There are hundreds of iPhone apps that make our lives more convenient, fun, and even enlightened and enriched. At the same time, it’s all too easy to get caught up in the temptation of using (and abusing) several potentially addictive apps that could prove bad for your mental health and well-being.
“Apps are not in and of themselves dangerous,” says Robert Weiss, LCSW, CSAT-S, a senior vice president of National Clinical Development for Elements Behavioral Health and author of Out of the Dog House: A Step-by-Step Relationship Saving Guy for Men Caught Cheating. “Most people can use most apps without problems, just as most people are able to have a cocktail without problems. That said, some people will struggle with certain apps. Usually, these folks are the people who are vulnerable to addictions and other psychological issues in a general way, thanks to a combination of genetics, unresolved early-life trauma, and general life circumstances. As for potentially problematic apps, pretty much any app that leads a person to a pleasurable behavior could become problematic.”
These 6 common apps are at the top of Weiss’ be careful list--->
[Photo: Shutterstock]
Hookup apps
Whether you are already married or in a committed relationship or not, hookup apps (like Grindr, Tinder, Skout, Ashley Madison, etc.) can make it a breeze to fly through partners and treat them like they are expendable. Using them can hurt the relationships you have and negatively change your attitude about love and dating.
[Photo: iTunes]
Porn apps
If you become addicted to porn sites it also becomes very easy to believe real sex should live up to what you’re seeing on your screen. The result: losing interest in actual sex or feeling let down by your sex life.
[Photo: Android]
Social Media apps
Are you obsessed with "likes" or comparing yourself to other people (both strangers and friends) when you use social media apps? If signing out of Facebook usually leaves you feeling deflated or like you don't add up, it may be time to step out from behind the computer screen and into the real world so that you can interact with actual people — flaws and all.
[Photo: iTunes]
Shopping apps
If you don't have control over your spending habits, the click of one button could spell debt for years. Shopping sites make it too simple to blow away your money on items you wouldn't ordinarily buy. Play it safe by keeping to a list of needs and either visiting physical stores or, at the very least, making it more difficult on yourself to purchase online by not saving your credit card information on the site.
[Photo: iTunes]
Gambling apps
It's one thing to enjoy a few games of poker or to try your luck on the slots when you're in Vegas. It's quite another to spend all of your free time gambling online. If you feel you have a gambling problem stay off of these sites — and seek help.
[Photo: iTunes]
Sexting apps
Sexting apps allow you to send a sext and allow it to tittilate your partner, with the promise that it will self-destruct in seconds and will never be traced again. If you’re using these to spice up your relationship, by all means, continue. But if you’re using them to assist with cheating, that can be an obvious problem.
[Photo: iTunes]
