Bengaluru: As mental health concerns rise and more Indians turn to smartphone apps for support, choosing a trustworthy mental health app has become increasingly difficult amid the flood of digital options. To bridge this gap, the National Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences (NIMHANS) has launched a pilot Mental Health App Repository, an initiative aimed at helping users make informed choices by offering a structured, quality-screened catalogue of mental health applications available to Indian users.
From managing anxiety to tracking mood changes and learning coping strategies, mental health apps offer promises of accessible and affordable basic support at one’s fingertips. However, with thousands of such apps available, that vary widely in content, features, quality, safety, and suitability, it becomes extremely challenging for users to shortlist apps that may suit their needs and preferences.
Building on a large-scale study of mental health apps available to Indian users, the Centre for Advanced Research in Digital Interventions for Mental Healthcare, supported by the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), has developed a pilot Mobile App Repository to help users navigate the complex digital mental health landscape.
The repository stems from one of India’s earliest large-scale efforts to systematically assess mental health apps. Researchers screened more than 5,800 apps using search terms such as “depression,” “anxiety,” and “cognitive behavioral therapy,” before shortlisting 350 for detailed evaluation through standardised assessment tools.
While many apps performed well in design and usability, offering features like self-assessments, mood tracking, psychoeducation, and therapeutic exercises, however, the study also flagged concerns including inconsistent content quality, poor transparency around sensitive user data, limited involvement of mental health professionals in app development, and uneven scientific evidence backing many platforms. These shortcomings, researchers say, make it harder for users to identify suitable mental health apps.
In response to these observations, the NIMHANS research team has piloted a Mobile App Repository, a structured, filter-based searchable catalogue of mental health applications that were evaluated in the study. The repository allows users to explore mental health apps based on their availability on Android or Apple platform, target audience, mental health concerns, therapeutic approaches, primary focus, key strategies, and cost.
Abhishek Karishiddimath, scientist at NIMHANS-ICMR Centre for Advanced Research, noted, “From the 350 reviewed apps, only those meeting a minimum quality threshold based on the internationally recognised Mobile Application Rating Scale (MARS) have been included. Most importantly, the repository is not a recommendation list or a list claiming effectiveness or otherwise of the applications listed. It is designed as an informational resource, supporting users to make informed choices.”
Through the repository, researchers aim to promote transparency by presenting app features and limitations in a user-friendly format, enabling people to make informed choices, while emphasising that such apps are not a replacement for professional mental healthcare.
Dr Seema Mehrotra, Professor of Clinical Psychology & Officer In-charge NIMHANS-ICMR Centre for Advanced Research, said, “The digital mental health space is evolving rapidly, with new apps emerging and existing ones frequently changing. Recognising this, the NIMHANS-ICMR Centre for Advanced Research plans to update the repository periodically to ensure it remains current and relevant.”
