Noom Mood Review: My Experience and What Experts Have to Say About the App

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Usually I’d feel dubious toward a neatly packaged health app to address mental wellbeing. However, after great success with Noom’s weight loss program, my first response to Noom Mood was intrigue rather than skepticism. But what is Noom Mood? I initially thought of it like an expansion pack to Noom, with bonus content that applies the same Noom-esque formula: Evidence-based approaches to psychology. However, instead of focusing on how psychology and emotions affect our diet and nutrition, Noom Mood is more laser-focused on the usefulness and mechanisms of our emotions themselves. And after three weeks of using Noom Mood, I can say I felt better. The program gave me empowering tools that have allowed me to act more as a patient observer of my day-to-day emotions rather than feel like a captive victim to them.

Personal experience aside, I also reached out to licensed therapists who could lend their expert insight into the stress-relief program: its benefits, techniques and key takeaways. I’ll go over everything I learned in this Noom Mood review, both firsthand and from expert psychologists familiar with the program.

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What is Noom Mood?

“The Noom Mood app was designed to improve mental well-being and mood regulation by leveraging [cognitive-behavioral therapy] CBT principles,” says Ryan Sultán, MD, assistant professor of clinical Psychiatry at Columbia University and Medical Director of Integrative Psych in New York City.

CBT, a type of psychotherapy, aims to curb or halt harmful actions and upsetting feelings through the heightened awareness and mindful application of one’s thoughts.

Noom Mood guides you through the principles of CBT over the course of daily mini-lessons. Simultaneously, you’ll log your mood and practice various stress reduction and emotional awareness tools. All these features come wrapped in an easy to navigate app, which you can access on your phone or tablet. You can also opt to work with a Noom coach as a personal touch. The coach will check in with you periodically over the app’s messaging platform. You can also reach out to the coach, and will usually get a response within 24 hours.

How Noom Mood Works

Similar to Noom Weight, Noom Mood takes an informal but academic approach: “The app provides daily lessons and exercises that help users identify, understand and change their thought patterns, which can lead to improved mood and overall mental well-being,” Sultán says, noting that there are many such apps on the market.

A few others include Talkspace, Headspace and Happify. Compared to others, the Noom Mood program’s signature is its easy-peasy user experience; thoughtfully bite-sized pace so you can’t burn out fast and early; and use of academic best practices, such as periodic quizzes to “consolidate” information.

Here are a few of the topics you’ll see covered early on in your daily lessons:

• Physiological sources of stress
• The cognitive behavioral therapy triangle (thoughts, feelings, behaviors)
• Creating space for self-care
• The behavior chain
• The relationship between the breath and parasympathetic nervous system
• The mind-body connection
• Creating boundaries
• The emotion wheel

You can then practically apply those lessons through the app’s smorgasbord of tools. Some of the tools you’ll first be introduced to include the following:

• Meditation
• The grounding technique
• Guided breathing

Getting Started With Noom Mood

Before getting started, note that active Noom weight loss users cannot use Noom Mood. The Noom Mood interface shares the same app as Noom Weight, so there’s only room for one journey of the mind (or body) at a time. Each program is reasonably zippy—you could complete the two programs back-to-back within 32 weeks. But again, it’ll have to be consecutively rather than concurrently.

However, whether you’re switching from Noom to Noom Mood or starting fresh with the brand, the sign-up journey begins in one of two places: On the Noom website or on the app. iPhone users can find Noom in the Apple App Store and Android users can locate it in the Google Play Store.

You’ll select what you’re looking to gain from the program—although perhaps what you’re looking to lose is the better term. Noom Mood is all about helping you shed something, from stressful feelings to a proclivity for angry outbursts. From there, Noom Mood asks you to provide your assigned sex (to account for hormonal effects on brain chemistry), gender identity, age range, a self-assessment of your stress levels and history and approaches to dealing with stress.

Based on your answers, Noom will furnish a personal timeline to roughly predict the program’s impact on improving your mood. The prediction is drawn from data logged by customers with similar levels of stress, per your responses.

Next, Noom will give a brief primer on CBT, the primary therapeutic technique employed by the app, and ask you to further self-report how you process stress and the sources of your stressors. Finally, Noom concludes by allowing you to select a special trial price (any number you want) for the program’s first week, which ranges from $0.50 to $17.27. After the trial week, you’ll be charged $149 for a four-month plan by default, which covers the duration of the 16-week program.

The Pros of Noom Mood

Lauren Cook-McKay is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT) and an executive at Divorce Answers. Cook-McKay has tried Noom Mood and recommends the program to patients. “There is a need for apps like this,” she says. “The step-by-step guide is helpful, especially for patients who are not good with follow-through.”

“The Noom Mood App can be a great tool for those under copious amounts of stress,” says Lea McMahon, LPC, Ed.D., Chief Clinical Officer at Symetria Recovery. She also recommends Noom Mood as an after-care tool for patients. “Noom is a resource that we use for our patients in recovery, particularly those that need some help managing anxiety and stress.” Overall, she says the app’s mindfulness exercises and “emphasis on mental wellness advocacy” are both highly effective.

One of the primary pros of Noom Mood is straightforward: better self-awareness. That’s a simple concept but one that can be difficult to embrace, as Cook-McKay notes, without the nudges of an external force. And self-awareness alone can “significantly promote emotional well-being,” Sultán says.

Taking the time to slow down and analyze your mood can help you reclaim your sense of autonomy: “This knowledge is empowering because it provides insight into your emotional responses and how they are triggered,” Sultan says. “With this understanding, you can make proactive changes to your behavior or environment to better manage your mood and emotional well-being.”

Plus, learning the principles of CBT can help you far beyond stress management. For example, Noom Mood and other programs that use CBT techniques can be beneficial for those with ADHD, Sultán says. “CBT for ADHD often involves teaching skills related to time management, organization and prioritization,” he says. “The Noom Mood app, with its focus on CBT principles, could potentially be a useful tool in this regard.”

The Cons of Noom Mood

Perhaps the biggest drawback of Noom Mood is the cost, since you could potentially pay less for more comprehensive, personalized mental healthcare by working with a therapist who takes health insurance. Granted, it’s notably difficult to find therapists who accept insurance, however, innovative therapist directory platforms like Headway are making it easier and easier.

The other potential con is the format of lesson modules and quizzes. Why? Because if anything that reminds you of school has you running for the hills, pardon the therapy-speak but Noom Mood may be triggering. Personally I loved being a student, and found gliding through the lessons to be a nostalgic breeze. But my partner for instance, when he was doing Noom Weight, ultimately gave up because he couldn’t bear to do anything with a semblance of a scholastic feel.

And although there are personal coaches on the platform, it’s no substitute for working one-on-one with a therapist; Noom Mood should augment and not replace working with a licensed professional counselor if you have a serious mood or mental disorder.

Can Noom Mood Help With Athletic Performance?

Can Noom Mood help an athlete under a great amount of stress? Certainly, says Cook-McKay: “Athletes often face the pressure to perform as they deal with intense competition and the need to win and balance various demands on their professional and personal life,” she says. “The app has programs that focus on explaining psychological principles, coping mechanisms and building resilience, which can assist athletes in managing and reducing stress.”

Sultán agrees, noting the physiological effects of stress and depression: “Depression can affect energy levels and concentration, while stress and anxiety can consume your attention,” he says. “These mental health challenges can create significant barriers to optimal athletic performance.” Applying the principles of CBT through an app like Noom Mood “is a proven way to help athletes overcome these mental barriers,” he adds.

Related: Best Ashwagandha Supplements for Stress Relief

The CBT Techniques Used by Noom Mood Explained

The app kicks off by explaining how and why CBT can help manage daily stress and anxiety, Cook-McKay says. “It gives you a 15-minute ‘Create Space’ activity encouraging users to spend this time phone-free and do some me-time,” she says. “This promotes self-care, and the subsequent practice of writing down thoughts, whether positive or negative.”

Creating self-awareness around patterns and triggers is one of the key first steps in a CBT regimen.

The next big step is learning to reframe your thoughts with a renewed and shifted focus, says Cook-McKay. Sounds easy, right? Of course, we all know behavior change is anything but, which is why most anyone can benefit from tools like Noom Mood. However, people who get the most out of CBT will be those who struggle with an abundance of thought distortions—a heavily trafficked concept in CBT. One of the earliest thought distortions addressed in Noom is “should” statements, for example.

My Experience Using Noom Mood

Although I had success with Noom’s CBT-forward approach for weight management, I came into Noom Mood pretty ambivalent. Would this off-shoot sincerely have much else to offer? The answer: Yes. After only two weeks I emerged a believer. As someone prone to shame-spiraling, I loved the positive, friendly tone of the app. There’s no “throw the book at you” tone or tough love to be found in this app whatsoever; only compassion. The lessons are even shorter and more digestible than Noom’s weight loss program, so opening the app never feels remotely daunting. Instead, I looked forward each time, even re-reading lessons I had bookmarked when I “ran out” for the day.

I was much further from perfect (again, not that there will be any judgment or scolding from the app) when it came to practicing the “weekly tool.” But even so, I would find myself wandering around the garden with racing thoughts and think, “This is a perfect place for a sensory grounding exercise.” That’s right. I literally stopped to smell the roses because of Noom Mood. I also liked that if you logged a low daily mood, the app thanked you for your courage of candor. And although the line wasn’t a steady climb up, I did ultimately see an improvement in my mood over time.

Noom Mood FAQs

How Do I Get The Noom Mood App?

Android users can download the Noom app from the Google Play Store, and iOS users can find Noom in the Apple App Store.

Does Noom Have Counseling?

I wouldn’t call what Noom offers “counseling,” per se. The coach is a neat tool for a personal touch and accountability tool, but I’d describe the role as more akin to a cheerleader than a counselor.

What Is The Difference Between Noom Mood And Noom Weight?

Both programs apply the principles of evidence-based psychology and CBT. However, Noom Weight is a weight loss program, while Noom Mood is a program to promote stress management and improve mood. You cannot use both programs at the same time. If you want to use a different weight loss program while also using Noom Mood, we covered some of our favorite options in an article.

What Is The Noom Mental Wellness Course?

Not to be confused with the complete Noom Mood program, the Noom Mental Wellness Course is an add-on offering within the Noom weight loss app.

Final Thoughts on Noom Mood

Sultán says one of the best things about tools like the Noom Mood app that use CBT principles is how beneficial they can be for such a wide range of people. “They can help improve mood regulation, enhance self-awareness and provide strategies to overcome mental health challenges that can impact daily life and performance,” he says.

That has certainly been my personal experience with Noom Mood thus far. More important though, Noom Mood gave me a renewed sense of feeling like I was enough, but still capable of living a happier life without feeling shamed or bullied into adopting a certain mentality. I look forward to further developing healthy habits and being more present and in touch with my emotions as I ride out the rest of the 16-week journey with Noom Mood.

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