Mind over matter10 apps to keep you in a positive headspace

U N I V E R S I T Y O F S O U T H E R N Q U E E N S L A N D

The brain is such a powerful and important tool, especially for students

who have to juggle competing responsibilities and deadlines.

You need to be on the ball and in the right headspace to knuckle down and focus on your study, but student life can be stressful and some semesters will be harder than others. Wouldn’t it be great to have tools to improve your mood

and attitude in your very own pocket?

We think so too, which is why we’ve found 10 awesome apps to help you improve and monitor your wellbeing with the touch of a button! You don’t need to be experiencing

a mental health condition to make use of these genius little apps, they’re the perfect tools to help anyone interested in maintaining a healthy, positive headspace… and who

wouldn’t want that?

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01

Worried about a friend but not sure how to start a conversation about mental health?

This free app steps you through the process from planning when and where you’ll open the conversation, to how to get things started and the best ways to voice your concerns. You can even review your conversation afterwards and figure out what to do next! This app is packed with tips and tricks to help you approach the subject of mental health in a way that’s neutral and comfortable for everyone involved.

THE CHECK IN youthbeyondblue

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FREE

02

smiling mind

Find a sense of calm, clarity and contentment with this free app, which is all about mastering the art of mindfulness.

The trick to mindfulness is practice, practice, practice and with this app, you can track your progress and keep a record of each session you complete. Fun, interactive and easy to follow, this impressive app guides you through a series of activities and techniques and allows you to progress through the exercises at your own pace. A favourite amongst mental health professionals, this app is a must-have stress-buster for every student.

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$6.49

03

This app is great for anyone who’s currently using professional advice to manage their mental health and wants a tool to help them monitor their moods and thought patterns at home.

It might seem a little hard to navigate at first, but this is a feature-rich app that can even suggest mood improvement strategies and offer guidance to modify distressing thoughts. One of the best features of this app is the ability to track your moods, feelings and thoughts over time to see your progress. You can even show your Moodkit chart to your health professional at your next appointment.

MOODKIT

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$3.79

04

talking anxiety

Want to hear from real people who’ve been there?

This app presents you with a series of videos categorised into four helpful areas of information, all related to dealing with anxiety. Hear first-hand tips and honest accounts of what it’s really like to live with, and manage, anxiety in everyday life. This app is particularly helpful for the friends and family members of a loved one living with anxiety and is great for developing an understanding of the condition and the recovery process. Knowledge is power and this app can help empower you to support your friend through their recovery.

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$1.29

05

This app is designed to help women and girls improve their self-confidence and develop a positive body image.

Packed with quotes, videos, tools and articles, this app gives you a pocket-sized confidence boost wherever and whenever you need it. You can even stamp a photo of yourself or a friend with a positive quote and then share it on social media to spread the love. If you’re spending a little too much time counting calories or feeling helpless in the onslaught of the beauty industry, this app is a great way to remember the true value of beauty and love the skin you’re in.

body beautiful by heal journey

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$6.49

06

This product is part mental health app, part super-fun game, and is all about building your resilience, one of the most powerful tools for strengthening your mental health!

Resilience helps you to stay strong, motivated and positive, even when faced with challenging situations. SuperBetter shows you how to take on real-life challenges, boost your health and mood, recognise people in your life who might be bringing you down, find and connect with a support system and access expert-approved advice. This app is not only powerful and effective for boosting your mental health but also a heap of fun. It will set you back $6.49, but resilience really is priceless!

superbetter

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07

This app is all about helping you to become mindful of the things that influence your happiness the most.

With over 50 different aspects of life to choose from, the app provides you with a sliding scale to rate how you’re doing in each. You can also enter personalised notes about things you’ve done that make you feel happy. Over time, you can track your responses to find out what aspects of your life influence your happiness the most and identify areas that might be bringing you down or causing negative emotions.

urwell

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$3.79

08

Sleep is SO important in every aspect of our health and nothing is more frustrating than being unable to fall into a deep, restful sleep.

This app provides guided meditation specifically designed to help you relax, switch off and fall into a deep, undisturbed sleep. You can choose the length of your meditation sessions and even set yourself an alarm so you can bounce out of bed on time, bright-eyed and bushy-tailed, ready to take on the day.

deep sleep with andrew johnson

iOS APP STORE

$3.79

09

Cognitive Behaviour Therapy or CBT is one of the most widely recognised and accredited treatment methods for mental health conditions, including depression and anxiety.

CBT is all about learning to re-train your brain toward more positive and helpful thought patterns and break down negative or distorted thoughts. This intuitive, practical app puts the power of CBT in your pocket. By working through the various stages of the app, you’ll eventually develop a new, more positive thought perspective on what was originally a distressing situation. This is a great tool to help you logically assess your thought patterns and identify where things might be worrying you unnecessarily.

icouch cbt

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10

This app helps users understand and manage the symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

While it was originally designed for veterans and serving Defence Force personnel, this app can help anyone who thinks they may be suffering from PTSD or have been diagnosed with PTSD in the past. The app allows you to tell it when you’re feeling distressed, why you’re feeling that way and on what scale you’re experiencing distress. It will then respond with an appropriate coping mechanism, or in cases of extreme distress, provide you with the contact details of a crisis hotline. Genius!

ptsd coach

So there you have it, ten brilliant resources that help keep your thoughts and feelings healthy.

It’s important to remember that when it comes to mental health and your general wellbeing, the best resource for advice and support is a qualified healthcare professional and while we suggest using the apps listed above to help you manage your health independently,

technology should never replace the advice of an expert.

If you think it might be time to talk to a healthcare professional, why not have a conversation with your GP or contact the team at

USQ Student Services to get in touch with a counsellor.

CRICOS: QLD00244B NSW02225M TEQSA: PRV12081 5.1.R 09.2014

social.usq.edu.au