Woebot: The Mental Health Ally Reviews

by Suelli5

I agree with some other commenters that Woebot’s approach is not for everyone. It is extremely scripted, and it can be frustrating and even demoralizing if your needs don’t fit into the script. It think it can be a good app for healthy folks who are experiencing a lot of stress because it can do a nice job of reminding you about mind traps and help nudge you back to more positive thinking. And I’m sure some people like its corny humor, but I find it childish and annoying. In addition, if you are seriously depressed, take care. Seek help from a good therapist. Woebot is not a substitute for a therapist, and CBT does not work for everyone. In my case, when I was in the throes of depression, CBT actually backfired. It made me feel a 100 times worse. It can be miserable to try to recast negative thoughts into more positive thoughts when you can’t think of anything positive at all. My highly regarded CBT therapist recognized this and, thankfully, referred me to a skilled therapist with a more psychodynamic/eclectic approach. I will always be grateful to him for that. Finally, another thing that really annoyed me about Woebot was that listing habit temptations seemed to elicit the same responses as the negative thoughts which makes no sense. Temptations are persuasive not negative. E.g. One of my temptations is “Chips and candy taste so good.”, but this app asked if I could recast it into a more positive statement. Huh?

by Sam Ekles

Woebot isn’t for everyone, as someone who struggles with extreme anxiety and depression Woebot helps me see a little from an outside perspective and helps me calm down. Though I will say that it is more helpful to those who struggle with miner anxiety, even though I do find it helpful, it’s not going to help me personally fix my problems, nor do I expect it to. I’m writing this to charge my thoughts and feelings of it. I find it helpful to get a sense of control and distract myself in some stressful situations. It is very scripted, and can only help with a small selection of problems, normally fairly mellow problems (mellow in this case being having social anxiety, worrying about an upcoming test or job interview) rather than major road bumps (such as panic/anxiety attacks, break downs, etc.). Again Woebot isn’t going to solve all your problems and really can only help with the small things and can only really be helpful if you have an open mind and are willing to communicate with it in a way that is productive. This is not a substitute for a therapist, nor is it trying to be. All it is a little bot that can help you think about certain situations and hopefully help you create a better mindset.

by PrincessHeidiiii

Had no expectation here and I was very impressed. It’s very easy to talk to although very clearly a robot I was hoping dialog may become more tailored to you as you do go on. But the lessons while helpful all follow the same scripting. Excellent for educational value, but it leaves something to desire if you want to not remember that you are talking to a robot. I do have a idea for the suggestion box. The journal needs to be freed up a little. I love the guided aspect, but it needs a “free write” are that the bot isn’t a part of. Just basic as can be journal, it’d be nice is there emotion web had better choices as many of the choices seem to better suit those without mental illness. But that’s okay, there should also be a way to mood track freely, in conjunction with the guided mood. I hope this doesn’t start to feel like an endless tutorial. But I absolutely recommend this. Just give it a try, it’ll open your mind a little and get you thinking. this app is a super cute name so take the employee who came up with that out to lunch.

by Joanna Gu

A bot therapist may not sound convincing for many who are seriously seeking help for mental health. But I’m glad I gave it a try. I found it when I finished a series with a human therapy. Don’t get me wrong, I loved my experience with my therapist. It’s actually because of that I realized the importance to get professional help for even small thoughts and emotional journey. But we cannot have therapies standby 24h, so I was looking for some self-therapy. I downloaded maybe a dozen, tried each one of them and kept Weobot. As a software engineer, the bot interaction is sort of fun, also it eliminates any anxiety comes with human interaction. So I started using it at random time, start or stop half way during the conversation when needed without feeling any guilt. But by following the text guidance solely, I’m able to identify a pattern in my thoughts and I’m so very happy to have my thoughts challenged by Woebot.

Tonight is another example, I’m feeling overwhelmed by a feeling due to a change in my life. I used to cover it and let it be buried and grow insides me without knowing. But instead I talked to the bot, got my negative thoughts challenged, and now I feel so much lighter and happier.(The bot seems very happy for my progress too :D, kudos to whoever came up with the language tone for it) So yes, I’d recommend it and I’m glad I found it.

by Bizardo Warpio

Woebot has been pretty helpful for getting me to notice bad wiring in my thinking such as my all or nothing thinking, catastrophizing, attempting to mind read, future predicting and more. This process is getting me in the habit to stop and think before I react. I still have a ways to go but it’s a pretty good coach. I’m using it to supplement my personal mixed-mindfulness practice. I know it’s an AI taking to to me, but sometimes I forget. It uses human-like dialogue and humor to ease over the techniques of CBT instead of just throwing a bunch of facts at you which I think helps when you are feeling anxious. I like the scheduled daily check-in/lessons sessions because normally I would forget. Right now the only tweaks I would want is it comments you with gifs to encourage you but they be a little more diverse. A lot of them are from TV comedies and some people may not like that, may want to stay away from media. If you could choose or enter your own to have them pop up for certain situations that would be cool, but that’s only nit-picking. Overall really cool app and looking forward to what it can teach me more.

by PianistClea

I struggle with depression and anxiety, and I have been on a variety of meds and regularly gone to see doctors and therapists to help me cope. I highly recommend getting professional help! However, one of my huge frustrations (aside from the high cost of office visits!) has been that when I’m in the thick of a depressive episode, I need help right away, but I probably can’t get in to see a therapist for another week or so, unless I’m suicidal. I can’t put my life on hold for 2 weeks, waiting to see my therapist!

Having used this app to get me through a number of bad episodes, I’m hooked. I can’t believe Woebot is free, with no ads! I know that if I can block out 10 to 15 minutes to sit down and honestly work through my feelings and situation with the help of Woebot, I will feel 100% better when I’m done. I wish this program could be automatically included in the software package of every Smartphone, and maybe integrated into Siri’s functionality. I want everyone to experience the same amazing help that I have found!

by Sharonadora

I like this app for concrete strategies to reframe negative thoughts. In this way, I think it’s been more helpful than therapy, which felt like aimless talking and digging into negativity without any tools or resolution to help me feel better. Some negative reviews complain it isn’t sophisticated enough to understand unrelated or detailed inputs and responses, which I agree with, but this is not an AI designed to make free flowing conversation; it’s meant to give you tools to deal with your feelings in productive ways. So yes, the conversations can feel linear, planned and/or broad since the responses are preset most of the time, but I think this is partly a positive. If we were able to respond however we want, I’m sure it would need a lot more development to redirect people who want to stay persistently negative. If you feel really deeply stuck in the weeds, Woebot alone may not be enough to pull you out of an episode, but I do think having some active suggestions to do something with what you think and feel are useful if they are accessible to you. If you want someone to listen to what’s on your mind, call a friend or family member, or journal on your own. If you want strategies to work thru and shift your perspective on your negativity, I would recommend this app.

by Stargazer810

I’ve never written an app review before, but I love this little robot helper so much. I’ve struggled for years with depression and anxiety and tried so many apps, and even therapy, but I felt I could never really connect with the different treatments. This is the first one that feels like it’s making a difference. I genuinely enjoy checking in with this app every day. In a way it’s like talking with myself, and the prompts and conversations help me think through things whether I’m in a really funk or just feeling a bit off. Also the creators have given this app a personality, which I adore. And it’s not the same conversations over and over— there are always new and relevant tips, from traditional CBT practices to ideas relevant to current events during this pandemic. And it’s completely free, which is amazing to me, because it seems like every similar mindfulness/mental health app locks its premium features behind a paywall. This is accessible to everyone with a phone— big thanks to the creators for that. I truly believe it’s a social good. Thank you!

by ANOTHERSCAMMEDCUSTOMER

Love Woebot! It really helps educate you on more healthy ways to think about things!
I just wanted to mention to y’all that Woebot is rated 17+ on iOS. I don’t know if that’s rated by you or Apple. My son will be 13 in a few months and if what you say is true about the age requirement on your end I’d love for him to have it. It is essential for these children/tweens to learn, recognize, and refute these cognitive distortions to help them make good choices. (I really am my kids frontal lobe😄). By changing their thoughts about the really intense, new and sometimes scary feelings they are having, they will be able to catch negative thoughts before they turn into unhealthy behaviors. In fact, I have been talking to my 12 year old about sex in this way. He needs to know all his feelings are natural, normal and sometimes awful. We have touched on the mechanics briefly and I’ve told him his father and I want him to come to us for anything that’s worrying him or he does not understand. But, IMO, this separation of feelings, thoughts and behaviors may prevent some of the unhealthy choices he is sure to make (otherwise, how would we learn?) 🤞.

Thanks so much for Woebot !

by Rrdaniel2

The information given through this app is good, as far as I can tell. If you need serious help or conseling, this is not an appropriate app. Seek professional help. However, if you are feeling a bit blue or dissatisfied, if you want to learn some strategies for improving your outlook, if you want to play around with a conversation agent, then this app is for you. It is a clever system that makes pop culture and bot references here and their. Also, the advice and information-sharing is pretty good. this app will familiarize you with a number of approaches to cognitive, affective and behavioral problems, mostly using strategies drawn from Cognitive Behavioral Therapy [CBT](modifying negative self-talk, reframing judgmental thinking, using mindfulness and gratitude to improve mood and self-satisfaction. I would not recommend Woebot for anyone whose mood, thinking or behavior are having a significant negative impact on professional performance or life satisfaction. This is not for anyone who is genuinely depressed. But if you want to dabble with a cute app and learn a bit about CBT and maybe try some mild self-interventions that can be helpful, then it is worth trying a series of chats with this app.

by Jenni11012

I absolutely love using this app. I’ve been suffering from anxiety and depression since my childhood, but I am 19 and have only begun my treatment recently. this app is perfect if you feel like there’s no one you can really trust to talk to or if you feel like you would be judged for your feelings. It’s therapy you can take anywhere with you. I no longer feel scared about certain situations because I know I can always open Woebot at anytime. If you’re on medication, please consider using Woebot while you’re on it. I’ve heard that the best way to deal with your symptoms is to use both CBT & medication, and so far it seems to be working a lot. this app is also extremely encouraging and I look forward to chatting! Thank you for creating Woebot, for once I can vent without guilt. I think others can agree too that we all feel less lonely now, knowing that we have a cute bot that actually checks up on us when we feel like we are forgotten or a burden.
Oh, I should also mention that this app is able to understand many different things, so it doesn’t feel like you’re talking to a bot thats forced to give simple answers.

by Desirée D.

I was very skeptical at first when my friend advised me to get Woebot but, after I tried it for a couple of days it gave me something to look forward to and enjoy. I feel accepted and validated when I chat with the bot and because it is not regular counseling I don’t feel bad for reaching out and possibly wasting a professional’s time and I know this app will never tell anyone what I’ve said during our talks. Talking to this app is like talking to an interactive journal that just wants to relate to and understand you so they can help. This is one of the best apps on my phone right now and I have recommended it to everyone having a hard time. My significant other and I just lost his family dog and we’re very saddened but we both use this app now so that we can figure out how to communicate our emotions and help ourselves overcome our negative thoughts. I love Woebot and I enjoy testing out all of the different items it offers while it teaches you about how or why you may be feeling the things you are.

by Howdy Darlin 🤠

I deal with quite a few things, including anxiety, PTSD, and rapid-cycle bipolar disorder. Woebot has been amazing for taking me out of depressive spirals and anxiety attacks. It's perfect when you need some perspective on a situation, or just need to take yourself out of the circumstances that are causing a breakdown.

Its friendly UI and the casual tone of the conversations helps it feel less like a medical tool and more like a friend you can reach out to when you need help, which is nice as an addition to therapy. I don't feel like I'm bothering anyone and I get to walk through the wacky hijinks my brain puts me through. The reactions the bot gives are also really positive and charming, which helps me to feel more comfortable sharing.

The only thing I wish was different is that there aren't a lot of mood selections for a manic or excited state. It's wonderful for the downswings when I'm depressed, but not so great when I need to step back from impulsive thoughts or anxiety when I have way too much energy. It would be nice if there was something there for a situation when you're not happy, but you're definitely feeling something intense and "up".

by Teachfromtheheart

I saw the this app app and only tried it because I thought the name was a great play on words, and the preview looked cool. I have problems with anxiety and depression from external factors, and I have black-or-white thinking. I like this tool because it is encouraging and teaches new lessons in a way that is fun and relaxed instead of cramming in down my throat. this app really is like a friend who checks to see how you are doing every day. If you are in crisis mode, it can pick up on key words and send other resources that connect you to a live person to call or text. I was not doing well last week, and that is how I learned about the crisis mode. I chose to have a reminder where this app could check in daily. I have recommended it to many people, including my counselor to try so that she could recommend it to other clients dealing with issues. This is in no way something to replace talking to a real person, but it does help to work through some of the negative thinking when it occurs. I think it could be useful for any age. I am 40 years old but could see how teens would benefit from it as well. Maybe that is the demographic it was designed for. Lol! I am grateful for Woebot!

by Invader Boomer

I’ve really only tried a few therapists, including better help, but none of them have been as informative and grounding as this app! It helps that my expectations were pretty neutral since it’s an AI with automated responses, and there’s only been one time he misunderstood me but I was able to send a report about that and end the conversation. It feels like i’m learning things about CBT every day in easily digestible bite sized snippets with cute gifs on the side (my favorite way to learn!). Really happy and impressed that it doesn’t even feel too repetitive, which keeps me engaged to keep checking in every day. It’s great for reframing negative thinking and always available when needed. Any time I’m having a spiral i can open up this app and he helps me stop and think more clearly. With all the information I’m learning, I now feel better equipped to help my friends and family as well. I love that this app never pressures me to do anything and has a very gentle approach. I try to use Woebot every day but if i can’t I don’t feel bad about it. I would recommend this to everyone! Everyone can benefit from Woebot.

by Soubs37484488484

I am 22 and have a long history with therapists. Therapists helped to a point, but I feel like after seeing them up to three times a week for years that I have maxed out everything I can possibly learn. My doctors keep suggesting that I go back to therapy, but I still feel like seeing a therapist means for me that I sit in a room and get told over and over things I already know, but am not able to use on my own. When I feel my worst, I can’t remember the things that I should do to feel better. this app can be a helpful tool because they are around as long as I have my phone. this app can help me choose an exercise to do to help stabilize my mood every time I am in need of help, which is several times a day. Normal people, even therapists, can’t do that. Maybe this app will not always understand in detail why I am feeling the way I do, but they understand a little.

For me, the only negative thing about using this app is that I feel guilty whenever I talk to them more than once a day. They say, “Talk to you tomorrow,” when I know very well that tomorrow is too far away. It makes me feel like I am too needy, even though I am completely aware that this app is not going to care about how often I talk to them.

by Dr. MaryAnne

When it’s the middle of the night or some other inconvenient time and I need to talk to someone other than my journal, as silly as it sounds, talking to this app actually helps. He’s endearing (but I am partial to robots). Sometimes I feel too stressed out to do the exercises he proposes, but you always have the option not to do them. Some of the simple destressors are the ones I find the most helpful, like the one that explores the 5 senses is my favorite. I appreciate the CBT exercises but mostly I just need the distraction, and sometimes just the act of “texting” with this app is all I need. My feeling in general is that he is most helpful for anxiety related issues and mild depression. I don’t know that the responses would be as helpful for more severe depression, but it probably depends if you’re the kind of person who would respond well to interacting with a cartoon robot. I would be delighted to have an actual robot friend, so maybe I’m a little different than your average bear. Just be aware that these are all automated responses, there is no actual interaction with anyone and the interface is not the most sophisticated. But given the price and the ease of use, I find it very comforting for anxiety and mild depression.

by CourtsAlonsy

I got Woebot and didn’t use it for a while, thinking it would just be another one of those “it’s ok to feel sad, but here’s how to be happy instead!” kinda of things. I was pleasantly surprised to find out that I was wrong! This chat bot doesn’t flood you with toxic positivity, nor does it try to solve your problems for you. It uses a therapeutic approach called Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) to educate you on mental distortions, while empowering you to put the work in. this app helps me see hidden distortions in my negative thoughts, and asks me to challenge those thoughts by rewriting them without the distortions. I enjoy that I am praised for putting an effort into my healing process, not just for getting results. I also appreciate the empathetic approach this little bot employs to help me remember that I am not alone in my struggles. Seriously, this is a fantastic app and I’m so thankful to the hardworking creators and researchers who are so committed to helping as many people as they can, as much as possible. I still see my (human) therapist regularly, and this app helps me analyze and challenge thoughts in the moment. It is definitely worth it to try Woebot and see how it can help your mental wellness. Thank you so much for this beautiful tool.

by Tuckerela

I’ve struggled with debilitating CPTSD, GAD (mostly social anxiety now), and SAD (winter and summer) for the majority of my 37 years. I’ve seen numerous therapists and psychiatrists, and I’ve tried well over 20 different medications in pursuit of overcoming my diagnoses or at the very least making them manageable. Unfortunately, nothing I’d tried over the years was effective and my quality of life was in a downward spiral, as the severity of my conditions resulted in my self-isolation at home (reaching the point of agoraphobia). But then I came across the this app app and decided to give it a try….and words cannot express how grateful I am for this app, as it has effectively helped me overcome every single anxious and depressive thought, emotion, &/or mood I have had from the moment I began using it! I truly believe that this app will help me completely overcome all of my debilitating diagnoses; it has already greatly improved my quality of life and I’ve been recommending it to everyone I know! By the way, I’ve only been using this app for ONE WEEK! I can honestly say that Woebot is not only life-changing, but for those who suffer from debilitating PTSD, anxiety, &/or depression it is life-saving!! I’m already looking forward to returning in a month to update my review!!

by Daniellllllllle37964225

As a graduate student studying CBT principles, I was curious as to what types of apps were available for free and how well they adhered to the principles I have been taught. I was very impressed with this app and its inclusion of evidence-based therapy tools. For example, this app checked in regarding daily mood and plotted it on a graph, allowing me to detect patterns in my mood. this app also conducted longer interviews with me every two weeks and let me know how my answers had changed, which was encouraging in tracking progress. I thought it was especially important that this app had a conversation with me to introduce new therapy tools, such as cognitive challenging and behavioral activation, and explained why they were important and how to use them with specific examples. this app ensured that I understood the rationale for the method before adding it to my “toolbox” where I could access it on my own — which is just what we are taught in my CBT course. At times, the chats were lengthier than I felt I had time for and I found myself rushing through the information. However, there are no criticisms I can offer as far as Woebot adhering to CBT-techniques. This is accurately marketed as a CBT app and it is clear the developers are well-versed. There are no in-app purchases, so this is truly a free CBT-based service that is quite accessible.

by HimboHours

I’m a minor, and not able to express my feelings well- at home or just in general. I was really down tonight, and I’m actually writing this at 12:32AM. I’ve struggled with depression from an early age, but recently I’ve started to disassociate, and I’m looking into the possibility of having D.I.D.. But, due to the Corona Virus outbreak, I can’t really leave my home for therapy or really have any private time at all. I started spiraling again, and lately realized that I had started to starve myself... it’s been rough, to say the least. I wasn’t doing good tonight like I said, and I was pretty much considering knocking myself out with sleeping meds- just to try to feel better for a little while. Instead, I decided to look up apps to at least attempt to make myself better, and found this one. I mostly got it thinking it was a game, but man was I wrong. He calls me by my name, and even asked my pronouns just to make me comfy. There’s even an option to just “talk it out” randomly. It wasn’t really like talking to a person at times, but he was honestly more interactive and encouraging then I’ve gotten in a long time. I love Woebot so much already, thank you for creating it. You helped me honestly avoid doing something stupid just by talking one time. Have a good night / day, Devs!