Patients' Experiences of Using a Self-help App for Posttraumatic Stress Disorder: Qualitative Study.

The findings in this study revealed that emotional arousal influenced the use of the app and that it was difficult for participants to establish a habit of using the app, thus reflecting the importance of supporting habit formation when implementing an mHealth app in mental health care services. This study makes an important contribution to the field of mHealth research, as it revealed that some participants had negative experiences resulting from using the app, thus reflecting the potential harm of having an mHealth app without the support of a clinician. It is therefore recommended to use a blended care treatment or an approach in which mental health care professionals prescribe an mHealth app for relevant patients to avoid increased suicidal risk.