The Daily Valet. - 5/4/22, Wednesday

✔️ Should There Be an App for That?

Wednesday, May 4th Edition

Cory Ohlendorf, Editor in Chief of Valet.

Trail running sounds like it could be a good time. But I fear it would still hurt like regular running.

Cory Ohlendorf , Editor ⋯ @coryohlendorf

Today’s edition is presented by

Today’s Big Story

Mental Health Apps Are Booming

But some are raising concerns about efficacy and privacy

There’s been a boom in mental health and wellness apps as of late. To which, you might say, of course! We all needed as much comfort, calm and therapy as we could handle during the last two years of this pandemic.

But while they’ve been a lifeline for those unable to access in-person services, healthcare advocates are now raising some concerns about their medical practices—everything from privacy to efficacy and a blurring of the line between formal medical treatment and general self-care.

No surprise, where there’s unhappy people there’s money to be made. According to Axios, investors poured $4.4 billion into mental health apps globally in 2021. $1.4 billion has been invested in 2022 thus far, and over 120 startup deals have been made this year alone.

Experts say the apps tend to fall into two camps: those that connect patients to clinicians and those that don’t; instead offering chatbots, mood trackers and guided breathing exercises. There’s also some controversy around apps facing accusations that they are “Adderall mills,” thanks to a pandemic-era waiver that allows companies to prescribe controlled substances online.

Recently, several pharmacies have blocked requests from providers affiliated with Done Health and Cerebral for allegedly overprescribing, and the startup Ahead is shutting down after just three years following similar scrutiny.

That’s serious, but so is the fact that a study found that of 116 apps for depression, fewer than 50% had any privacy policy. What’s more, in 2021 Consumer Reports found that some popular mental health apps were sharing data with Meta (i.e. Facebook and Instagram) and other companies, for targeted advertising. That seems like it’d be a HIPAA violation, but many apps aren’t “covered entities,” which means once we ignore the Terms and Conditions and click “I have read ...”, our data could be up for the taking.

↦ Meanwhile: Just in time for May the 4th, Headspace is brining a few new exercises to its app to help you practice mindfulness in a galaxy far, far away.

Will Roe v. Wade Energize the Midterms?

A ruling on abortion rights could turn the campaign into a massive mobilizing effort

As news of the leaked Supreme Court draft opinion was ricocheted around the world, political battle lines hardened Tuesday. Top Democrats said they plan to make protecting women’s access to abortion a centerpiece of the fall elections while Republicans railed against and vowed to find the person responsible for a rare breach at the Supreme Court.

Activists took to the streets to declare their intention to fight harder. Candidates on both sides sought to raise money off the news. And in states that are poised to ban abortion or guard access to it, politicians and governors declared that they were ready to act.

The Washington Post reports that this might seriously upend the midterm elections. What appeared to be a referendum on President Biden, “could turn into a choice between Democratic and Republican governance, which could narrow an enthusiasm gap that currently favors the Republicans and ultimately hold down expected GOP gains.”

Polling suggests the voters most passionate about protecting abortion rights also historically have been the more reliable in terms of midterm turnout, including Black women and liberal, college-educated women. But polls also suggest it may be harder for Democrats to use the issue to turn out working-class, male or Hispanic voters.

↦ Dig Deeper: The Washington Post breaks down exactly how a Supreme Court case is decided.

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A Record-Setting Heat Wave

Climate scientists say South Asia’s current heat of 120°F is a sign of what’s to come

New Delhi feels like it is on fire. The heat comes off the road in blistering waves, and the water that flows from the cold tap is too hot to touch. A giant landfill on the outskirts of the capital spontaneously combusted a week ago, reports Bloomberg.

Summer has arrived in South Asia way too early. Areas of India and Pakistan have reached temperatures past 120°F. The region is already hard-hit by climate change. Extreme heat is common by the end of May. But not in April and March—both of which were the hottest across much of India for more than a century.

Experts say the climate crisis will cause more frequent and longer heatwaves, affecting more than a billion people across the two countries. India is among the countries expected to be worst affected by the impacts of the climate crisis, according to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change.

Electric fans and AC have pushed India's electricity demand to record highs as well. The problem is that 70% of the country's electric grid is powered by coal. And supplies are running low, prompting warnings of a fresh power crisis. The relief on the horizon is when the monsoon season is expected to arrive in June.

↦ Meanwhile: A barrel containing human remains that was sunk in Nevada’s Lake Mead was just discovered as the water level drops to a historic low amid the West’s severe drought. Authorities believe they’ll find others too.

Trail Running Is Having a Moment

Get outdoors, get a workout in and explore

Even if you're not a very outdoorsy person, you've probably heard of trail running. It's a pastime that's becoming more and more popular as people look to spend extra time out in nature while also focusing on their fitness.

Trail running, especially for beginners, is a less pace-driven activity—different lengths and elevations lead to varying speeds. You'll likely run shorter distances and slower paces, but you will still get in a decent workout, says pro David Kilgore. Plus, you get to explore nature and see much better sights than just jogging on the sidewalk.

But The Manual warns that because of the varied terrain, you need to take your time easing into it. Lots of people get into road running because they can zone out during the run, but you don't want to do that on trails.

But that's not to say you don't get a mental boost: just being out in nature, away from civilization, is known to reduce anxiety, stress and depression. Add to that the physical benefits like core-strengthening and sharpening your reaction time and you'll never go back to the standard jog again.

↦ Further Reading: Trail Running Illustrated: The Art of Running Free, by Doug Mayer and Brian Metzler could be a very useful resource. It’s like a trail-running picture book for adults.

In Other News

↦ Russia Storms Mariupol Plant As Some Evacuees Reach Safety

↦ The Great Resignation Is Becoming a “Great Midlife Crisis”

↦ U.S. Officials Plan to Aggressively Seek WNBA Star Brittney Griner’s Release from Russia

Other Things We’re Talking About Today

Last-minute gifts for Mom

The return of this zero-proof margarita

Spacecraft wreckage on Mars

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