The Mayo Clinic is releasing an app for Apple iPhones, iPads and iPod Touch called Anxiety Coach. The self-help tool helps people reduce a variety of fears and worries ranging from extreme shyness to obsessions and compulsions. Unlike other self-help apps, Mayo Clinic Anxiety Coach helps people conquer their fears by guiding them through a series of confidence-building exercises while simultaneously tracking anxiety levels in real time and gauging their progress. The app is designed for people with any level of anxiety. The strategies used in Anxiety Coach are based on cognitive behavioral therapy. Research has demonstrated that this approach can be more effective for anxiety than other approaches that rely on teaching people to relax.
