Youper App: A New Approach to Online Mental Health Care

Far too many people are dealing with too much these days, and it is affecting mental health. That’s where apps like Youper come in, ready to help with mental health and ease you into it without additional stress.

 

What is Youper?

Youper is an app designed to provide mental health aid to those who need it at any place and any time. It uses artificial intelligence to help users understand what they’re feeling and how to help themselves. In a world where it can be difficult and even taboo to reach out to a mental health professional, Youper makes it possible to get help privately.

Using cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT), the app lets users track their feelings, moods, etc., and then uses mindfulness, acceptance, and commitment therapy to help make improvements. There are four features that users will find helpful:

AI Chatbot

The chatbot helps you determine how you’re feeling at the moment and can help you identify your feelings. It also asks questions to help you determine what caused your current feelings and how you might alleviate problematic feelings.

Journal Logs

This simpler records all your responses to the AI’s questions so you can look them up at any point. This also allows you to share them with your counselor or therapist in sessions.

Mood Logs

Track the reasons for your moods so you can stay on top of triggers. You may also note what your best coping methods are for each mood.

Emotional Health Assessment

As the name suggests, this feature helps you determine what your emotional health is like right now and over time.

The app puts all this information together to help users identify what they feel and why they feel it while then helping them come up with a solution.

 

Who Benefits from Using Youper

Youper is designed to help people who are either unable to visit a mental health professional or who prefer to handle things more independently. Since it requires zero therapist contact, it’s ideal for introverts and those who don’t want to expose themselves or be vulnerable with another human.

The AI is adept at helping people figure out what is going on in their heads and come up with a plan of action. Sometimes all it takes is a little outside nudge to help people get into the right self-help mentality.

Youper has a free version, or you can pay for a premium version. The premium version is $44.99 for a year, a considerably lower cost than other apps and services.

Pros and Cons of Using Youper

Youper is definitely an interesting concept, but is it really worth spending time on? As with any other type of app, you’ll find there are pros and cons, so it’s up to you to determine whether or not you wish to try it.

Pros of the Youper app include:

–         You don’t have to talk to a real person

–         Can be used as a diary to be shared with a therapist or for your own use

–         Easy to review symptoms and coping skills used

–         Suggestions for how to handle mental health issues

–         Free version (premium is $44.99 a year)

–         Includes meditation tracks

–         Designed by doctors

Of course, there are still some downsides to the app, and the cons include:

–         It is strongly biased toward CBT

–         The AI may seem repetitive

–         The premium version requires an annual payment

–         Recent updates have been glitchy

Some people prefer to talk to a therapist or a human being, which means this app may not be for them.

What People Are Saying About Youper

The best way to find out how an app works are to look at the reviews. You’ll find that there are ups and downs, depending on who you talk to, but it can give you a better idea as to whether the app is right for you.

Katarikit says, “This app was a lifeline when I was spiraling into a deep funk. I have a high-powered job and hit complete burnout. It was a combination of stress, exhaustion, and recovering from a miscarriage – never in my life have I felt this incredibly low. I kept searching for some type of solution. Nothing worked for me until I downloaded Youper. It was the only thing that got me out of bed.”

Kbroggi also finds it helpful, saying, “I’ve got depression, anxiety, OCD, ADHD, and a panic disorder. I’ve been in therapy for over five years now, and both my therapist and I agree that this is probably one of the most useful mindfulness tools for me. And as someone who actually hates mindfulness in general, that’s saying something.”

Overall, users of the app seem to find it pretty helpful, though there are a number of issues with the latest update. Fortunately, the company is very responsive to this and is likely to fix the issues soon.

Alternatives to Youper

Most people know that there are assorted options for virtual therapy available, and even traditional therapists have gone online lately. So it’s no surprise that there are a number of alternatives to Youper.

BetterHelp is perhaps one of the best-known alternatives. The site allows you to match with a counselor with who you can chat or message. Video and phone sessions are also available. If you don’t have a regular therapist, this can be a good alternative. It starts at $40 per week.

Talkspace is very similar to BetterHelp and gives you access to a licensed therapist with whom you can have live sessions and messaging. The service costs $65 per week, so it’s pricier than the other choices out there. However, it also has ongoing support and daily checks to ensure you are getting the help you need. It also offers different areas for different problems, such as insomnia.

Another option is 7 Cups, which provides self-help guides and volunteer listeners who will chat with you at any time. You can also reach out to a licensed professional for $150 each month.

Conclusion

Youper is a good option for those who are interested in receiving some outside help with minimal human interaction. For the price, it is a good choice in comparison to other similar services, which tend to be the same price per week.