2020 and the Pandemic outburst has made us all go remote, metaphorically, and literally. We started engaging with people online, we ordered groceries online, we worked online, we dated online, some got married online, and we all entered and explored the online territory better, although out of compulsion good things happened and we were able to save ourselves from living like cavemen!
Online therapy has been helpful by being available and accessible and can be the real gamechanger in the future. The medical sector has revolutionized with the internet too. It’s time to look at the journey of online therapy and switch to a better version of health care.
What Should One Understand by Therapy?
Therapy is a process of healing an ailment or a sickness related to mind and body, usually without drugs or surgical operations.
In terms of mental health, it includes a setting where a mental health doctor and a patient are engaged in a conversation forming a major part of the healing process.
How Far Have We come in the Journey of Mental Health?
Ideally, anyone can see a mental health doctor, but mental illness comes with a hysteria tinged with shame in society.
People who have been experiencing mental health problems, anxieties or panic attacks tend to ignore their problems because it has not been a common practice for the world. With time, the face of mental health has changed, and the internet has aided immensely to create awareness about its importance.
We have reached a milestone, and the world has started to talk about it, but alas! It is still not free of stigma and is laughed upon. It will not be an exaggeration if someone says that mental health is a luxury limited to a certain class and group of people. It is still not as easy as physical health.
The fight is to make mental health affordable, available, and accessible to all. Gratitude to the internet that we can dream of achieving such a watershed. An online therapy reduces unwanted steps for you, and a great deal of time and effort is saved. With online availability, your therapist is literally a click away.
How Effective is Online Therapy?
Many opine that online therapy being removed physically isn’t effective to a satisfying degree. One of the major concerns about online therapy has been the absence of the movement analysis of patients. The therapists don’t get to know and study the patient’s body gestures. The tone of their voice while they pour out their problems and experiences are absent. The overall manner, which is crucial to allow deep insight into an individual’s well-being, is lost in online therapy unless there is an option to video chat.
The health of the relationship between the patient and the therapist is crucial to treatments. Online therapy in such circumstances appears impersonal and anonymous, as many have raised concerns about the authenticity of digital communication.
Despite the concerns, studies have shown consistently that online treatment is as effective as physical therapies. You just have to tap into the right chords.
The Journal of Affective Disorders, published in 2014, shows that online therapy is as effective as a physical therapy session.
Similarly, a 2018 study published in the Journal of Psychological Disorders found that online CBT is “effective, acceptable and practical health care.”
The Potential Benefits of Online Therapy
Online therapy has attractive benefits over the face to face therapy:
- Your transportation cost is eliminated, and people who don’t have easy access to commute can get the benefits of online treatment.
- Scheduling is way more convenient on online therapy platforms.
- Online therapy or e-therapy saves a bucket of time.
- No geographical limitations. If you need to talk to your counsellor while travelling, you can do that with e-therapy.
Despite a few challenges to online therapy like technical problems, fraud cases and trust issues, online therapy is highly effective and tends to be more user-friendly and affordable to a patient.
We, at Healingclouds, bridge this gap and bring to you certified and trusted therapists who understand your needs and extend their valuable services to you. We make mental health, affordable, accessible, and available for you anytime and anywhere.
Not even the lockdown can stop us from caring for your mental well-being and neither should you let anything stop you from getting access to help when needed.
Give yourself a chance and explore a whole new world of wellness.
