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Mental health and wellbeing apps for teenagers and young people

Apps for mental health and wellbeing for teenagers and young people

There are a variety of apps to help rangatahi (teenagers and young people) to cope with low mood, anxiety and general mental health.
They can help you learn about your condition and track your symptoms, as well as provide tools to help you feel better.

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It’s common for teenagers and young people to feel worried, stressed or sad. These things aren’t always the signs of a mental health problem. But for some people, ongoing feelings of sadness, low mood and anxiety can affect their physical health, schoolwork, relationships and development.

- There are a variety of apps to help teenagers and young people cope with low mood and anxiety.
- They can help you learn about your condition and track your symptoms, as well as providing tools to help you feel better.
- It's important to remember that apps don’t replace professional help or your doctor’s advice.

Before choosing an app, think about how it will benefit you and what you want it to be able to do.

An app will only be helpful if you use it, so it needs to be something you like using and find easy to use.
If you find the app difficult to use, or you don't like the imagery or look of it, or the language it uses, you may want to find another one that suits you better.
For more guidance on how to choose health apps, see how to choose a health app.

App	Features	Clinical review
Whitu 7 Ways in 7 Days	Teaches self-help skills. Tracking. Age group: 16 to 25 years. Country of origin: New Zealand. Available from Google Play and iTunes. Cost: free. Read more about Whitu 7 Ways in 7 Days.
Finding Purpose	Interactive online tool for for rangatahi/young people. Country of origin: New Zealand. Cost: free. Read more about Finding Purpose.
Manaaki Ora	Provides guidance and self-help tips for improving well-being. Aims to help others who might be going through hard times, distress or depression. Country of origin: New Zealand. Available from Google Play and iTunes. Cost: free. Read more about Manaaki Ora.
SPARX	Interactive games. Teaches CBT techniques. Teaches self-help skills. Age group: 12 to 19 years. Country of origin: New Zealand. Available from Google Play and iTunes. Cost: free. Read more about SPARX.
Headstrong	Goal setting and tracking. Reminders, meditations, and badges. Country of origin: New Zealand. Cost: free. Read more about Headstrong.
Aunty Dee	Problem solving tool aimed at Pacific and Maori young people. Age group: 14 to 25 years. Country of origin: New Zealand. Available from Aunty Dee website. Cost: free. Read more about Aunty Dee.
Smiling Mind	Guided meditation and mindfulness. Meditation reminders. Age group: 7 years and older. Tailored programmes for different age groups. Country of origin: Australia. Available from Google Play and iTunes. Cost: free. Read more about Smiling Mind.
Mana Restore	A resource for gamers. Includes information on healthy gaming, improving sleep, depression, anxiety and digital detoxing. Country of origin: New Zealand. Available from website. Cost: free. Read more about Mana Restore.
Mindshift	Self-help tools. Education and information. Anxiety tracking. Age group: teens and young people. Country of origin: Canada. Available from Google Play and iTunes. Cost: free. Read more about Mindshift.
Bite Back	Interactive activities. Education and information. Diary and tracking. Age group: 13 to 16 years. Country of origin: Australia. Available from website. Cost: free. Read more about Bite Back.
Wysa	Goal setting and diary. Tracking and reminders. Calculator and counter. App community and data. Exports. Country of origin: India. Available from website. Cost: free; premium to fully access features. Read more about Wysa.
Voda	Reminders. Daily check-in, notifications. Country of origin: UK. Available from Google Play and iTunes. Cost: Basic is free, but there is a paid upgrade version. Read more about Voda: LGBTQIA+ Mental Wellness app.

Websites

As there are so many apps to support mental health and wellbeing, we have not been able to review all those available. We have instead identified independent organisations that have reviewed these apps.

ReachOut.com(external link) (Australia) is aimed at helping young people get through anything from everyday issues to tough time.
PsyberGuide(external link) (United States) aims to help people make responsible and informed decisions about apps and other digital tools for mental health.
Mind in Brighton and Hove(external link) (United Kingdom) aims to promote good mental health.

You may also find the following article useful: Do mental health apps really work?(external link)

How to support a child or teenager with depression
Anxiety | Mate māharahara
Consumer guide – how to choose a health app
Clinicians guide – how to choose a health app
Security and privacy of health apps
NZ Health App Library
Mental health – youth topics

Disclaimer: The NZ Health App Library is a free consumer service to help you decide whether a health app would be suitable for you. Our review process is independent. We have no relationship with the app developers or companies and no responsibility for the service they provide. This means that if you have an issue with one of the apps we have reviewed, you will need to contact the app developer or company directly.