meditation apps
December 12, 2020 9:57 AM Subscribe
I struggle with significant anxiety, often leading to anxiety attacks and then almost immediately a feeling of depression. I am interested in exploring meditation apps, but I have a few parameters I'd like to follow and am having trouble figuring out which app is best for me. Can you help?
My anxiety mostly manifests in rumination, which once I start going down that road I cannot pull myself out. I have anxiety medication that I take as needed but I'd like to explore other methods to help with this. I have experience with DBT and work with a DBT focused therapist, but this is something that I am stuck on and no matter how much I lean on my DBT tools I can't stop the rumination. Anxiety meds help but again I would like to find a multi-pronged approach to deal with this.
Some finicky details: I struggle with meditation because I don't have the attention span to do long meditations or keep up a regular practice. I also am deeply uncomfortable with any meditation mode that leans heavily on a religious practice - they make me very angry. Anything grounded in Hinduism or Buddhism is right out - my family is from a part of the world where both religions are prevalent but I do not believe in a god or gods and I also really really hate listening to white people appropriate religious practices from that part of the world and I don't want a meditation app that will annoy me.
Given these parameters, what would be a good app for me to try?
My anxiety mostly manifests in rumination, which once I start going down that road I cannot pull myself out. I have anxiety medication that I take as needed but I'd like to explore other methods to help with this. I have experience with DBT and work with a DBT focused therapist, but this is something that I am stuck on and no matter how much I lean on my DBT tools I can't stop the rumination. Anxiety meds help but again I would like to find a multi-pronged approach to deal with this.
Some finicky details: I struggle with meditation because I don't have the attention span to do long meditations or keep up a regular practice. I also am deeply uncomfortable with any meditation mode that leans heavily on a religious practice - they make me very angry. Anything grounded in Hinduism or Buddhism is right out - my family is from a part of the world where both religions are prevalent but I do not believe in a god or gods and I also really really hate listening to white people appropriate religious practices from that part of the world and I don't want a meditation app that will annoy me.
Given these parameters, what would be a good app for me to try?
This post was deleted for the following reason: posters request -- frimble
I use Relax Melodies and like it a lot-- If you shoot me a message with an email, I can pass you a 30 day trial pass. There are a ton of meditations of all lengths and they keep adding more. I've had the paid lifetime membership for so long I'm not sure what the price points are now, but they're very good about support and customer engagement on their Facebook site as well.
posted by The otter lady at 10:08 AM on December 12, 2020
posted by The otter lady at 10:08 AM on December 12, 2020
Insight Timer. They have meditations of all lengths, some just a couple of minutes long and sorted by topic. I'm using it for sleep right now but also have a few saved for short, work-break, anti-anxiety situations. Meditation is sort of Buddhist but I've not run into anything explicitly preachy or religious in nature, its more a 'self-generated, non-theist' vibe; though I'm sure there are more faith-oriented ones. You can try it for free.
posted by marylynn at 10:09 AM on December 12, 2020 [7 favorites]
posted by marylynn at 10:09 AM on December 12, 2020 [7 favorites]
Not an app, but audio for guided meditation.
https://portlandpsychotherapy.com/resources/acceptance_and_commitment_therapy_exercises_and_audiofiles/
I have very similar struggles with anxiety and rumination. I found the ACT approach to mindfulness and meditation helpful, especially as it is quite secular and not particularly woo. The self compassion and loving kindness exercises were particularly helpful to me.
posted by Zumbador at 10:39 AM on December 12, 2020
https://portlandpsychotherapy.com/resources/acceptance_and_commitment_therapy_exercises_and_audiofiles/
I have very similar struggles with anxiety and rumination. I found the ACT approach to mindfulness and meditation helpful, especially as it is quite secular and not particularly woo. The self compassion and loving kindness exercises were particularly helpful to me.
posted by Zumbador at 10:39 AM on December 12, 2020
A guided meditation i found very soothing and helpful on Insight Timer Yoga Nidra for Sleep by Jennifer Piercy. It's also on YouTube. It's basically a body scan, but I found the language profoundly moving and effective, without irritating my woo detectors.
posted by Zumbador at 10:46 AM on December 12, 2020 [1 favorite]
posted by Zumbador at 10:46 AM on December 12, 2020 [1 favorite]
(sorry for the many comments)
When I was struggling to get into meditation, I found this guided Acceptance and Commitment meditation very helpful. It's a no nonsense, kind, and clear instruction on how to meditate.
posted by Zumbador at 10:50 AM on December 12, 2020 [1 favorite]
When I was struggling to get into meditation, I found this guided Acceptance and Commitment meditation very helpful. It's a no nonsense, kind, and clear instruction on how to meditate.
posted by Zumbador at 10:50 AM on December 12, 2020 [1 favorite]
You might enjoy the guided meditations led by Tara Brach. Some are available in Insight Timer, and others are on her website: www.TaraBrach.com
posted by spindrifter at 11:09 AM on December 12, 2020
posted by spindrifter at 11:09 AM on December 12, 2020
Huge fan of Insight Timer. I also got a lot of use out of Buddhify which has some short useful non-religious meditations. I asked a similar question a while ago and a few general short Insight Timer meditations are what I've stuck with (I like Tony Brady and a few binaural beats ones)
posted by jessamyn at 11:26 AM on December 12, 2020
posted by jessamyn at 11:26 AM on December 12, 2020
I have been loving guided meditations by the Honest Guys. Not religious whatsoever. Instead, music, nature sounds, pleasant scenes and little mild "stories." They are arranged for different needs and lengths of time. I don't know if there is an app, but there is a website and Youtube channel.
posted by NotLost at 12:42 PM on December 12, 2020
posted by NotLost at 12:42 PM on December 12, 2020
Hello fellow ruminator. I've been on a significant therapy-and-meditation arc these last two years (see Ask history if you want context). An early lesson that seemed resoundingly clear: thoughts, and ruminations, don't necessarily stop. There's no trick to make an associative mind stop associating. There's also no wrong way to engage with a meditation practice. You'll find, whichever path into it you take, an emphasis on the difference between those thoughts existing and you engaging with them. Observing, noting, existing alongside thought processes is a keystone of a practice, and a practice it is. I occasionally go to the Zen Center in my city (these days, online), but usually I use Headspace. It's handy, with a lot of options to explore for beginners: "basics" practice modules and the like. I think the more important component, whatever app or video on YouTube or whatever you use, is to aim to build it into a routine. I started with 5 minutes a day, and now I routinely do 30... sometimes twice a day. My ruminations are still there, but the quality of my experience of/with them is very different. Different enough that I feel much more comfortable than I did when I started. I plan to continue my practice for the rest of my life. It's been very helpful and instructive.
posted by late afternoon dreaming hotel at 1:20 PM on December 12, 2020 [4 favorites]
posted by late afternoon dreaming hotel at 1:20 PM on December 12, 2020 [4 favorites]
I'm in my first month of using the Headspace app. This is my first time doing anything like meditation.
Duration:
The Basics course that I've nearly completed has episodes that allow you to select the length from 3 options. In the very beginning, you can choose to go for 3, 5, or 8 minutes. Now I'm on around day 26 and my choices are now 10, 15, or 20 minutes. I usually go for 15 minutes. Let me tell you that if you had asked me a month ago if I could sit still for 15 minutes, I would have laughed in your face, yet today I can do it comfortably!
Practice: you can configure the app to pop up little reminders to do the exercise each day at a specific time. The app is also a little gamified in that it keeps tally of your streak and how many minutes etc. That helps motivate me. I've meditated for 5 hours since I started!
In each episode they also talk about common problems people face when first starting out. Yours might be keeping focus whereas mine has been falling asleep sometimes.
Overall I recommend this app so far. I had no hesitation in converting from the free trial to the annual subscription.
posted by McNulty at 4:48 PM on December 12, 2020 [3 favorites]
Duration:
The Basics course that I've nearly completed has episodes that allow you to select the length from 3 options. In the very beginning, you can choose to go for 3, 5, or 8 minutes. Now I'm on around day 26 and my choices are now 10, 15, or 20 minutes. I usually go for 15 minutes. Let me tell you that if you had asked me a month ago if I could sit still for 15 minutes, I would have laughed in your face, yet today I can do it comfortably!
Practice: you can configure the app to pop up little reminders to do the exercise each day at a specific time. The app is also a little gamified in that it keeps tally of your streak and how many minutes etc. That helps motivate me. I've meditated for 5 hours since I started!
In each episode they also talk about common problems people face when first starting out. Yours might be keeping focus whereas mine has been falling asleep sometimes.
Overall I recommend this app so far. I had no hesitation in converting from the free trial to the annual subscription.
posted by McNulty at 4:48 PM on December 12, 2020 [3 favorites]
The 10 Percent Happier app (and podcast) is pretty good as well. It has some great courses from some great teachers, and it tries to approach meditation in a secular manner.
posted by patternocker at 6:29 PM on December 12, 2020
posted by patternocker at 6:29 PM on December 12, 2020
I like https://www.hellocore.com - it's like a Fitbit for meditation. I like having a soothing rumbling object in my hand to concentrate on.
posted by egeanin at 5:43 PM on December 14, 2020
posted by egeanin at 5:43 PM on December 14, 2020
Healthy Minds is explicitly non-religious. There are some short teachings explaining the science behind meditation's efficacy -- integrates with my DBT learning about "wise mind."
You can control the duration of every guidance from 5 to 30 minutes. Guidance comes from Cort, a White man and Daniela, an Hispanic woman. Most guidances offer both seated and active versions.
It's free! Try it out. (Former Insight Timer user, quit since they refuse to support iOS large type.)
posted by Jesse the K at 7:32 AM on December 16, 2020
You can control the duration of every guidance from 5 to 30 minutes. Guidance comes from Cort, a White man and Daniela, an Hispanic woman. Most guidances offer both seated and active versions.
It's free! Try it out. (Former Insight Timer user, quit since they refuse to support iOS large type.)
posted by Jesse the K at 7:32 AM on December 16, 2020
This thread is closed to new comments.
The ones I have are spendy, but there are a lot of different companies selling them at lower price points.
posted by overhauser at 10:07 AM on December 12, 2020 [3 favorites]