• Home
  • Mental Health
  • Depression
  • Meditation
  • Stress Disorders
  • Anxiety
  • Mental Illness
  • Contact Us
No Result
View All Result
Natural Element
  • Home
  • Mental Health
  • Depression
  • Meditation
  • Stress Disorders
  • Anxiety
  • Mental Illness
  • Contact Us
No Result
View All Result
Natural Element
No Result
View All Result

How to Choose a Mental Health App

August 4, 2022


With therapists in high demand and long waiting lists that make it challenging to find a provider, using a mental health app might seem like a tempting and relatively inexpensive way to get help.

These apps claim to help with issues as varied as addiction, sleeplessness, anxiety and schizophrenia, often by using tools like games, therapy chatbots or mood-tracking diaries. But most are unregulated. Although some are considered useful and safe, others may have shaky (or nonexistent) privacy policies and a lack of high-quality research demonstrating that the apps live up to their marketing claims.

Stephen Schueller, the executive director of One Mind PsyberGuide, a nonprofit project that reviews mental health apps, said the lack of regulation has created a “Wild West,” that was exacerbated when the Food and Drug Administration loosened its requirements for digital psychiatry products in 2020.

It is difficult to pinpoint the exact number of mental health apps available, but one estimate from 2017 said there were at least 10,000 available for download. And these digital products are becoming a lucrative business. At the end of last year, Deloitte Global predicted that worldwide spending on mobile mental health applications would reach close to $500 million in 2022.

So how do you make an informed decision about whether to add one to your phone? We asked several experts for guidance.

Who might benefit from a mental health app?

In general, mental health apps can help people gain insights into how their thoughts, feelings and actions interact with each other, said Dr. John Torous, the director of the digital psychiatry division at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center. They can also help facilitate the skills that patients learn during therapy, he added.

Dr. Stephanie Collier, the director of education in the geriatric psychiatry division at McLean Hospital, noted that mental health apps “can work nicely alongside physical activity goals, such as step counters” because exercise can help reduce anxiety and depressive symptoms.

“Similarly,” she said, “apps that teach skills such as deep breathing can be helpful to anyone experiencing stress — whether stress is the result of an anxiety disorder or just circumstances.”

For some people, however, apps are not a great fit.

Apps work best when people are motivated and have mild illness, Dr. Collier said. “People with moderate or severe depression may not have sufficient motivation because of their illness to complete modules on a mobile app.”

Can mental health apps become a substitute for therapy?

No, and especially not if you have impairing symptoms.

“These are not stand-alone treatments,” Dr. Collier said. “But they can be effective when used in tandem with therapy.”

Ideally, mental health apps teach skills or provide education, said Vaile Wright, the senior director of health care innovation at the American Psychological Association.

“It could be this opening to thinking about ‘Maybe I should seek out some more professional help,’” she said.

Dr. Torous offers his patients a free app called MindLAMP, which he created to augment their mental health treatments. It tracks people’s sleep patterns, physical activities and changes in symptoms; it can also customize the “homework” that therapists give their patients.

Have these apps been screened by a regulatory agency?

For the most part, no. The Food and Drug Administration regulates a small subset of apps that provide treatment or diagnosis, or are associated with regulated medical devices. But most mental wellness apps are not subject to government oversight.

Thus, some apps make unsubstantiated marketing claims, experts warn, or even worse, offer inaccurate and potentially harmful information.

“The number of products far outstrips the research evidence that’s out there,” said Dr. Schueller, who is also a clinical psychologist and associate professor at the University of California, Irvine. “Unfortunately a lot of the research that exists in this area is done internally by companies,” he added, rather than unbiased outside groups.

In addition, there is no requirement that all wellness apps conform to the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act, known as HIPAA, which governs the privacy of a patient’s health records.

In a recent paper, Dr. Torous and his colleagues examined regulatory gaps in digital health apps, revealing various problems that could arise, such as inaccurate phone numbers for suicide crisis help lines. The paper also highlighted an earlier study that found 29 of the 36 top-ranked apps for depression and smoking cessation shared user data to Facebook or Google, but only 12 accurately disclosed this in their privacy policies.

And in March, a study concluded that an app created to help those with schizophrenia performed no better than a placebo (in this case, a digital countdown timer).

“All these apps claiming to be effective in early or preliminary or feasibility studies likely need to study themselves with higher quality science,” Dr. Torous said.

Lastly, just because an app is popular in the online marketplace doesn’t mean that it is going to be safer or more effective.

How do you go about choosing one?

“As a clinician who has used apps in care for well over five years, it was always tricky to understand what apps to match to patients,” Dr. Torous said. “You really have to think about how we can respect people’s individual backgrounds, preferences and needs.”

Instead of looking for the “best app,” or the one with the most ratings, try to make an informed decision about which app would be the best match for you, he added.

One place to start researching is the website Mind Apps, which was created by clinicians at Beth Israel Lahey Health in Massachusetts. It has reviewed more than 600 apps and is updated every six months. Reviewers look at factors like cost, security and privacy concerns and whether the app is supported by research.

Another website, One Mind PsyberGuide, evaluates health apps for credibility, user experience and transparency of privacy practices. The project, which is affiliated with the University of California, Irvine, has more than 200 apps in its database, and each is reviewed annually.

What should you look for in an app’s privacy policy?

Although MindApps and One Mind Psyberguide both present an overview of an app’s privacy policy, you may want to dig into the specifics yourself.

Look at what kinds of information it collects, its security measures and whether it sells information to third parties or uses information for advertisements, Dr. Collier said.

According to a 2019 study, fewer than half of mobile apps for depression even have a privacy policy, and most privacy policies are provided only after users enter their data.

“It’s no wonder that some people have reservations about using mobile apps like this when you don’t know if or how your data is being used,” said the lead author of the study, Kristen O’Loughlin, a graduate research assistant at the Virginia Commonwealth University School of Medicine.

Choose your app based on the information available and your own comfort level with disclosing personal information, she added.

Which apps are reputable?

The answer to this question may depend on whom you ask. But all of the experts spoke highly of the mental wellness apps developed by the federal government, like PTSD Coach; Mindfulness Coach; and CPT Coach, which is for people who are practicing cognitive processing therapy with a professional mental health care provider.

These apps are not only well studied but also free, with no hidden costs. They have excellent privacy policies and state that personal information will never be shared with a third party.

In addition to those apps, Dr. Collier recommends:

  • Breathe2Relax (an app designed by an agency in the U.S. Department of Defense to teach belly breathing)

  • Virtual Hope Box (an app produced by the Defense Health Agency that offers support in emotional regulation and stress reduction)

    For more suggestions, check out this list of apps on the University of California, San Francisco’s psychiatry and behavioral sciences department website. The list, which was created in consultation with Dr. Schueller, includes several free options.



Source_link

Share120Tweet75Share30

Related Posts

I Want to Die: What to Do With These Thoughts
Meditation

I Want to Die: What to Do With These Thoughts

March 28, 2023

According to WHO statistics, suicide is the 4th leading cause of death globally among persons aged 15 to 29. As a result, if the thought of “I want to die” has ever crossed your mind, you aren’t alone. But...

More adventures with artificial intelligence
Meditation

More adventures with artificial intelligence

March 25, 2023

Recently I shared a conversation I had with ChatGPT, a supposed Artificial Intelligence. ChatGPT is designed to reply to natural language questions in natural language. It does precisely that, using a vast body of information it’s been fed. When...

Sleep and the Immune System
Meditation

Sleep and the Immune System

March 23, 2023

March 22, 2023 When you don’t get enough sleep, it’s hard to show up as your best self. But did you know that you’re more likely to get sick too? Aside from the unpleasant experience of sleep deprivation, numerous...

A Life Hack For Leaders
Meditation

A Life Hack For Leaders

March 22, 2023

The following is written by Mark W. Clark, MS, CNP and originally published on Nonprofit Leadership Alliance. Mark is a retired police officer and currently the Executive Director for a nonprofit education foundation in Pennsylvania. Prior to that, he...

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Categories

  • Anxiety (536)
  • Depression (157)
  • Meditation (251)
  • Mental Health (595)
  • Mental Illness (385)
  • Sound Therapy (2)
  • Stress Disorders (277)

Popular

  • Stress Level Of Americans Is Rising Rapidly In 2022, New Study Finds

    Stress Level Of Americans Is Rising Rapidly In 2022, New Study Finds

    302 shares
    Share 121 Tweet 76
  • How Stress Affects Your Vision

    302 shares
    Share 121 Tweet 76
  • 4 signs of burnout in your teen– and how to help them through it

    302 shares
    Share 121 Tweet 76
  • Helpful Resources During Suicide Prevention Month 2022 – My Brain’s Not Broken

    302 shares
    Share 121 Tweet 76
  • Anxiety Success Stories – Revealing Podcast Interview With Marcos Codas

    301 shares
    Share 120 Tweet 75

  • Home
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • Disclaimer
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms & Conditions

Copyright © 2022 Naturalele.com | All Rights Reserved.

No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • Mental Health
  • Depression
  • Meditation
  • Stress Disorders
  • Anxiety
  • Mental Illness
  • Contact Us
What Are Cookies
We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. By clicking “Accept All”, you consent to the use of ALL the cookies. However, you may visit "Cookie Settings" to provide a controlled consent.
Cookie SettingsAccept All
Manage consent

Privacy Overview

This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience.
Necessary
Always Enabled
Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. These cookies ensure basic functionalities and security features of the website, anonymously.
CookieDurationDescription
cookielawinfo-checkbox-analytics11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Analytics".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-functional11 monthsThe cookie is set by GDPR cookie consent to record the user consent for the cookies in the category "Functional".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-necessary11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookies is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Necessary".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-others11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Other.
cookielawinfo-checkbox-performance11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Performance".
viewed_cookie_policy11 monthsThe cookie is set by the GDPR Cookie Consent plugin and is used to store whether or not user has consented to the use of cookies. It does not store any personal data.
Functional
Functional cookies help to perform certain functionalities like sharing the content of the website on social media platforms, collect feedbacks, and other third-party features.
Performance
Performance cookies are used to understand and analyze the key performance indexes of the website which helps in delivering a better user experience for the visitors.
Analytics
Analytical cookies are used to understand how visitors interact with the website. These cookies help provide information on metrics the number of visitors, bounce rate, traffic source, etc.
Advertisement
Advertisement cookies are used to provide visitors with relevant ads and marketing campaigns. These cookies track visitors across websites and collect information to provide customized ads.
Others
Other uncategorized cookies are those that are being analyzed and have not been classified into a category as yet.
SAVE & ACCEPT