Millions of people deal with depression every day. Many of them do not seek treatment for various reasons. Sometimes it’s a cost issue. Other times, accessibility may not be there. In some cases, a person may feel like it’s a waste of time to seek treatment or they worry treatment won’t help. Let’s clarify it and discuss if You Can Get Treatment For Depression Online.
Then there’s the pervasive stigma about mental health issues in the United States that often prevents people from seeking the care they need. With the advent of telemedicine/telehealth and the evolution of our technology to allow us to communicate effectively with one another from remote locations comes the ability to seek the care you need. Here are a few reasons why seeking therapy and depression treatment online is a good idea when you’re feeling down.
Accessibility
Accessibility to mental health care in the United States is surprisingly restrictive considering that one in five Americans suffer from some sort of mental health issue regularly throughout their lives. Moreover, many healthcare clinics that specialize in mental health care are really only available in larger, urban areas. They are not very accessible to people who don’t live within a certain distance of those areas and can’t always make it to an appointment with convenience.
Prior to telemedicine/telehealth moving treatments online, getting access to care was limited. In the past few years, all of that has changed. As technology has improved and the way we understand therapy’s effectiveness evolves, it turns out that teletherapy is a fantastic way to make mental health care more accessible to a larger portion of the population.
Booking an appointment with a reputable, licensed therapist is as easy as searching a database and selecting one. Then you can have the appointments with your therapist from the comfort of your own home on your own terms without ever leaving the house.
Low Relative Cost
Another major issue with the healthcare system right now is cost. There are many factors at play as to why healthcare costs are on the rise. Medicine and treatment can end up costing a significant amount of money regardless of whether you have insurance or not.
Conversely, using telemedicine for some types of care (sinus infections, some urgent care, treating chronic conditions, and so on) can be a lot easier on your bank account. This is true of Teletherapy as well. Most of the time, a telemedicine appointment is typically covered under your standard insurance.
Some insurance companies even have a preferred provider. In those cases, it can cost very little to see/consult with a doctor online. Teletherapy appointments work a little bit differently and can run at a flat rate, usually in the $99 range (and most providers do accept insurance and offer copays).
Most in-person visits can cost around $250, so it is a vastly lower cost compared to seeking in-person care, especially when you factor in fuel, distance, and time.
Antidepressant Prescriptions
Sometimes, part of being treated for depression involves getting certain antidepressants. These are prescription-only and not available over the counter. You must see/consult with a doctor before getting a prescription. Teletherapy services are restricted to what they can prescribe, but they can usually provide prescriptions for some of the most beneficial medicines available.
These include effective medications like Zoloft, Prozac, and many more. For the best quality teletherapy, consider using Plushcare for your therapy sessions and antidepressant prescriptions. The combination of their knowledge, professionalism and wide array of medications they can prescribe makes them the ideal choice for when you need to get the medicine your therapist prescribes.
Private and Effective
Research over the past decade has aptly demonstrated the effectiveness of going the online route with therapy. Even in cases of major depression or panic/anxiety, researchers concluded that online therapy is just as good as in-person therapy for helping patients. Cognitive-behavioral therapy is one of the most common treatment methods employed in online therapy and sees excellent results.
Although the therapy session is conducted via teleconferencing/video or via a phone call, it is accomplished through proprietary private software that keeps your information safe. Your HIPAA rights are protected and you get the benefits of a comfortable, helpful, and effective therapy session from the comfort and convenience of your own home.
Treating Other Concerns
In addition to providing depression treatment, online therapy is well suited to treating other conditions as well. If you are suffering from panic disorder, anxiety, confusion, sleep disorders, or stress then setting up regular ongoing care with a teletherapist can be very beneficial to improving your mental health.
Keep in mind that teletherapy is not suited to certain conditions. For severe ailments like schizophrenia, extreme paranoia, or psychosis it may be better to seek face-to-face help.
