Leading experts in psychotherapy believe that online therapies may help people deal with a mental health crisis.
The seemingly never-ending lockdowns amidst the COVID-19 pandemic are putting people on edge. Experts recognize that there is an ongoing global mental health crisis because of it. In a perfect world, a patient can conveniently visit a psychologist or psychiatrist for help. Still, social distancing all over the world is making it almost impossible to have individual sessions.
A recent survey by the European Association for Psychotherapy with thousands of therapists revealed the dramatic increase in anxious, depressed, and lonely people. The major contributory factor to this increase is that people are forced to stay home longer than anticipated.
The survey also noted that the most concerning aspect of the mental health crisis comes from suicidal ideation. It refers to an individual’s predisposition to taking his own life just to escape the lockdown.
There is a consensus in the industry about the immediacy of therapy, but it is impossible to accommodate everyone without breaking social distancing rules. Hence, the key to solving this crisis is by converting face-to-face therapy into online sessions.
Psychologists and psychotherapists may not be in the frontline fighting the coronavirus, but they’re saving thousands of lives every single day. They do this by helping patients cope with the new normal and get rid of depression and suicidal thoughts.
The pandemic and its ensuing lockdowns have forced professional industries and services to improvise – psychiatry and psychology are no exceptions. For example, a psychologist must now embrace virtual sessions with his patients to continue helping them. The pandemic shouldn’t stop medical professionals, including psychologists and psychiatrists, from performing their job. They play an indispensable role in curbing the increasing number of people experiencing a mental health crisis.
According to clinical psychologists, online therapy has become the silver lining in this pandemic. The reason is the fact that there is a reduced stigma of receiving therapy. Those who never thought of seeing a psychologist or psychiatrist in the past now think that it can help them. It is easier for them to accept treatment because they can do so at their home’s comfort. The comfortable and wholesome setting of the home is undoubtedly
The patient’s residence offers a conducive environment, a way better and preferred by anyone, especially when compared to a clinic or hospital. Nonetheless, psychotherapy experts admit that not everything is smooth sailing since sessions are usually shorter. Limited interaction cannot be avoided as well.
Moreover, virtual appointments help patients save because they tend to be cheaper. For example, there’s no need to pay for gas and travel to the therapist. Therapies are accessible any day of the week.
There’s a cloud of uncertainty as to when the lockdowns ease. Still, psychology and psychiatric sessions must endure preventing the likelihood of another crisis that can go out of hand.
