The Pros and Cons of Remote Mental Health Care

Telehealth mental health services are readily available, but are they right for you? Examine the pros and cons to find a solution you can count on.

When the demand for more convenient and accessible ways to access qualified therapists became large enough, several virtual mental health options were brought to market. Telehealth mental health services like online counseling are fairly popular already and no longer brand-new — Talkspace was founded in 2012 and BetterHelp in 2013 — but COVID-19 caused a rapid rise in their popularity.

This has expedited a conversation in the mental health treatment community. Telehealth counseling services can provide benefits to those who otherwise wouldn’t have access to affordable counseling, but can they be a true replacement for the traditional models of one-on-one counseling? If not, where do they fall short? In this piece, we’ll discuss the pros and cons of virtual mental health options.

The Need for Accessible Care

The concept of remote therapy options isn’t without validity. Not everyone has the time to devote to intensive therapy. They can’t afford to sacrifice work, school or other responsibilities to receive in-person therapy on a basis that would be most beneficial to them.

Some people may not even have access to convenient, high-quality mental health services. A report by the National Council of Behavioral Health found that 38% of Americans had to wait a week or more for an appointment with a mental health provider, and 46% had to drive an hour or more to see a therapist who met their needs.

The Problem With Poor Access to Mental Health Services

Millions of people in the United States suffer from mental health disorders, both diagnosed and undiagnosed, and there’s no shortage of reasons someone would have a hard time getting access. The consequences when a mental health disorder goes untreated — no matter how minor it is — can be dire.

First, if you’re struggling with your mental health and you don’t get the right treatment, it’s highly likely your issues will get worse. Minor disorders can progress to major ones or manifest in new ways. Major disorders can become even more disruptive to a person’s life.

In addition, chronic mental health problems can cause people to change their lifestyle and neglect their physical health, increasing the risk for a range of new physical illnesses and disorders. They can make you less equipped to find or keep employment, which increases the likelihood of poverty and homelessness.

Dealing with COVID-19 has changed the way we access many of the things we rely on. More food and goods are ordered online than ever before. School, work and happy hours are taking place over video chat — an avenue that may open us up to additional mental health risks — and isolation has had an impact on countless individuals. No matter what the future looks like, mental health services need to be a part of it. While care providers continue to work tirelessly to provide a safe place to get the help you need, not everyone has access to quality care.

The Pros and Cons of Remote Therapy

The data is clear — these factors clearly illustrate the need for better, more widely available treatment that meets people in need where they are, rather than asking them to pass unrealistic barriers to access. But are telehealth mental health services the answer? Here are the benefits and drawbacks of meeting with a telehealth therapist instead of a real one in person, face-to-face.

Pros of Virtual Mental Health Care

There are several key benefits telehealth counseling provides:

1. Telehealth therapy may be less expensive. Affordability is a critical factor that keeps a person from seeking and receiving the care they need to live a healthier, more fulfilling life. Online counseling is typically offered on a subscription plan that’s more affordable than in-person care. According to Psychology Today, studies have shown that online therapy is up to 7.8 times less expensive than face-to-face treatment. Advancements in health care policy have made mental health services much more affordable for people with insurance, but for those without coverage, telehealth therapy can offer a cheaper alternative.
2. Quality care is available no matter the distance. Particularly for those who live in rural or other remote areas, the distance needed they must travel to access in-person mental health services can be prohibitive. With telehealth counseling, qualified and reliable help is just a phone call or chat box away.
3. Online therapists are easier for some people to talk to. The stigma of mental health is still prevalent, despite significant strides made in normalizing asking for help. Many people won’t go to treatment because they fear admitting they need help or don’t want someone they know to see them there. Despite their therapist’s role as a professionally trained and nonjudgmental partner, they may also be unwilling to share sensitive or personal information in a face-to-face setting. Toward this end, some online therapy services allow patients to register anonymously. This can help someone who’s anxious or reluctant to share personal information or who’s seeking physical treatment for their issues lower their guard and accept the help they need.
4. Accessibility isn’t a limiting factor. Individuals who are disabled or face mobility challenges may have a difficult time accessing mental health care. Many therapists work from home and may not have the accommodations needed for all clients, or the individual may simply not have the transportation they need to visit a mental health office. With remote therapy, homebound individuals, who often benefit from mental health services, are able to access the care they need without limitations.
5. Telehealth mental health services provide access to a greater variety of specialists. As in any field, different therapists often specialize in certain diagnoses or conditions. However, particularly for rarer disorders, those specialists may be limited. Seeing them would ordinarily require either a great deal of travel or making due with a generalist. With telehealth counseling, those specialists are equally available to anyone in need at the click of a button.

Cons of Virtual Therapy

There are also some drawbacks people considering behavioral telehealth therapy need to be aware of:

1. Online therapy may not be able to help with complex issues. There’s a concept called the therapeutic alliance that describes the bond between a patient and a quality therapist. This involves a process from both sides of a counseling relationship showing full trust and is difficult to get over a computer screen, a phone line or a text conversation. This means that if you have particularly complex issues or you’re having a crisis or suicidal event, virtual therapy may fall short in the options it provides to meet your needs.
2. Online therapists may not be able to provide the best diagnosis for you. Despite their best intentions, virtual counselors can only do so much. They can listen to your problems and suggest solutions, but without in-person interaction, they may miss physical signs and body language their training has taught them to interpret.

How to Find the Right Option for You

So, does using a virtual mental health service provide a solution for patients in need of care? The answer isn’t black or white. For those who struggle with limited access or the lack of financial resources to pay for a full, in-person treatment experience, online therapy may be the best option, but for the best possible outcomes, we still recommend doing therapy the time-tested way.

For more information and to learn about the options we offer for therapy, contact FHE Health today.