How People Integrate Mental Health Apps Into Everyday Self-Care: Qualitative Study.

Abstract

Background: Mobile mental health (MH) apps are increasingly promoted as tools for self-care. However, less is known about how users integrate them into everyday life and how they combine with other forms of support.

Objective: This qualitative study examined what motivates individuals to adopt MH apps and how these tools are used alongside other care practices.

Methods: We conducted semistructured interviews with 31 Czech MH app users aged 18-56 (23 women), recruited through social media, researchers' networks, and snowball sampling. Eligible participants had used an MH app for at least 2 weeks; individuals currently experiencing a psychological crisis were excluded. Interviews were conducted online or face-to-face and analyzed using reflexive thematic analysis by Braun and Clarke. The analysis was inductive and informed by a critical realist epistemological stance. Initial analytic engagement was conducted independently, followed by collaborative theme development and refinement.

Results: We identified the following three motivational patterns for MH app use: (1) regular use to maintain well-being and support preventive self-care; (2) reactive use during periods of acute distress; and (3) temporary, problem-focused use aimed at understanding or addressing a specific difficulty. Beyond motivations for adoption, our findings revealed the following four distinct trajectories of app engagement and disengagement: (1) emancipation, with apps acting as ongoing support for self-care when therapy is reduced or ended; (2) independence, as techniques learned through apps are transferred into everyday life and used without the app; (3) reliance, where users persist with app-based self-care despite insufficient benefit, occasionally delaying or limiting other forms of help; and (4) episodic use, characterized by intermittent engagement during specific life periods. These findings extend existing research by showing that disengagement is not necessarily a marker of failure but can reflect successful self-care and the transfer of learned skills. We also identified tensions and unintended consequences, including the burden of sustaining engagement, risks of overreliance, emotional costs associated with sustained self-monitoring, and tensions between digital self-care and efforts to reduce screen use. Participants generally viewed self-monitoring as beneficial when guided by clear personal goals and embedded within a broader system of self-care.

Conclusions: Our findings suggest that appropriate disengagement can signal a successful step in self-care. App design and policy should acknowledge episodic use and strengthen connections to human support with clear guidance and accessible pathways to additional care when needed.