As smartphone usage continues to grow, fitness trackers and mental health apps could be doing more harm than good. Many users claim to be overwhelmed with the amount of intrusive notifications they receive and find little time to switch off. With smartphone use being linked with increased levels of depression and anxiety, the growing culture of health and wellbeing apps seems like a contradiction. With digital apps being marketed as a simple aid for physical and mental health concerns, practical questions around these claims must be considered.

Recent studies show that the global health and wellness market is worth over $4 trillion. Thanks to the development of sophisticated digital technology, this industry has grown at a rapid rate, and shows no sign of slowing down.

Although digital technologies have helped us connect, access information about our health, reach out for support, and bring people together – health and wellbeing applications are designed to keep users engaged; enabling a company to sustain its activity. However, this may not be the best for the user. Large scale corporations may favour profit over user wellbeing, meaning that smartphone apps are constructed to be addictive.

The natural human desire to pursue happiness can branded and sold via digital technologies, promising users the opportunity to make positive and healthy changes to their everyday lives. In theory, this could be a constructive and beneficial service, but in reality, many people have suffered from using such apps.

Maria (23) is a former user of the popular weight-loss app MyFitnessPal. She noted that the constant tracking of her food intake quickly became an unhealthy addiction:

“When I first downloaded MyFitnessPal, I was really excited to keep track of my daily calorie intake and lose a bit of holiday weight but quickly found myself unable to consume anything without knowing its exact nutritional information. This made everyday life a nightmare, where I just couldn’t switch off from the numbers inside of my head.”

Those using wellness apps also noted how the constant use of their phones became all-consuming.

With our phones being bombarded with a continuous flow of notifications each day, making time to switch off is important. Seeking solace in health and wellness apps may be a way to achieve mindfulness for some, however it seems ironic that the marketed solution to modern-day problems lies within our phones, often the source of the problem itself. To make sure that you are looking after yourself, give yourself time away from the buzzing urgency of social media, eat well, and sleep regular hours. Keeping track of this via a digital aid can be useful, but keep in mind that apps aren’t always the simple solution that they market themselves to be.