Dramatic growth in mental-health apps has created a risky industry
Something I really worry about with these apps is that they now have a financial incentive to find more people with mental health issues.<p>Mental health issues <i>can</i> spread socially: <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Social_contagion" rel="nofollow">https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Social_contagion</a><p>There is a term used in a theraputic setting called catastrophizing: <a href="https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/basics/catastrophizing" rel="nofollow">https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/basics/catastrophizing</a><p>I worry that these apps <i>encourage</i> people to catastrophize things, which is good for their profits, and bad for the mental health of their customers.  I find it difficult to imagine a scenario where one of these app makers doesn't find a mental health issue that you need help with (and to pay them for).  That sort of "diagnoses" <i>can</i> cause you to <i>develop</i> the disorder that they have diagnosed you with.<p>It's an extremely treacherous situation.