Experiences and implications of smartphone apps for depression and anxiety

Abstract

Apps on smartphones are increasingly used for self-care for depression and anxiety, yet how and why they are accessed, and their social effects, remain underinvestigated. Sociologists have begun to theorise how these technologies affect and relate; crucial questions for a contemporary sociology of health. This study seeks to contribute to our conceptualisation of how digital health technologies are implicated in health by investigating the motivations, experiences and relations of people using mobile apps for depression or anxiety. We interviewed 14 individuals living in England with a diagnosis of depression or an anxiety disorder, who used smartphone apps as part of self-care. Analysis followed a thematic approach. Three themes were identified. Apps exist within relational contextsalongside smartphones, beliefs about mental health and other supportwhich shape app use and lead to an imprecise, casual approach. People engage with apps in a straightforward and uncomplicated manner, leading to immediate symptomatic alleviation, but to limited longer term benefit. The contradiction between the apps' promise as tools of individual empowerment, with their ability to promote responsibilising frameworks that restrain users' reflexivity, is central to their implications. Apps can thus contribute to isolation from interpersonal support and promote reductionist biomedical conceptualisations of mental ill health.Note 1 Forthwith 'apps' refers to applications on smartphones that people consider be used for depression and/or anxiety.

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“…49 Um estudo sobre a prevalência de uso de Apps para monitoramento da SM entre veteranos de guerra 41 indica que as percepções dos usuários sobre o App é favorável, e os provedores recomendam o uso como possibilidade de acesso para melhorar o envolvimento do paciente; e outro sobre Apps para ansiedade e depressão na perspectiva de compreender motivações, experiências e relações das pessoas que os utilizaram, mostrou que diminui o isolamento, melhora o suporte interpessoal e reduz conceitualizações biomédicas reducionistas sobre problemas de SM. 29,53 Os estudos concluem que esses Apps são utilizados no dia a dia da população e são bem aceitos, porém, os autores destacam que se deve levar em conta as experiências dos usuários para garantir sua real eficácia, considerando que uma mesma intervenção pode ser compreendida como benéfica a um usuário e negativa para outro. Esses achados se somam à literatura emergente que mostra que esses App podem desempenhar um papel importante no tratamento da população.…”