Should You Use Eating Disorder Apps?A Guide to Pros, Cons, and Choosing the Right One
ide to Pros, Cons, and Choosing the Right One
In today’s digital world, there’s an app for nearly everything—including recovery from eating disorders. From meal tracking to mindfulness, emotion regulation to peer support, eating disorder recovery apps are increasingly used as complements to professional care or tools for self-guided healing.
But do they help? Are they safe? And how do you choose the right one?
This post explores the benefits, limitations, and considerations of using eating disorder apps, helping you make an informed decision based on your needs and recovery goals.
The Rise of Recovery-Focused Apps
With barriers like limited access to care, long waitlists, and stigma, many individuals turn to digital mental health tools to support their eating disorder recovery. Popular apps include:
Recovery Record
Rise Up + Recover
MindShift CBT
Eat Breathe Thrive
NOCD (for co-occurring OCD)
Flowly (for somatic tracking and nervous system regulation)
Meal Support apps (e.g., Breakroom, Mealtime)
These apps vary in focus—from tracking meals and emotions, to providing guided coping strategies, to connecting users with communities or therapists.
Potential Benefits of Eating Disorder Apps
1. Increased Access to Support
Apps offer a portable, low-cost, and private way to engage with recovery tools—especially for individuals:
Living in remote areas
Waiting for treatment
Facing financial or insurance barriers
Seeking between-session support
2. Tracking Patterns and Triggers
Apps like Recovery Record allow users to log:
Meals and snacks
Thoughts and feelings
Urges and behaviors
Coping skills used
This self-monitoring can increase self-awareness, reveal patterns, and help therapists tailor interventions.
3. Enhancing Therapy
Many apps are designed to be used alongside professional care. For example, some allow therapists to review client logs, assign goals, and monitor progress in real-time.
This promotes collaboration and continues therapeutic momentum between sessions.
4. Access to Coping Tools and Education
Many apps include:
Mindfulness and grounding exercises
Cognitive restructuring tools
Body image resources
Psychoeducation on nutrition and emotions
These tools can help users practice emotion regulation, body acceptance, and skill-building.
5. Peer Connection and Normalization
Some platforms offer anonymous forums or moderated communities where users can share experiences and receive encouragement. Feeling less alone can be a powerful motivator in recovery.
Potential Drawbacks and Concerns
1. Risk of Obsessive Tracking
While self-monitoring can be useful, for some individuals, it may reinforce obsession, rigidity, or perfectionism—especially if the app focuses heavily on behavior logging.
Over-monitoring can:
Increase anxiety
Trigger compulsive thoughts
Shift focus away from emotional healing
2. Not a Substitute for Treatment
Eating disorder apps are not a replacement for professional therapy, medical care, or nutritional support. Some users may mistakenly rely on an app alone when more intensive treatment is needed.
Recovery apps work best when used as a supplement, not a sole solution.
3. Privacy and Data Security
Mental health apps collect sensitive data. Not all are HIPAA-compliant or transparent about:
How your data is stored
Whether it’s shared with third parties
How it’s protected from breaches
Always review an app’s privacy policy before entering personal health information.
4. Community Risks
While peer support can be healing, unmoderated forums may expose users to:
Diet talk or triggering content
Comparisons and competition
Misinformation
Apps should have clear community guidelines and moderation to protect vulnerable users.
5. Not All Apps Are Evidence-Based
Many apps claim to support mental health but are not backed by research, developed with clinical oversight, or updated regularly. Choose apps that are:
Created or endorsed by clinicians or researchers
Cited in peer-reviewed studies
Transparent about their methodology and purpose
What to Look for in a Recovery App
To choose an effective, safe, and supportive app, consider the following:
Feature Why It Matters Evidence-based content Reflects current clinical best practices User privacy & data security Ensures confidentiality and trust Customizable settings Meets your unique recovery needs Minimal triggering language Promotes safety and emotional regulation Integrated with therapy Enhances—not replaces—clinical care Skill-building tools Helps with distress tolerance, mindfulness, etc. Regular updates and support Ensures ongoing relevance and usability
Apps Commonly Used in Recovery (and Their Features)
App Name Key Features Best For Recovery Record Meal logging, mood tracking, therapist sharing Those in treatment or structured recovery Rise Up + Recover CBT-based tools, journaling, progress tracking Self-guided users with support MindShift CBT Anxiety tools, cognitive restructuring Co-occurring anxiety disorders Eat Breathe Thrive Body image resources, mindful eating tools Body acceptance and embodiment NOCD ERP-based therapy for OCD (often comorbid with EDs) Individuals with OCD + ED
When to Seek Professional Help Instead
An app may not be appropriate if you:
Are experiencing rapid physical decline
Engage in life-threatening behaviors (e.g., purging, restriction, overexercise)
Have suicidal ideation or severe co-occurring disorders
Feel increasingly isolated, depressed, or hopeless despite using an app
In these cases, seek evaluation from a licensed eating disorder professional. Apps can support—but not replace—the depth of care needed for complex, chronic, or medically unstable cases.
Final Thought
Eating disorder recovery apps can be helpful tools—when used intentionally, ethically, and as part of a larger recovery plan. They are most effective when paired with professional support, grounded in evidence, and used to empower—not control—your healing journey.
In the end, no app can replace the power of human connection, attuned care, or your own internal wisdom. Use technology to support your recovery—but never let it silence your voice, your needs, or your growth.
References
Bardus, M., et al. (2016). Apps for weight loss: A content analysis of behavior change techniques. Journal of Medical Internet Research, 18(6), e120.
Levinson, C. A., Fewell, L., & Brosof, L. C. (2017). My Fitness Pal calorie tracker usage in the eating disorders. Eating Behaviors, 27, 14–16.
Fairburn, C. G. (2008). Cognitive Behavior Therapy and Eating Disorders. Guilford Press.
Torous, J., et al. (2020). Clinical review of user engagement with mental health smartphone apps. Evidence-Based Mental Health, 23(3), 116–119.
American Psychiatric Association (2019). App Evaluation Model. https://www.psychiatry.org
