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Teletherapy is far from new. It’s a mode of therapy that’s been pioneered, with demonstrable effectiveness, over the past 2 decades. Nevertheless, it can be truly said to have come into its own through the pressures of the COVID-19 pandemic. Some experts regard teletherapists as effectively being the backbone of future approaches to mental health treatment.
As America continues to deal with the mental health fallout of the pandemic, it’s remote therapy’s convenience that professionals cite as providing the best hope for promoting long-term national healing.
What is Remote Therapy?
The COVID-19 pandemic had a profound impact on multiple areas of daily life. On the one hand, it generated a “loneliness epidemic” that one study estimated has left just over 60% of Americans without close social connections and community. On the other hand, it’s also led to the fresh appreciation of new technologies and ways of supporting mental health. One of the most powerful and convenient of these tools has proved to be the widespread access to teletherapy services.
Modern Teletherapy Options
Teletherapy is composed of a range of remote therapy tools that are provided for the mental health of patients. The modern teletherapy toolkit includes both automated online apps and interpersonal actions made possible by the internet.
- Mental health chatbots: These automated chat systems employ software that mimics human conversations. Bots provide real-time encouragement and tips for dealing with mental health challenges. They provide around-the-clock support that can be crucial for time windows where more traditional therapy isn’t available.
- Text therapy: This form of therapy offers both convenience and relative anonymity. Text therapy provides the reassurance of a personal, living presence at the other end of the conversation.
- Virtual talk therapy: People are put in touch with therapists through voice or video calls or online meeting apps. A step beyond this is telepsychiatry, which provides counseling, psychiatric diagnosis and medical prescriptions.
- Mental health apps: These combine mood-tracking tools with access to online communities, educational resources, guided meditation, quizzes and any of the types of teletherapy mentioned above.
The Global Impact of Mental Illness
According to the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI), depression increases sufferers’ risk factors for metabolic and cardiovascular disease by over 40%. Over a third of American sufferers of mental illness also developed a substance use disorder, and depression and anxiety disorders collectively cost the world economy $1 trillion annually.
The Shift to Online Counseling
The idea of convenient, accessible online counseling is clearly one whose time has come in American culture. The conversation around mental health shifted drastically during the pandemic, in part out of simple necessity. People in spaces where talking about mental health had previously been taboo began to open up. Suddenly, for example, elite athletes were speaking openly about their mental health boundaries.
Challenges of this scale can’t be plausibly addressed by the traditional in-person mode of delivering therapy. Fortunately, teletherapy has been shown to be just as effective as in-person treatment. Some two-thirds of respondents to surveys on the effectiveness of remote-delivered forms of therapy have rated the experience as somewhat to very effective.
Advantages of Remote Mental Health Support
Online therapy offers accessibility for patients who might find it difficult to leave their homes. It cuts out the time, disruption and expense associated with travel, provides enhanced privacy and eliminates concerns about the stigma attached to being seen at a therapist’s office.
Remote mental health support offers several other key advantages:
- Greater choice. It’s easier to shop around for therapists online. The options aren’t restricted to geographic proximity but can be based on your needs and preferences.
- Accessibility of specialists. Specialized forms of therapy, such as CBT therapy, are easier to find and access via teletherapy. They’re also more accessible for those who suffer from anxiety or a physical disability. Remote therapy eliminates the step of having to physically go out into the world.
- Easier session scheduling. Because teletherapy doesn’t generally require commuting or taking time off work, scheduling sessions is considerably easier. It may be possible to schedule more sessions when you need them.
- It makes mental health care more approachable. Mental health stigma often comes from within, making it hard to seek support. Remote therapy eases this step by allowing private, self-directed engagement. It helps reduce the daunting feeling that therapy can bring.
The advantages of remote mental health support are valuable for anyone starting their mental health journey. One thing you can be assured of when trying out teletherapy is that you won’t be alone. Many others are embracing this trend in post-pandemic mental health care.
Start Your Journey to Improved Mental Wellness with Remote Therapy
If you’re ready to try teletherapy or improve your mental wellness, contact the compassionate team at FHE Health. Our team will provide information on how to access teletherapists and find the best fit for your needs. Start your journey to improved mental health today.
