Apps and online spaces can be helpful tools alongside other types of support, especially for managing anxiety day to day. They’re not a replacement for professional help, but they can give you ideas, education, or a sense of connection.
If anxiety is affecting your daily life, you can find support in Leeds or speak to your GP.
Spot something that’s not on this list? We’d love to hear from you.
Apps for anxiety and wellbeing
These apps offer practical tools such as breathing exercises, mood tracking and CBT-based strategies.
- Breathe2Relax – teaches diaphragmatic breathing to help reduce stress and calm the nervous system.
- Catch It – helps you notice and challenge unhelpful thoughts linked to anxiety.
- Daylio – a mood tracker to help you spot patterns in how you feel and what affects your wellbeing.
- Luma (formerly Worry Tree) – supports you to manage worry by separating anxious thoughts from practical problems.
- MindShift CBT – designed specifically for anxiety, stress and worry, using CBT-based tools and exercises.
- SAM (Self-help for Anxiety Management) – offers self-help techniques to understand and manage anxiety.
- Wysa – guided self-help with CBT-informed exercises and emotional support.
Online communities and support platforms
These are safe online spaces where you can connect with others and share experiences.
- Side by Side – Mind’s online community, where you can talk about your mental health and connect with people who understand.
- Togetherall – a moderated online peer support platform available 24/7.
Other helpful resources
National information and support
- Anxiety UK – charity offering information, resources and support for people living with anxiety.
- Every Mind Matters – practical NHS tips and tools for managing anxiety, stress and sleep.
- NHS.uk – anxiety, fear and panic – official NHS guidance on symptoms and treatment options.
- Royal College of Psychiatrists – anxiety – clear clinical information about anxiety and how it’s treated.
- No Panic – What is anxiety? – explains anxiety and panic in everyday language.
- The Mental Health Foundation – How to overcome fear and anxiety – evidence-informed advice and coping strategies.
Self-help guides and tools
- Book of Cope – an illustrated guide with simple coping ideas for stressful or overwhelming times.
- Living Life to the Full – structured self-help resources and learning sessions to support mental wellbeing.
- MindWell’s sensory comfort kit – practical ideas to engage your senses when anxiety feels intense.
- Moodjuice self-help guide to anxiety – CBT-informed worksheets and explanations.
- Northumberland Tyne and Wear NHS Foundation Trust self-help leaflet – explore the online bookcase to find the anxiety leaflet.
- Reading Well Books on Prescription – recommended self-help books you can borrow from local libraries.
Self help books people often find useful
Some of these books explore trauma or difficult experiences. Take your time, and choose what feels right for you.
- Overcoming Anxiety by Helen Kennerley – straightforward CBT strategies you can try chapter by chapter.
- Mind Over Mood by Dennis Greenberger & Christine A. Padesky – practical workbook for spotting and shifting unhelpful thoughts.
- The Happiness Trap by Russ Harris – gentle introduction to Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT).
- The Mindful Way Through Anxiety by Susan M. Orsillo & Lizabeth Roemer – combines mindfulness and evidence-based strategies.
- The Anxiety and Worry Workbook by David A. Clark & Aaron T. Beck – CBT workbook with practical exercises.
- Attached by Amir Levine & Rachel Heller – explores how attachment styles shape relationships.
- The Body Keeps the Score by Bessel van der Kolk – how trauma affects the mind and body.
- Self-Compassion by Kristin Neff – practices for treating yourself kindly, especially in difficult times.
- The Internal Family Systems Workbook by David C. Simpson & Richard C. Schwartz – practical exercises for internal parts work.
- What Happened to You? by Bruce D. Perry & Oprah Winfrey – conversations about resilience, trauma and how experiences shape us.
- It Didn’t Start With You by Mark Wolynn – exploring inherited and family trauma that may influence how we feel.
Available from Leeds Libraries
Some of these books may be available through Leeds Libraries’ Reading Well Books on Prescription scheme. You can check stock and reserve titles via your local library.
Apps and online tools can support everyday anxiety, but they’re not a replacement for professional care. If your anxiety feels overwhelming, long-lasting, or is getting in the way of daily life, consider speaking to your GP or accessing NHS Talking Therapies in Leeds.
Last updated: February 2026