Mobile Apps for ADHD Management

ADHD can have wide-reaching effects on daily life for both children and adults.

Dozens of mobile health apps aim to address different aspects of living with ADHD. This includes apps that help monitor ADHD and mental health directly, as well as those that help with focus, reminders, productivity, stress, and sleep.

This article briefly describes some popular apps (for iOS and Android) for ADHD. 

Some apps help people track or manage ADHD symptoms, such as:

• Inflow: This app is designed around cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT). It helps patients learn how ADHD affects them uniquely and guides them in implementing relevant skills. Preliminary research
  
  

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   suggests it may help improve ADHD symptoms and impairments. There is also an in-app community for peer support.

• EndeavorOTC: EndeavourOTC aims to improve attention for adults with ADHD via game-based practice. A prescription version, called EndeavorRs, is also available for children. Though the main functions of both versions are similar.
• Clarity: Clarity uses journaling and chat functions to help you practice principles of CBT and other therapeutic models, like mindfulness, dialectical behavior therapy, and acceptance and commitment therapy.

Medication reminder apps, such as Medisafe, Theraview, and EveryDose, can also help patients remember to take any medications they use on schedule.

Apps take a range of approaches to support focus. Some may block other distracting functions on your device, while others may help with timers, tailored music, and focus tracking.

• Focus@will: This app uses customized music selections to improve focus and productivity. It is based on the concept of streamlined music.
• FocusTree: FocusTree blocks access to distracting apps, while also offering flashcards, Pomodoro timers, and a streak tracker you can share with friends, with goals and rewards.
• Freedom: Freedom allows you to set a weekly schedule of times you want to block your internet access on certain apps. You can sync multiple devices to share the same schedule.
• Brick: This involves purchasing the Brick app and near-field communication (NFC) device. After scanning the NFC device with your phone, the app blocks other distracting functions and notifications. Access can only be restored by scanning the NFC again, adding a physical barrier to unblocking distractions.

As well as helping maintain focus while working, focus apps and timers may also help block distractions around sleep time.

The following apps are examples of tools that may help people with ADHD manage self-care, daily responsibilities, and

• Trello: Trello holds to-do lists and calendars that you can tailor with labels, different visual presentations, and due dates.
• Mint: Mint is an app for money management. It helps people keep track of accounts and manage cash flow and bills. It uses encryption and multi-factor authentication for safety. 
• RescueTime: This app is a time management tool that improves awareness of time with reports of online activities and distractions. It also lets you set time management goals and tracks your progress.
• Todoist: The Todoist app consistently shows up on lists of helpful apps for people with ADHD, particularly college students. It is a digital task manager and to-do list. It lets you sort tasks and set productivity goals that it tracks.
• Evernote: This app is a type of digital filing system. It uses tagging and sorting features to help you find anything you have saved, from websites to photos to notes. While people end up loving this app, it can take time and tutorials to get the most out of it.

Here are brief summaries of some popular ADHD apps for children with ADHD:

• NeuroNation: The NeuroNation app was developed by scientists at the German Health Ministry. While not specific to ADHD, it may be useful for older children and teens to practice memory, logical thinking, and attention skills.
• Bugs and Buttons: Bugs and Buttons involves games aimed at young children, but it can be used by any child with ADHD for education or help honing cognitive skills and critical thinking. Importantly, this app has a strict privacy policy and does not collect any data.
• EndeavorRx: EndeavorRx is a prescription medical app that targets key areas of the brain involved in attention. It is intended for children 8 to 12 years old with ADHD. A free trial is available, but the app costs $99 for a 30-day prescription. Insurance may cover the cost, and it is FSA/HSA eligible. A 2023 meta-analysis reported that digital therapeutic apps, including EndeavorRx were more effective than control at improving hyperactivity and impulsivity in children and adolescents.
• myHomework: myHomework is a planner designed to help students track assignments, tests, and projects. It includes due date reminders and can be synced across multiple devices.
• Breathe, Think, Do!: This app helps children learn Sesame Street’s “Breathe, Think, Do” strategy for problem-solving, stress responses, and planning.

Numerous other apps for children target specific tasks and skills, such as time management, reading, and even tooth brushing. Examples include:

Many operating systems have in-built automation and assistant apps that can provide free alternatives to third-party apps. Examples include automation tools like “Shortcuts” for iOS and “Modes and Routines” on Samsung devices, or voice assistants like Siri, Google Assistant, and Bixby.

Phone users can search tutorials on how to tailor these functions to their needs. Examples include:

• using voice-activated services to quickly set reminders or alarms that might otherwise feel difficult to set or write out
• setting recurring calendar invitations labeled with medication reminders
• setting automations like:
  • turning wifi and data off when arriving at a library
  • opening a grocery list when you arrive at your usual supermarket
  • setting permanent timers that start as soon as you open a specific app
  • setting your phone to turn to black and white mode at times you know you should be focusing or sleeping

Apps and other digital tools can have some limitations, affecting their suitability for different patients. When recommending apps, try to consider these drawbacks or warn your patients:

• Many apps require payment, which not all patients may be able or willing to make.
• Many apps do not have strong scientific evidence behind their claims.
• Some people with ADHD may find that using a device, such as a smartphone, exacerbates inattention symptoms.
• People with ADHD may find it hard to stay consistent with the required user input or remember to use the app.
• Apps may delay or distract from other important ADHD management, such as keeping up to date with medication, using social support, and keeping in contact with medical professionals.
• Apps will have different policies on sharing and exporting information, and some may cause privacy and security concerns. Make sure to check whether apps:
  • share their information with a third-party company
  • use location tracking
  • securely encrypts sensitive health or payment information

If your patient isn’t able or willing to pay for an app, many similar free versions of focus, distraction blocking, and organizational apps are available.

ADHD apps can be useful tools that some patients may find useful. Different options include apps with medication reminders, CBT-based mindfulness or journaling prompts, and focus and productivity tools.

However, apps may not be the right answer for everyone, as they may require payment, cause other distractions, or raise security and privacy concerns. Consider them as one resource in an overall ADHD management plan.