Anxiety and Panic – New phone apps may help

Phone apps exist for many areas of our life now from hailing a ride to monitoring your sleep ( sleep better, sleep time) to ordering dinner.

Now phone apps are available that can act as a portable counselor or coach to help with common issue of anxiety and panic disorder. They are available for Google and Apple phones.

MindShift app

SAM app

Pacifica app

SAM was developed by a university team of psychologists, computer scientists and student users. It offers a range of self-help methods for people who are serious about learning to manage their anxiety.

MindShift helps you learn how to relax, develop more helpful ways of thinking, and identify active steps that will help you take charge of your anxiety. This app has specific tools such as:

• Making Sleep Count
• Riding Out Intense Emotions
• Test Anxiety
• Perfectionism
• Social Anxiety
• Performance Anxiety
• Worry
• Panic
• Conflict

Pacifica gives you psychologist-designed tools to address based on Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, mindfulness meditation, relaxation, and mood/health tracking. It has been recognized as leader in the field: #1 – BuzzFeed’s Amazing Apps For Anyone Living With Anxiety, and #1 – Forbes’ 4 Technologies Innovating in Mental Health.

In addition to the phone apps, in person counseling, physical exercise and medications can help. TVFM has many helpful contacts for counseling across the Treasure Valley.

Dr Crownover also recently attended another national psychopharmacology update conference sponsored by the Nevada Psychiatric Association, in order to ensure the latest and best evidence-based medications are used to meet your individual needs.