The United States is facing a mental health crisis. And it’s been going on for years. According to Mental Health America’s 2016 annual report, there are over 40 million Americans suffering from a mental health issue. This affects people all over the country, with Western states dealing with the highest prevalence of cases and the least amount of access to healthcare, to the point of being called mental healthcare deserts. While there are a multitude of reasons why people don’t seek therapy or mental healthcare, some of the most common have to do with cost, availability, and the fear of stigma.
Online therapy services have stepped into this void (https://www.consumersadvocate.org/online-therapy), with the purpose of offering accessible, affordable therapy to those in need. However, there are many misconceptions regarding online therapy. This article should help clarify some of the most prevalent.
It Can Be Effective
Though there isn’t yet a large body of research into the efficacy of telebehavioral therapy, there are some studies that show that some remote therapy can be very helpful, even as much as in-person therapy. This will, of course, depend on the type of issue being treated, with promising results thus far in the field of addiction support, insomnia, and teen mental health. This isn’t to say that online therapy doesn’t have its detractors, however, with some mental health experts wary of its use for life-threatening mental health issues, such as eating disorders or depression.
It Can Be HIPAA-Compliant
Just as in-person mental healthcare providers must meet HIPAA compliance standards, therapists providing services over the internet must also abide by them. However, since communications are being carried out over the internet, HIPAA is not the only privacy concern. At a bare minimum, data should be transmitted over HTTPS, which makes for secure communication over computer networks. Additionally, check whether your service offers encryption for text messaging, and make sure to carefully read its privacy policy.
It Can Be Provided by Real Therapists
This last point is somewhat tricky. While many online therapy providers only work with certified mental health professionals, the sheer variety of degrees that might fall under that title means consumers need to do two things if they want to make sure they’re being helped by the trained professional of their choice: 1) educate themselves about the different types of degrees that mental health professionals may have, and what education each requires; and 2) ask the therapist they’re paired with for their credentials. This may feel a bit awkward, but really, it’s no different from peeking at the framed degrees in a doctor’s office.
Notwithstanding what we’ve mentioned above, online therapy isn’t for everyone. If you present signs of a serious condition or a level of care that may be difficult to provide online, many online therapy companies will refuse to treat you outright. In any case, if you’re thinking of hurting yourself or others, have been diagnosed with a serious mental illness, or a professional has advised you to get intensive treatment, online therapy is likely not the best fit, either.
Other situations where online therapy may not be able to provide the help you need may include:
Abuse: From the physical to the emotional or the verbal, physical, and sexual level, abuse can take many forms and escalate quickly. Further, abuse or trauma can lead to conditions such as anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), borderline personality disorder, self-injury, or the misuse of alcohol and other drugs. For these reasons, we consider abuse to require a closer level of therapy than online help can provide.
Substance abuse: Likewise, alcoholism and other addictions may also need intensive support, more than an online counselor can be able to give. Of course, this greatly depends on where you are in the addiction spectrum. That said, online services can be a good compliment to in-person therapy.
PTSD: If you think you may have or have been diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder, therapy is necessary. Full stop. Online therapy should only be used as part of a helpful support system for dealing with PTSD if your condition is manageable, having already gone through in-person therapy before.