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Sometimes we all get so wrapped up in our physical health (see: Four killer iPhone apps that help you lose weight), we forget about our mental health. But take it from a guy who can get mighty moody, it’s no less important.
MoodKit is a new app packed with tools designed to improve not just your mood, but also your overall well-being. It’s available now for $4.99.
Developed by a pair of clinical psychologists, MoodKit employs acknowledged cognitive-therapy techniques. It’s designed to be used on its own or as part of a professional treatment plan.
The app is divided into four main sections. Activities gives you more than 150 mood-lifting activities (each with tips and examples) for things like improving social relationships, becoming more physically active, and making life more enjoyable. This module can guide you through activities based on your specific needs, though you can also pick and choose via category (Productivity, Social).
Thought Checker plays out like a therapy session, as you write out a situation that left you feeling bothered or upset, identify how your thoughts might be distorted, then get suggestions on how to deal with it.
Mood Tracker lets you rate your daily mood on a scale of 1-10, and integrates with the MoodKit Journal (the fourth module) for recording any related thoughts. And the Journal itself is just like it sounds, a place to keep written notes, but it includes a variety of templates that can help with specific situations.
MoodKit’s interface can seem a bit overwhelming at first, if only because there’s so much packed into it. And it’s slightly frustrating that the app doesn’t return you to where you left off, instead starting you at the main menu every time you run it.
But those minor gripes aside, I think this could be a very helpful tool for anyone who suffers from mild depression or just needs some guidance coping with negative feelings. For $5, it’s a lot cheaper than therapy (but no substitute for it, of course).
