How Mental Health Apps Are Messing With Our Brains
Even before you download an app to help you meditate or deal with depression, it speaks to you. App marketing often implies that everyday stress should be viewed as a mental health problem and that you yourself (with the app, of course) can fix whatever is wrong with you.
These messages continued to appear in 61 appendices that were reviewed in a recent study by Lisa Parker of the University of Sydney. I talked to her about what some of these messages are and why they are problematic.
You are on your own
The mere existence of applications means that you and the application can solve your problems together. This will double if the app is recommended by your therapist or doctor.
But social support is extremely important – having a support network can help you better manage your mental health, and you may also need professional help. Most of the apps are silent about this, Parker said. Meanwhile, the reasons why you have mental health problems may have something to do with factors in your life that you cannot fully control. There is a fine line between focusing on what you can control and feeling badly that you have failed to control what you cannot control.
You are also on your own when it comes to determining if an application is right for you at all, but how are you supposed to know? For example, Pacifica states: “We make no representations or warranties as to the accuracy, completeness, or suitability for any purpose of [our] recommendations.” So all responsibility lies with you. That’s a lot for those looking for help.
Not everything is a mental health problem
We all have stress and frustration in our lives. If you have mental health problems, these stresses can aggravate or trigger your symptoms – for example, a deadline can trigger a panic attack or an afternoon of unfocused anxiety. (Ask me how I know.) But that doesn’t mean anyone who’s worried about timing is mentally ill.
Some of the applications reviewed in the study described mental health problems in terms of everyday problems, such as feeling tired or irritated. Some have assumed that you are in trouble if you are not always happy and positive. Others have defined mental health problems in such a way as not to be successful in some area of life, such as in school or in relationships.
None of this is a symptom of mental illness except as part of a larger picture. For example, if you are so depressed that you cannot do your homework, then you will definitely fall behind in school.
The constant talk about the “risk” of mental illness is also potentially problematic. “This message worries me,” says Parker, because it gives the impression that people are fragile. You are not going to accidentally get a mental illness just because you have not used the app.
People in apps may not be like you
Apps make assumptions about their users. While mental health concerns transcend race, class, and more, most apps seemed to assume their users were white, middle-class, working, and loving family members. “Even in things as simple as the mindfulness app, they show white people with families going to the orchestra,” says Parker.
It’s okay if you fit this profile, but many people don’t. If you’re in a marginalized group to begin with, scrolling through all of these apps can make you feel even more alone. And if you’re faced with serious stresses such as poverty or homelessness, your life can be very different from idyllic images in apps.
Apps want you to keep using the app
Some apps include a test to help you determine if you have a medical condition that the app can help with. Parker is wary of this because they are likely to be biased about what will force you to use the app. If you don’t have a problem, you may be wasting your time. And if you really have a serious problem, you can postpone treatment because you hope the app will help.
Apps also want you to interact with them a lot. Maybe every day (or multiple times a day) there are reminders to check. Maybe they will end up making you feel bad about not sticking to your program. Even if the app is useful, it may not be worth the time and effort spent on it.
How to find the least bad apps
There are no hard and fast rules that lead you to the right application. There may not be a perfect application for you, so few that none of the applications currently available have been tested to see if they improve the mental health of the users.
If you need to use the app, Parker says, it helps you learn about the messages they send so you can spot them and ask questions, rather than letting them seep in and make you feel discouraged. She recommends watching out for privacy issues, tracking ads, or subscriptions you forget to cancel. Decide what you’re trying to get out of the app – say, meditation tracks to help you relax – and choose an app that does just that.
The American Psychiatric Association has guidelines for evaluating mental health apps , but it is intended for therapists and is a little vague. You should do some preliminary research as to whether the company is one that you are comfortable doing business with; carefully study the privacy policy; determine if there is any evidence that it actually works; and then consider if it is easy to use and if the data from the patient can be passed on to the therapist.
Unfortunately, this is not an easy task. How do I know what to worry about in the privacy policy? Do you really know if the creator of the app is trustworthy? And by the way, almost none of the apps you can download have an evidence base to determine if they work.
So we’re kind of on our own – just when we shouldn’t be. Personally, I find that meditation apps can be helpful when I need to relax, so I will continue to use them but pay more attention to the messages they send. Not all mental health apps are automatically bad (especially if yours comes from a therapist), but it’s important to notice what they tell you and not take messages for granted.