10 Essential Tips for Using Mental Health Apps Without Falling for Misinformation

The mental health apps market is booming, thanks to the increasing proliferation of AI. Thousands of apps now promise relief from anxiety, depression, stress, and more, with the industry as a whole reaching an estimated $8.4 billion in value in 2025.¹ 

Over 122 million Americans live in areas with mental health professional shortages. So these apps could help to fill the gaps between therapy sessions or serve as a vital first step towards getting care.² 

Having said that, the sheer volume of apps can also make it hard to separate the helpful tools from the misleading ones. Current research indicates that fewer than 1% of these apps have been clinically validated, with many being developed without any input at all from mental health professionals.³ 

To help you better understand which apps could be beneficial and those that may be misleading, this article will explore: 

• How to evaluate whether a mental health app is backed by real evidence
• Red flags that could be a sign of misinformation or misleading claims
• Privacy and data concerns everyone should understand
• When apps help and when professional treatment is the better path
• Best practices for mental health apps for different age groups

Why Mental Health Apps Require a Critical Eye

Not all digital mental health tools are created equally, and the gap between what’s marketed and what’s proven can be wide. 

One 2025 review in World Psychiatry found that negative effects from mental health apps can range from mild frustrations to more serious outcomes like symptom increases and even suicidal ideation. Further, clinical trials involving people with severe mental illnesses have reported adverse effects from app use as high as 20%.⁴ 

Part of the issue is that the Food and Drug Administration takes a largely hands-off approach to regulating most mental health apps.⁵ Unlike medications or licensed therapists, these technology-based tools don’t need to prove they work before reaching the public. This leaves the responsibility of discerning credible apps from harmful ones largely on the person using them. 

Your privacy is also a concern. The FTC has taken enforcement actions against several major platforms, such as BetterHelp and Cerebral, for sharing sensitive health data with third-party advertisers without clear user consent.⁶ 

The FTC’s updated Health Breach Notification Rule, which took effect in the summer of 2024, now explicitly covers mental health apps. Therefore, it requires developers to notify users when their data is improperly disclosed. Still, many apps lack clear privacy policies altogether. 

These risks don’t mean that all apps are useless, though. Research-based mental health apps grounded in approaches like CBT have shown meaningful benefits for depression and anxiety symptoms across multiple clinical trials.⁷ The key is knowing how to tell the difference between what can help and what could make things worse. 

10 Tips For Using Mental Health Apps Safely

These guidelines for evaluating digital therapy apps apply whether you’re exploring mood trackers, meditation tools, AI chatbots, or structured therapy programs. Each tip is intended to help you get the most out of digital mental health tools and protect yourself from misinformation and privacy risks. 

1. Check Who Built the App – and Why

Look for apps developed with input from licensed mental health professionals or academic institutions. The American Psychological Association’s Evaluation Model recommends researching the developer’s clinical team, institutional affiliations, and advisory board before downloading and using the app.⁸ 

If you can’t find any of the information about who created the clinical content, that might be a red flag. 

2. Look for Published Evidence of All Claims

Many apps claim to be “evidence-based” because they reference established therapeutic modalities like cognitive-behavioral therapy or mindfulness practices. But this is not the same as having their own clinical evidence. 

One 2025 systematic review found that while apps for anxiety and depression using CBT-based approaches generally show positive outcomes, the effectiveness of mental health apps varies greatly depending on the product. 

Search for the app’s name in PubMed or Google Scholar to see if it has been studied independently. 

3. Read the Privacy Policy Before Using

In today’s modern world, privacy matters more than most people realize. One study found that 41% of mental health apps had no privacy policy at all, and among those that did, many failed to disclose data sharing with advertisers.⁹ 

Look for specific language about third-party data sharing, advertising, and whether or not your private information could be sold by the developer or company. 

4. Go With Apps That Are Transparent About Your Data

Beyond the privacy policy, look at how the app handles your day-to-day information. Does it ask for permissions on your smartphone that it doesn’t need, like access to your contacts or your location?

Mental health app safety depends on data minimization, meaning the app should only collect what it actually needs to function properly. Any apps that request excessive permissions are likely to be monetizing your personal information. 

5. Be Skeptical of Any Apps That Promise a Quick Fix

Trustworthy mental health resources online don’t promise to cure your anxiety in one week or eliminate depression with a single technique. Mental health treatment is nuanced and always unique to the person, and any app suggesting otherwise is likely prioritizing marketing over efficacy. 

A legitimate app frames itself as a tool to support your progress over time, and not an instant solution to your problems. 

6. Know the Limitations of Mental Health Apps

Even the best digital therapy and self-help apps have boundaries. Apps work very well for skill-building, mood tracking, guided exercise, and supplemental professional care. They’re not equipped to handle psychiatric emergencies, complex trauma, or conditions requiring medication management. 

Recognizing the limitations of mental health apps can help you use them for what they’re good at without trying to rely on them for what they can’t do. 

7. Remember the App Is a Supplement, Not a Replacement for Treatment

Research consistently shows that evidence-based mental health tools are most effective when combined with professional treatment.¹⁰ Think of them as a place to practice your new skills, track patterns in your thinking patterns and behavior, and stay engaged with your mental health goals. And this always works best as part of a broader treatment plan with a professional.

8. Be On the Lookout for Harmful and Inaccurate AI-based Content

AI-based chatbots are increasingly common within mental health apps, but many of them still rely on scripted decision trees instead of sound, validated clinical rationales. Some apps have even given users inaccurate or harmful responses to people struggling with suicidal thoughts. 

If an app uses a chatbot, test it with simple scenarios first and never rely on it during a crisis. In an emergency, calling 911, going to your nearest emergency room, or the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline are always safer options. 

9. Make Sure the App Is Appropriate for the User

Mental health apps for adults and teens often require different approaches, content, and safety features. 

Apps designed for younger users should include age-appropriate content, parental controls or transparency features, and crisis resources. A 2025 study on provider perspectives found that privacy and safety concerns are especially important when apps are used by teenagers at risk for self-harm.¹¹ 

So make sure any app you’re considering is designed for the age group that will be using it. 

10. Talk to Your Doctor or Therapist About It

Without a doubt, the best way to use mental health apps responsibly is to ask a professional. Therapists, social workers, psychologists, and psychiatrists can recommend mental health apps for stress, anxiety, and depression that align with your goals and have a credible evidence base to back them up. They can also flag any apps that might conflict with your current treatment plan or contain misleading information. 

If you don’t have a provider, the APA’s App Advisor database offers evaluated reviews that apply clinical criteria to several popular apps. 

Find Evidence-Based Care at A Mission For Michael

If you don’t have a provider and need more than an app can offer, AMFM’s treatment programs provide structured, empathic care for conditions like depression, anxiety, PTSD, and personality disorders.

Our programs utilize therapies like CBT, DBT, EMDR, family therapy, and more, always designed specifically to your needs. Our admissions team can also verify your insurance benefits and walk you through your coverage options. 

Call us today to get started. 

Frequently Asked Questions About Mental Health Apps and Misinformation

It’s natural to have many questions about mental health apps if you’re considering using them for improving your wellbeing. With so many available apps, people have a range of commonly asked questions about their effectiveness and data policies. So, to help, we’ve provided the following answers to some of these. 

Are Mental Health Apps Regulated by the FDA?

No, most of them are not. However, the FTC’s updated Health Breach Notification Rule now requires them to notify you when your data has been improperly shared. However, this addresses a privacy concern and not clinical quality. On the whole, the responsibility of evaluating an app’s safety and effectiveness still falls on the user. 

How Can I Tell if an App Is Evidence-Based?

Many apps claim to use clinically proven methods, but that might not refer to the actual design and implementation of the app itself. 

Be sure to check out the app and its developers online, and if no independent research exists, that doesn’t necessarily mean the app is harmful. But it likely does mean its claims have not been rigorously tested. 

Do Apps Share My Data With Advertisers?

Some of them definitely do. The FTC has penalized several major platforms for disclosing sensitive health information to third-party advertisers without adequately informing the user. 

Before entering any personal information, make sure you read the privacy policy and look for any language about third-party sharing, advertising use, and data sales. 

Can a Mental Health App Replace Therapy?

Even the most effective evidence-based mental health tools are designed to support professional care, not to replace it. Apps can be valuable for several things, but they can’t be a substitute for working with a licensed clinician or team. 

If you’re experiencing symptoms that get in the way of daily life, professional treatment remains the gold standard – contact AMFM today to find out how we can help. 

References

1. Fortune Business Insights (n.d.). Mental Health Apps Market Size, Share & Global Report [2034] https://www.fortunebusinessinsights.com/mental-health-apps-market-109012
2. Rolling Out. (2025, December 18). Hidden risks of using mental health apps revealed. https://rollingout.com/2025/12/18/mental-health-apps-expose-privacy-risks/
3. Gill, H., Hippman, C., Hanft-Robert, S., Nugent, L., Nováček, O., Kamel, M. M., Ryan, D., Demlová, R., Krausz, M., & Tabi, K. (2025). Recommendations for mobile apps for mental health treatment: Qualitative interviews with psychiatrists. SAGE Digital Health. https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/20552076251325951 
4. Torous, J., Linardon, J., Goldberg, S. B., Sun, S., Bell, I., Nicholas, J., Hassan, L., Hua, Y., Milton, A., & Firth, J. (2025). The evolving field of digital mental health: current evidence and implementation issues for smartphone apps, generative artificial intelligence, and virtual reality. World Psychiatry, 24(2), 156–174. https://doi.org/10.1002/wps.21299 
5. American Psychiatric Association. (n.d.). Mental health apps. Retrieved February 18, 2026, from https://www.psychiatry.org/psychiatrists/practice/mental-health-apps 
6. Perkins, C. (2024). Privacy law recap 2024: Regulatory enforcement. https://perkinscoie.com/insights/update/privacy-law-recap-2024-regulatory-enforcement
7. Linardon, J., Torous, J., Firth, J., Cuijpers, P., Messer, M., & Fuller-Tyszkiewicz, M. (2024). Current evidence on the efficacy of mental health smartphone apps for symptoms of depression and anxiety. A meta-analysis of 176 randomized controlled trials. World Psychiatry : Official Journal of the World Psychiatric Association (WPA), 23(1), 139–149. https://doi.org/10.1002/wps.21183 
8. American Psychiatric Association. (n.d.). The app evaluation model. Retrieved February 18, 2026, from https://www.psychiatry.org/psychiatrists/practice/mental-health-apps/the-app-evaluation-model
9. Agarwal, S., Jalan, M., Wilcox, H. C., Sharma, R., Hill, R., Pantalone, E., Thrul, J., Rainey, J. C., & Robinson, K. A. (2022). Evaluation of mental health mobile applications (Technical Brief No. 41). Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality. https://effectivehealthcare.ahrq.gov/sites/default/files/product/pdf/mental-health-mobile-apps-tech-brief.pdf
10. Koh, J., Q Tng, G. Y., & Hartanto, A. (2022). Potential and Pitfalls of Mobile Mental Health Apps in Traditional Treatment: An Umbrella Review. Journal of Personalized Medicine, 12(9), 1376. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC9505389/
11. Lynch, F., Cavese, J., Fulton, L., Vuckovic, N., & Brent, D. (2025). Provider perspectives on the use of mental health apps, and the BritePath app in particular, with adolescents at risk for suicidal behavior: Qualitative study. JMIR Human Factors, 12, e64867. https://humanfactors.jmir.org/2025/1/e64867