Mello
introducing Mello: a smartphone app treating youth depression and anxiety
Mello is a ground-breaking smartphone app designed to address 'stuck thinking' associated with depression and anxiety.
Developed by researchers, psychologists and technology experts alongside young people, Mello works by addressing the root cause of anxiety and depression: repetitive negative thinking, or 'stuck thinking.'
This kind of unhelpful thinking pattern - which is also known as worry and rumination and involves going over and over negative thoughts in your mind - has been identified by research as a major mechanism driving symptoms of anxiety and depression.
1.3 million young Australians are affected by mental ill-health each year. Reducing stuck thinking is crucial to achieving a better quality of life for them.
How it works
Mello empowers users to manage their mental health proactively by using practical, science-backed techniques such as Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), and Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT).
The app provides evidence-based activities that offer in-the-moment relief from negative thoughts, while also building skills to break the cycle of negative thinking long term.
Users can track their mood and receive tailored therapy activity recommendations through regular check-ins and access a range of evidence-based therapy activities to improve their mental wellbeing by recognizing and breaking the cycle of stuck thinking.
What the research says
In a recent randomised controlled trial, young people with clinical levels of depression and/or anxiety and problems with repetitive negative thinking used the app for six weeks and the results were compared to a control group.
The Mello group showed greater improvements in depression, anxiety, repetitive negative thinking and wellbeing than the control group.
The study found that:
- 82% of Mello users experienced less anxiety
- 79% were less depressed, and
- 83% had less repetitive negative thinking.
After using Mello, one in three young people no longer had clinically significant depression, and one in four no longer had clinically significant anxiety.
mello is available to download now!
Mello is free to download from the Apple and Android stores.
You can learn more about Mello by visiting our website mello.org.au
Orygen Digital is committed to keeping user data safe, and the app's Terms of Service and Privacy Policy are available in the Mello app.
Get involved
Interested in getting involved with Mello and other Orygen Digital projects?
We’re always on the lookout for young people with different mental health experiences who might be interested in working with us across a range of projects.
Let us know by filling out your details on this page.
Project lead: Dr Imogen Bell
For more information: contact Dr Imogen Bell at [email protected] or the Mello app team at [email protected]