ETHICAL UX PATTERNS: BUILDING TRUST WITHOUT MANIPULATION

Summary from the TLDR Design newsletter

Mental health apps often use engagement tactics from the attention economy, but these manipulative design patterns can exploit vulnerable users and undermine the trust essential for therapeutic effectiveness. Standard engagement techniques like streaks and notifications that work for general apps can cause harm when applied to users managing depression, anxiety, or PTSD. The challenge is designing for consistent usage while building genuine therapeutic relationships rather than addictive behaviors that contradict mental health goals.