10 apps to treat phobias and fears from your smartphone

Phobias They are anxiety disorders that are characterized because the person who suffers it feels an irrational fear in front of a stimulus (situation, animal, object, etc.) whom you are trying to avoid.

Thanks to the advancement of new technologies, there are a series of mobile applications that have the objective to help people with a disorder manage their symptoms and improve their quality of life phobic.

If you suffer from some kind of phobia, in this article you can find a list of applications to treat it from your smartphone.

Different types of phobias

Phobias can be of different types and experts claim that they can be classified into three groups. The social phobia It is an irrational fear that a person suffers in situations of social interaction (for example, when speaking in public). The main fear of these individuals is what others will think of them and they fear being judged, humiliated or criticized.

Another type of phobia is agoraphobia, in which the person feels a great fear of being in situations in which they feel vulnerable or unprotected, for example, is afraid of being in an open space and therefore secludes at home as a way of avoidance.

there are specific phobias, which are those characterized by a strong irrational fear of a stimulusFor example, a situation, an object, a place or an insect.

• Specific phobias are many, and some of them very rare. You can check it in our article: "The 15 weirdest phobias that exist”

Apps to treat phobias

But, What apps can we download to treat phobic disorders?

Below you can find a selection of applications for your smartphone that can be very useful to reduce this type of irrational fear.

1. Me I

Meyo is an app that, among many other features, helps us face fears and phobias so that they do not compromise our quality of life and can even get us to overcome them. So pay attention to its launch the week of March 16, 2020, because this mobile application is called to revolutionize the market and to mark a before and after in this type of apps.

Fear of a specific animal? Fear to fly? Fear of finding yourself in a certain social situation? Afraid to talk to other people? Fear of losing control of your thoughts or actions? Fear of losing your job? Afraid of losing your friends? No matter what it is that you are afraid of, Meyo can help you cope and, little by little, reduce the impact this has on your life.

And it is that this app is equipped with a complex (and at the same time simple to use) intelligence system artificial with which the user talks about what causes problems or simply wants to improve in his life. From there, Meyo analyzes your situation and offers you a perfectly personalized plan that, in the case of fears and phobias, is focused on preventing them from compromising quality of life.

With the scientific support of top-level psychologists and doctors, Meyo offers challenges, videos, games, advice and all kinds of content that is useful to focus fear and that gives the maximum of yourself to solve the situation or, in case it is complicated, try that this does not prevent you from being a happy person who enjoys what he has at his around.

Tips on how to act when we are exposed to our fear, tools to improve our social skills, activities to overcome stress and anxiety, healthy habits routines (healthy recipes, exercise plans, better sleep ...), breathing exercises, meditation, yoga, measures to perform more at work, strategies to save... Everything you may need to overcome the fear you have, no matter what it is, is within Me I. Without a doubt, an app that we will follow very closely. And it is that it takes health promotion to unprecedented limits, since it seeks that the user is the absolute owner of their physical and emotional health.

• You can download it for Android and to iOs.

2. TherapyChat

TherapyChat It is an especially recommended option for those who want to contact psychologists for sessions of remote consultation, since this digital platform gives access to several professionals who offer this service.

Specifically, TherapyChat offers the possibility of making consultations by video call with trained psychologists with experience in intervening in the problem of each specific user, given that after a first exploration of what happens to the person, one of the professionals is selected taking into account what is needs to. In addition, the first session is free, and all of them are based on the confidentiality of the information processed.

• On this page you will find more information about this option.

3. Mentavio

Mentavio It is a digital platform that in a few clicks brings together psychologists, on the one hand, and people who need psychological support, on the other.

This tool, which bases its operation on an SSL encryption system to reinforce the level of confidentiality of the information transmitted by it, makes available to the user a wide range of psychology professionals, each with their own profile that includes data such as their specializations and training, their availability, their price, and the opinions of others users. In addition, Mentavio does not require a subscription.

• To see their contact information, go to this page.

4. Gurumind

The anxiety triggered by phobias comes when we least expect it, both in anticipation of a phobic stimulus that we feel next, and at the moment of exposing ourselves to it. That is why it is important to act quickly and have relaxation resources.

Gurumind is an app that makes it possible to have more than 100 types of meditation and relaxation resources, and it is very useful to counteract the symptoms of anxiety disorders such as phobias. Gurumind's strengths are accessibility and ease of use. In a matter of minutes, you can start using it for free.

• Accede to this page If you are interested in finding more information about the app, as well as links of interest.

5. Phobia Free

The Phobia Free app is an augmented reality application that allows you to treat your fear of spiders. The systematic desensitization technique is used, which belongs to the cognitive-behavioral therapeutic model, and that consists of exposing the person suffering from this disorder to their object of phobia in a slow and progressive way.

At first, people have to overcome a series of games in which spiders appear that seem harmless. As the game progresses, they become more real.

6. Phobious

Phobious is a very useful application for all kinds of phobias, although it can also be used for a wide variety of anxiety disorders such as TOC or posttraumatic stress. Phobius uses different technological means that allow better treatment, for example, augmented reality or treatment sessions via webcam.

In addition, the creators of this app have agreements with different hospital institutions such as Hospital Clínic, Sant Pau or Johns Hopkins for continuous updating.

7. Spider phobia cardboard

This application uses virtual reality and is designed to help people suffering from arachnophobia (intense fear of spiders) to combat their fears. The participants enter a virtual office in which there are small spiders.

The intensity of the spiders' presence increases gradually. For example, at first the spider is in a jar and then the spider is out of it. The app has been developed jointly with a group of psychologists.

8. Freedom from fears and phobias

Freedom from Fears and Phobias is one of the applications that claim to help overcome phobias and fears. There are different applications that use hypnosis to help the user to be calm and relaxed, and this is one of the best. By being more relaxed, the user will be more open to suggestion and will be able to follow the instructions indicated by the app.

Without a doubt, this is one of the most effective applications that use this method. The free version is based on the treatment of arachnophobia, but it is possible to purchase different versions, such as for fear of injections or clowns. Each new version has an additional cost.

9. Phobias and How to Overcome Them

This application is an audio book of extraordinary richness that is based on current scientific and clinical research about phobias. The app answers several pressing questions for anyone who suffers from phobias. It is also useful for family members and friends of people with this disorder.

What is a phobia? What are your typical symptoms? What is the real risk when suffering from a phobia? What Causes Phobias? Are they inherited or learned? Who is most vulnerable to phobias? How can phobias be diagnosed, managed, and overcome? What therapies have been shown to be most successful in treating phobias? What can I learn about my specific phobia ...

These and many other questions are covered in this app, which is based on the idea that understanding the disorder is key to overcoming it.

10. Itsy

Virtual reality in mental health care has been used by many health applications, and Itsy is no exception.. It basically works to slowly expose users to a number of spiders in different real-life-like environments. Spiders initially have a tame demeanor, but as they progress, they modify their appearance to appear more dangerous.

Apps to treat anxiety

If the above apps are more focused on treating specific phobias, there are other apps that are also useful for treating anxiety symptoms and worries irrational. These apps are intended to help the user feel more relaxed.

• If you want to know the different apps to treat anxiety that are on the market, you can visit this article: "15 apps to treat anxiety”