Every year‚ one in four people in the UK will suffer from a mental health issue. While traditional therapies and doctor visits are still common‚ an increasing number of sufferers are turning to a more convenient and flexible mode of support: Mental health apps.
The revenue generated by mental health apps has grown by 32 per cent each year since 2019. In real terms‚ the market is predicted to hit $500 million by the end of 2022. And‚ with over 60 per cent of smartphone users willing to download an app that improves their wellbeing‚ the inclusion of new technologies and techniques should see the market continue to flourish.
Most current mental health apps aren’t made to substitute the help of a mental health professional. Instead‚ they complement other efforts‚ supporting the user between sessions‚ offering reassurance when needed‚ and using mobile capabilities to enhance treatments. They’re also a great way to make mental illness treatment more accessible‚ flexible and cost-effective.
In this blog‚ we’ll explore:
- The many different kinds of mental wellness apps
- Considerations for building a mental health app
- How you can get started with mental health mobile app development.
What will your mental health application do?
Before beginning software development‚ you need to consider your key markets.
Know your target audience
The crucial first step of mental health mobile app development is understanding your target audience. Who will you help? This may be a particular segment‚ like teenagers or seniors‚ or a specific condition‚ like OCD or bipolar disorder.
Then‚ you can begin looking at competitors. See if your idea has been done before‚ and how well it’s been implemented. Are there any improvements you could make for users‚ or could you bring new technology to the table? Combining these‚ you’ll create user personas to keep in mind throughout development.
Mental health app partnerships
It can also be a good idea to partner with a charity or public body. If you’re a startup‚ this can help with credibility and funding. It can also bring huge experience‚ audience and resources to your project – all benefitting the users in the long run.
Types of mental health apps
There are now many types of apps from service providers that focus on managing various mental conditions.
Mindfulness and wellbeing apps
One of the most notable examples of mindfulness apps is Headspace‚ a meditation app that focuses on long-term wellbeing. It offers a great interface for users‚ with courses and reminders that keep them visiting day after day. Additional features include group meditations‚ mood tracking‚ and sleep courses.
Another example is Happify. A self-improvement app at heart‚ Happify uses self-care‚ meditation and gamification to progress users’ mental health. It combines health tracking with a bespoke happiness score to monitor improvements over time.
Similarly‚ the Moodfit app lets users make self-help advances– in this case‚ by helping identify what causes their moods to dip. This builds user awareness‚ then provides tools to overcome low periods.
Mental health disorder apps
Many apps also address particular disorders. Functionalities vary depending on each condition‚ for example‚ the PTSD Coach app gives flexible support and breathing exercises for post-traumatic stress disorder sufferers.
Likewise‚ the Rise Up + Recover app helps people struggling with fitness and eating disorders. This app aims to increase users’ awareness of the condition‚ using diaries and self-monitoring to see improvements and notice potential issues. It also uses several cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) techniques to treat the condition alongside other professional help.
Some apps also approach treatment from new angles using the power of mobile. The eQuoo anxiety app‚ for example‚ saw its gamification of digital health treatment techniques result in engagement ten times higher than the average health app.
Telemedicine apps
Many apps also offer general access to mental health advice‚ resources and treatments. One incredibly popular app is BetterHelp‚ which gives users access to more than 20‚000 professionals around the world. Connecting with them‚ users can take online therapy sessions and discuss any issues.
Another therapy app is Talkspace‚ which matches visitors with licenced mental healthcare providers near them. Then‚ they can communicate over video‚ text or audio channels to receive mental health care for a range of issues.
Apps can also help users receive private and even anonymous healthcare. Wysa‚ for example‚ provides an AI chatbot in which users can unload emotions or thoughts free from human judgment. It offers tools to help treat conditions‚ and users can always upgrade to speak with a mental health professional if they’d like.
Mental health app features
So‚ what features should a good mental app have?
- First‚ the user experience should be welcoming and straightforward. Personal data collection should be minimal to avoid sign-up frustration. Then‚ there should be a simple initial learning curve.
- Second‚ the user profile should get essential information to help improve the service. Users should be able to customise the app for their personal wellbeing plans‚ choosing push notifications‚ integrations and entering selected health information.
- Then‚ the app should encourage self-monitoring. Whether the user wants to see mood patterns‚ sleep statistics or learn triggers‚ self-monitoring should encourage app usage and enhance their experience over time.
- Similarly‚ the app should check in with the user. This might be daily‚ in the case of more severe disorders‚ or as frequently as benefits users’ wellbeing.
- Next‚ the app should give users easy access to support. Live chat is an excellent option‚ a great FAQ section helps‚ and‚ for some conditions‚ you might consider direct access to specialists. You can also connect users to like-minded people via social functions or forums.
- Additional reasons to stay on the app will also help the user and increase usage. Popular mental health solutions might include workouts‚ breathing exercises and on-demand educational content. Basically‚ anything that can contribute further to their wellbeing.
- For many mental health problems‚ your app may also have to provide emergency support. This might mean resources to deal with panic attacks‚ or perhaps even more urgent help. This should be available quickly and efficiently to users that may be in immediate distress.
- Finally‚ the app should be built with all users and the future in mind. As well as a great frontend‚ you’ll need a robust backend that helps your caregivers. Also consider multi-platform support‚ allowing users to alternate between devices and operating systems. For maximum reach‚ you’ll want your app in both Android and iOS app stores‚ so consider working with development tools that support this‚ such as Flutter.
Specific issues when creating mental health apps
During mental health app development‚ there are some priorities to keep in mind at all times:
- Data security should be included from the beginning of the development process. Your app may store patient data and sensitive information on health conditions and authentication‚ so you’ll need to protect this at all costs.
- Your mental health app development company should also help you obey local laws and regulations – think HIPAA compliance in the USA and GDPR data protection in the UK and Europe‚ for example.
- Mental health apps should also give the user confidence. Such apps can massively influence a person’s wellbeing‚ so should provide quality assurance. This may mean linking to reputable sources and/or working with mental health specialists.
Monetisation model of mental health apps
When it comes to monetising mental health apps‚ you have a few good options:
- The first is a Freemium model. Around 74 per cent of mental health apps are free to download‚ with many offering additional functions or content through a purchase. To increase sign-ups‚ consider giving free trials or reduced-cost introductory periods.
- Some mental health apps also require a subscription to begin. This is often monthly‚ with a reduced rate for yearly subscribers.
- Other apps choose the monetisation model of in-app purchases and adverts. The provider should take care during development that ads do not frustrate app users‚ and that the free version still provides some value.
- Some mental health apps have an initial cost to download. This might be an option for more established companies or simpler apps looking for upfront cash. If you’re providing ongoing support‚ this may not be the best model – companies offering freemium and subscription models make 20 times more revenue than paid downloads‚ on average.
- Finally‚ some apps can make money from other sources. You might make commission on links to resources like books‚ services and merchandise‚ while some mental health services may receive donations and charitable funds.
How to develop a mental health app
So‚ how can you get started? It starts with thorough product discovery – learning about your product and potential users. Then‚ engage an experienced mental health app development company to help bring your idea to life. Once you’ve launched‚ continue testing and improving to ensure your mental health app has the maximum positive impact on your users’ lives.
