Not all of us can seek medical help in person when it comes to mental health.
Lately, according to Lauri Goldkind,associate professor of social work at Fordham University, people are increasingly turning to online psychotherapy. There are also many applications related to the maintenance and improvement of mental health. These can be mood trackers, apps with meditation exercises, as well as apps that directly connect the user with a specialist.
Lauri Goldkind, together with colleagues, found out how such applications still affect people, whether they help.
During the first year of the pandemic worldwide, with25 percent more people experienced depression and anxiety. At the same time, face-to-face meetings with a psychotherapist during this period, many could no longer afford. As a result, patients began to switch to online therapy.
Platforms like Better Help, Alma and TalkSpace,when a person enters the application, they immediately select a specialist. At the same time, the user can choose a suitable therapist himself, and when communicating with him, anonymity is guaranteed. There is even an opportunity to choose the method of interaction (correspondence, regular calls, video calls). After the session is over, the patient receives an invoice.
But you need to remember that such applications cannot bebe said to be completely safe. The fact is that application platforms do not take responsibility for the services they provide. That is, the therapists you choose are platform independent. There is also no law that would clarify the rights of users of mobile applications and would protect consumers in this case.
Nevertheless, there are benefits from such applications.This method is definitely not suitable for people suffering from serious mental illnesses or mental disorders that greatly interfere with it.Online therapy is also not suitable for those who are contemplating suicide.
But if a person does not have severe mentaldiseases, then such therapy can help. For example, it will be useful for people with mild or moderate depression, with anxiety, as well as for those who want to solve problems in the family, at work, get rid of stress. Thanks to anonymity, even people with social anxiety, agoraphobia (fear in places from which you cannot quickly get out) can seek help through applications.
News stories cannot be equated with a doctor's prescription. Before making a decision, consult a specialist.