The prevalence of mental illness has been augmented in recent periods all around the world. At the onset of the COVID 19 pandemic, this scenario reached a new height.
It has been challenging to facilitate mental healthcare services to the patients due to several reasons. Shortage of mental health professionals, difficulty in availing the expensive treatment, inaccessibility for the patients living in remote areas, and fear of acknowledging mental illness are some of the major factors.
Telehealth offers a way for patients to receive therapy, medication management, and other mental healthcare services remotely. This article will look at why telehealth is so effective when it comes to treating mental illness and how it benefits patients and providers alike.
What is Mental Health?
Mental health consists of your emotional, psychological, and social well-being. It is a state of ease and contentment in which you have the ability to cope with your own stress and make healthy choices. Mental health is essential in every part of life, starting from childhood to adulthood.
It is a state of well-being that allows you to think, socialize, enjoy life, work productively and make a contribution to society. It influences intellect, insight, and conduct. Mental health helps maintain a balance between emotional and physical health.
What is Telehealth?
Telehealth refers to delivering health-related services by using digital information and communication technologies such as computers and mobile phones. Telehealth is a model in which health professionals can treat their patients virtually through mobile devices or computers without coming in direct contact with each other.
It is a platform where health care professionals connect with patients virtually, personally assist them, and help them to make health-related decisions.
It works through meetings and consultations, where specialists monitor the condition remotely. This eliminates the need for traveling, thus reaching the rural areas that are struggling for better health care.
Telehealth can effectively help in the behavior modification of patients, motivating them to adapt to a healthy lifestyle.
Why Telehealth is Essential for Mental Health?
People who would benefit from mental health treatment often don't seek it out due to stigma or convenience. Mental health treatment is often stigmatized, which can dissuade people from seeking it out. Many people don't consider mental health treatment to be a priority in their lives because they don't see how it can benefit them or how it could help them improve their lives.
Additionally, many people do not have access to mental healthcare due to the following reasons:
Expense: Mental health treatment is often costly and not covered by insurance companies. This can be especially difficult for those who are unemployed or live in poverty as they may struggle with paying for these services out-of-pocket.
Access: Everyone does not have easy access to mental health services. In fact, in many rural areas, mental healthcare providers are scarce, if at all.
Lack of awareness: Mental disorders are often overlooked. The symptoms can be subtle or misunderstood, so people may not realize they have a condition or don’t know how to get help.
According to the International Board of Credentialing and Continuing Education Standards (IBCCES), the stigma related to accepting mental illness is prevalent, and people still hesitate to seek out help from a professional. Telehealth helps them to overcome this fear.
Benefits of Telehealth for Mental Health
Telehealth is delivering services to mental health patients all over the world. It has the capacity to change your perception completely towards mental health and how individuals receive treatment. Some of the major benefits that telehealth provides are mentioned below:
1. Easy Accessibility
Shorter travel times and the ability to consult health professionals on a flexible schedule are big benefits of telehealth.
You don’t need to depend on a therapist who is based far away or inconveniently open only during certain hours. With telehealth, you can consult a therapist at a time that works for you in the comfort of your own home.
Telehealth allows people with physical, visual, or hearing impairments to access mental health support. It also allows older adults and people who are incarcerated to access the care they need.
Also, according to Jin Ju Lee, a psychiatric nurse at the Yale Child Study Center, the younger generation who grew up with technology are comfortable with on-screen consultation.
2. Quality Care
People with a variety of health issues can get help from experts who live far away. Telehealth services can let people have access to providers with expertise in their particular conditions and treatment plans that are appropriate for their culture, race, gender, sexual orientation, and lived experience.
3. Continued Care
Providing continuing mental care through telehealth is convenient. It enables patients to reach out for needed help regularly. Reducing the need for travel, it makes it possible for patients to see their provider on a regular basis and keep booked appointments.
According to the International Board of Credentialing and Continuing Education Standards (IBCCES), telehealth is an easy and convenient way for mental health professionals to connect, observe and follow up with their patients in real-time.
4. Affordable
Telehealth is also typically more affordable than in-person therapy sessions. While there are some exceptions, many insurance companies cover telehealth services as part of their plans—and even if they don’t, most therapists offer discounts for people who pay out-of-pocket.
Telehealth providers are often able to charge less than traditional healthcare providers because they don't need to rent office space or hire administrative employees. This can be a huge advantage for patients looking for mental health treatments that are affordable, especially if you're on a tight budget.
Challenges of Telehealth
Being so beneficial does not mean telehealth does not have downsides. The disadvantages include:
- According to Dr. Paul Desan at Yale medicine, physical presence helps create a much closer connection and helps understand psychology in a better way.
- People’s emotions, body language, and facial expressions can be well-read through physical interaction, which may not be possible in the case of an onscreen session.
- It is not always possible to assess your mental health onscreen. Sometimes you still have to undergo some clinical tests like imaging, physical examination, and blood tests, etc.
- When a person needs immediate attention in an emergency, telehealth cannot provide life-saving care or lab tests digitally.
- Finding the right digital platform can be challenging, especially for people staying in remote areas.
- A weak internet connection or issue in the server can make the session interrupted as a result delivering quality service will be difficult.
Which one is Better for Mental Health? Telehealth or In-Person Sessions?
Telehealth is more convenient for patients. Many people lead busy lives, and the last thing they want to do after work is driven across town to see their therapist or psychiatrist. Telehealth lets them schedule appointments at times that are more convenient for them, and it allows them to get help when they need it most -- which may be at night or on weekends when their regular health care providers are closed.
Furthermore, because telehealth appointments are often shorter than in-person ones with reduced travel time, patients can save time.
According to Yale medicine, both aspects have their benefits and drawbacks. It is not ideal for every patient or applicable to every situation.
Some people prefer on-screen consultation over physical sessions. Whereas some still embrace the in-person visit to the health professional. They feel the connection in person which is different than on video.
Conclusion
At present, the mental health scenario is seeming bleak, because a majority of people are suffering from mental health issues worldwide. In order to tackle these issues, telehealth can be proved as a better platform to connect with patients effectively and efficiently.
When so many mental health patients are in dire need of treatment, telehealth is emerging as a silver lining across the globe. And as patients grow familiar with telehealth it will change the landscape of contemporary healthcare.
If you're interested in getting mental health treatment but don't have access to an in-person provider, telehealth is a great option. It allows you to consult with doctors or therapists on a flexible schedule and provides better access to quality care at affordable prices.