Health and wellbeing apps have seen a huge boom in recent years - but it can be difficult to know which ones are worthwhile.

Derbyshire County Council, in partnership with the Organisation for the Review of Care and Health Applications (ORCHA), has created a new digital apps library that contains hundreds of quality assured apps for you to browse and download.

They cover everything from stopping smoking and weight management to help with sleep disorders, mental health issues and more.

Derbyshire County Council has also commissioned 2 apps specifically to help people stop smoking and improve their relationship with alcohol.

My Quit Route

My Quit Route is an app that will give you the expert advice and scientifically-proven tools you need to quit smoking for good.

You can use it either on its own or in combination with Nicotine Replacement Therapy (such as patches, gums, sprays or lozenges), stop smoking medications (such as Champix or Zyban) or e-cigarettes.

First, My Quit Route will guide you to set your quit date. Then it will prepare you for this date by helping you to:

  • change how you think about smoking so you won't feel deprived when you stop
  • recognise all the gains you will make by quitting, and the dangers you will avoid
  • focus on what is really motivating you to go smoke-free
  • learn how to avoid weight gain when you no longer smoke
  • consider what other support options are available to you

Download My Quit Route for Apple and Android.

Lower My Drinking

Lower My Drinking is a free app that will give you the expert advice and scientifically-proven tools you need to reduce your drinking to the recommended limit of 14 units a week or less.

Lower My Drinking will guide you to set your drinking goal. Then it will help you achieve this by guiding you to:

  • track your progress towards your drinking goal
  • recognise all the gains you will make by cutting down
  • focus on what is really motivating you to reduce your drinking
  • see how your drinking compares to the rest of the population

As well as this, Lower My Drinking will show you the issues that could potentially cause you to drink more than is healthy for you and give you a set of proven skills you can use to address these.

Download the free app:

Emotional Wellbeing apps

DistrACT

Do you have concerns about you, or someone you know, self-harming or having suicidal thoughts?  If you are not sure what to do next then the distrACT app may be for you.

The distrACT app provides easy, quick and discrete access to general health information and advice about self-harm.

Feeling Good: Mental Health

Feeling Good offers positive mental training programmes based on scientific research.
The programmes can help you to feel better, lift your mood and recover from stress, anxiety and depression.

These apps are free to download. However, the Orcha website has a range of apps available, some of which may be paid for or have in app purchases.

Please check carefully before downloading any app as we cannot be held responsible for any charges that you may incur. You may wish to disable in app purchases by following guidance for Apple devices and guidance for Android devices.