. He referenced the breakdown of mental health services in the United States and called for better integration of mental health into primary care.
These thoughts have gained serious attention from people within society who feel that technology can positively influence mental health services.
During the COVID lockdown, the development of mental health applications reached its apex. Many people have experienced mental health problems between the years 2020 and 2021.
This led to the development of a number of mental health applications. These applications were of different types based on the trends and with time many new features and trends developed and people followed them.
In this article, we will discuss the current trends and features necessities of a Mental health application and then we will go further to know how to develop a mental health Application.
Let’s start with understanding the Mental health Application
What is the Mental Health Application?
The Mental Health Application is a concept that seeks to create a single mobile app that is used by individuals to monitor their mental health and identify when it is at risk of declining.
Having the ability to access such an app could be life-changing for those who are suffering from severe anxiety or depression.
It could provide them with the assistance they need and identify situations where a health professional is needed to act on their behalf.
The app would allow users to input data about their mental health into a software program that can then analyze how their mental health is progressing over time.
Current Trends in Mental Health Applications
Currently, the concept of a mental health mobile app is a very new one, and it is common to see many developers working on the idea of such an application.
However, there are currently no single applications available for people suffering from anxiety or depression. Instead, there are a number of different apps that focus specifically on different mental health issues.
Here are a few trends for mental health applications:
Mobile Applications for Depression
An app that is designed to track a person’s feelings, mood and how they were feeling at different points in time. Mobile applications for depression are designed to track a person’s feelings, anxiety, and overall mood during a certain period of time and provide them with a solution with activities that can bring instant change in their mood.
Mental Health Tracking Applications
An application that allows a user to input data about their mental health over time via the use of surveys or other methods. These surveys could then be analyzed using statistical software to identify patterns or times when mental health seems to be improving or declining.
Mobile Applications for Anxiety
An app that allows users to identify situations where their anxiety is likely to flare up and seek methods of managing their fear. This would include looking at the use of tools such as breathing exercises or social situations to help calm the person down.
Meditation and Mindfulness Apps
Particularly since the pandemic’s outbreak, meditation and mindfulness apps have seen tremendous growth in popularity. Millions of people were forced to remain at home and seek out novel coping mechanisms for stress and anxiety. Meditation apps proved to be the ideal remedy during this period. These apps support meditation so users can feel more grounded, less stressed, and more in tune with their emotions. This is the ideal app idea for mental health tech startups given the current pandemic situation.
Clinical and Diagnostic Apps
These apps support medical professionals by assisting in the collection, analysis, and sharing of health data. Practitioners can use these apps to view lab results, browse electronic medical records, or even carry out digital imaging. These apps aid both patients and medical professionals in assessing symptoms and making diagnoses for mental health issues..
Apps for Text and Video Communication
Although today’s mental health apps are primarily designed for mobile devices, it is common to see app developers reach for other creative mediums to help their users communicate with one another. For example, “text and video calls have been utilized to facilitate therapy between patients and clinicians.” In addition, participants can have person-to-person video chats while they are in an emergency department, hospital, or clinic.
Important Features of Mental Health Application
The application’s features will depend on what it is designed to achieve. However, the most common features that are included in mental health apps are
Sign-up and Profiles
A user’s profile would list all the issues that they may be struggling with as well as information on what triggers their anxiety or depression, what types of treatment methods they have tried, and how effective those methods were.
Reminders
This is a key feature of any application for those who wish to monitor their mental health. When an individual is using the app, they can set alarms for specific times during the day. This can be used for reminders to take medication or other treatment methods such as cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT).
Tracking
The information from the Mental Health Application must be able to track a range of information about a user’s mental health and allow them to report on how they feel, as well as provide them with advice and alerts if they are experiencing a mental health concern.
Alerts
Alerts are general communication tools that can be triggered by certain events in the user’s life. They should alert users when they need assistance, when their mental health is declining, or when they simply feel like reaching out for support.
Chat
The chat feature could be used to talk to either professionals or peers. The latter is especially helpful for people who are recovering from a depressive disorder or depressive episode but find it difficult to discuss their problems with professionals because they feel too ashamed or embarrassed.
Screen Timings
This can be used to track how long a user has been using their smartphone or the internet and help them realize if they are spending too much time on the phone or online.
Debrief
This feature allows the user to talk about their mental health concerns with another person who is familiar with their issues. Recently, there has been a debate taking place in the media as well as within communities about why this application does not already exist.
Wearables and Health Tracking
As the technology of wearables and health tracking has improved, it is also possible to use them to track a user’s thought patterns and cognitive functioning while they are using their smartphone. An individual experiencing a depressive episode may be able to recognize these changes in mental functioning and come to terms with the fact that they are dealing with a mental health problem.
How can a Mental Health Application be Developed?
There are many possible ways in which a mental health mobile app can be developed, and this is largely due to the existing markets in which apps already exist – medical services and mental health services.
an app that acts as a mental health diary, allowing users to record traumatic events in their lives, the symptoms they are experiencing, and the steps they are taking toward recovery.
Steps to develop mental health application;
Step 1: Research the existing competition
Visit other websites and read other apps’ reviews. Spend time on the app store, downloading and looking at the top-rated apps. Read blogs, articles, and social media discussion groups where people are discussing apps that they have used and what they thought of them. It is not just the app stores that can help you here; look at peer-to-peer networks such as Twitter and Facebook to see what people are talking about.
Step 2: Choose a potential application
Choose a potential application: There are a number of apps that can aid a user in their recovery from depression. Here is a list of the most common apps you will find:
In addition to these, there is always the possibility of making your own app; a great way to figure out what would best fit your skills.
Step 3: Identify your target market and how to reach it
Create an app idea: When creating an app idea, it is important to consider some of the most common ways in which people use smartphones.
Step 4: Identify potential users
As with any app that is used to record a user’s thought patterns and cognitive functioning while they are using their smartphone, it is important to determine who your users will be. If a person has just suffered from a depressive episode and has been helped by anxiety apps, looking to make depression apps would possibly be difficult. Instead, it is better to make an app for someone else to use who has depression or anxiety.
Step 5: Conduct market research
If the idea is to make a diary application, it is important to figure out what people’s needs are.
In addition to this, it is helpful to discover if there are already apps that are trying to achieve a similar outcome.
Step 6: Research and gather data for the product to be developed
Figure out which features are most popular and how you can improve upon them: It is important to look at what people have enjoyed in other apps and also at what they would like in yours.
Step 7: Design and develop the application
Development of the features should be done in a way that makes it easy to use, efficient, and intuitive. In addition to this, create a roadmap for the development of the application, and make sure that you have a sustainable development strategy in mind.
Step 8: Test and implement the application
Once the app has been fully developed and is ready to go, it is time to start testing it. Have multiple users test out the app and gather as much feedback as possible. Use this feedback to make any necessary adjustments. It is important to take user feedback into account during the testing stages. You should perform usability tests on your app and figure out what users enjoy most about it; this may be its most useful feature or its simple interface.
Why Choose Quytech For Mental Health App Development?
There are many reasons for choosing Quytech for mental health app development. Here are some of them:
The Quytech app is designed by professionals with experience and knowledge of mental health problems. Our mental health apps are convenient for patients so that they can cope with these problems easily. Mental health apps developed by us are helpful in reducing anxiety, depression, and other disorders.
Our team includes a team of psychiatrists who have years of experience in the mental health industry. Our developers have specialized in developing medical applications, and they create medical apps that are both user-friendly and can be integrated with other systems to ensure effective communication.
The mental health apps we offer are user-friendly and convenient. They help people manage their mental health better.
Conclusion
In addition to allowing users to monitor their mental health, there are also a number of different actions that can be taken when the user’s condition appears to be at risk.
In order to ensure that a mental health application is likely to be successful, the above-mentioned key factors must be kept in mind.
It is important for developers to understand what mental health problems they are trying to tackle. Developers can take action to make sure their product is successful in achieving its goal once they have a clear understanding of it.
The majority of these are accessible through smartphone platforms such as Android and iOS. However, there are also a number of apps that access information from a computer and use an interface to explain how to help someone with mental health issues.
Many of these mental health applications are designed to work alongside others by providing them with regular updates or instructions on how they can help their friend, partner, or family member.
If you’re looking for the best healthcare app development company and want to develop mental health app then contact us.
