According to a 2019 study, 51.5 million people in the U.S live with a mental illness condition. That’s one in every five adults in the country. The illnesses include different conditions that vary from mild, to moderate to severe.
The Covid-19 pandemic doesn’t help the situation. Many people have lost their jobs, the requirement to social distance creates feelings of isolation. All this may lead to stress, anxiety, and depression.
Mental health is an emerging health crisis that we cannot ignore. Unfortunately, with the pandemic, it’s difficult to seek individual or group therapy. Some people, especially those in vulnerable categories may be afraid of visiting a therapist’s office.
Fortunately, technological advancements like BetterHelp online therapy offer safe and effective therapy solutions.
Some years back, a therapy session involved a psychiatrist and a patient in the same room. The parties would agree on the day, time, and location to hold their treatment session. But that’s slowly changing, thanks to technology.
Nowadays, online therapy allows for psychological monitoring at the comfort of your home. You’ll only need an internet connection, a computer or a mobile phone.
The psychologist plans weekly sessions lasting an hour or more depending on your needs.
Here are the benefits of online therapy.
Have you gone through the traditional therapy sessions? Then you understand how time-consuming these sessions can be.
First, one has to commute from their home to the clinic. It’s always advisable that you be at the clinic thirty minutes before the session starts. After the session, you have to beat the traffic as you commute back home. Depending on the distance, it can take two or more hours to get home from the clinic. Well, will you remember the contents of your session after such a hassle on the road?
Online therapy works to cure this problem. It doesn’t require you to travel from your home. Like Couples Therapy Dubai, just agree on the time and that’s it. When it’s time, connect to the internet and start the session.
Online counseling is available to all patients seeking the service. It overcomes barriers that preclude some patients from seeking therapy.
For instance, it benefits people living in rural settings who cannot easily access the services of a therapist. People living with a disability can also access the service at the comfort of their homes.
Online counseling is also effective in encouraging teenagers to seek the service. That’s because they spend much of their time online.
But that’s not all, online therapy sessions increase mental health treatment options. But how? Well, people are comfortable sharing their physical health issues with friends and family but don’t feel the same discussing their mental health concerns. Online counseling makes it easier for these people to seek help in the comfort of their homes.
Online counseling and therapy sessions are affordable to the patients. First, one doesn’t need to incur any transportation cost to and from the clinic. But that’s not all! The psychologist doesn’t need to rent a commercial space which reduces their overhead costs. The low cost translates to affordable prices for the patient.
Thanks to technology, you don’t have to restrict yourself to therapists in your hometown. With online therapy, you can choose from licensed and registered psychologists across your town, city, country, or internationally.
Further, it allows you to get a psychologist who fits your needs and capable of offering the best professional advice on a given issue.
Online therapy also allows you to enjoy the benefits of ongoing support. It allows you to call, text, or chat with the therapist online whenever you need their advice, guidance, or support on a given topic. Ongoing support is a great asset to people who need regular care as they cope with the symptoms of withdrawal, depression, and anxiety.
Yes, most people worry about patient-doctor confidentiality in an online session. However, there’s no cause for alarm. Therapy sessions, whether face-to-face or online are done by professionals guided by the code of conduct.
Plus, with online counseling, no one knows you’re on therapy. That’s because you carry out sessions in a location of your choice.
Yes, you’ve seen the benefits of attending online therapy sessions. So, why not enroll and enjoy these benefits?
Don’t avoid or assume mental health issues. If you are stressed, depressed, or anxious, seek medical attention. Ignoring these feelings won’t improve your health, it’ll only make it worse.
However, you must be careful about the person or firm you select for online therapy sessions. The therapist must be licensed and regulated by the relevant authorities.
Do your research, and ask the right questions to ensure you’re getting help from the right people. That’s the only way to be safe and healthy.