Mental health awareness has been a hot topic in recent years as several celebrities have suffered from mental illness with some leading to suicide. Yet even as more people are becoming aware of mental health concerns on social media and other platforms, help for those who are suffering is just beginning to become more available.
One of the biggest problems with mental health awareness and treatment is that there are barriers to seeking help. Some health insurances do not cover mental health. In addition, about 80 percent of the psychiatrists and therapists in the country do not accept insurance. With the average therapy cost of $75 to $300 per session, this is a huge barrier to people seeking treatment.
In addition, mental health services are not available in all areas. Finding mental health services in large cities or metropolitan areas may be simple enough, but rural areas or suburbs may not have as much access to care. Therefore, people who are more aware of mental health and their own struggles may not see how to seek treatment.
Enter Telehealth
Telehealth is changing all of this. With telehealth, people from all walks of life and in all areas can seek treatment and education in mental health. Telehealth has previously referred to simply seeing a psychiatrist or therapist via the internet or other network on a television screen or computer monitor, complete with video and audio. Telehealth can be done in an office or in your own home.
Yet in recent years telehealth has evolved. Now you can get help from therapists through online chat, video calls, or by text through a variety of sources. Therapists who participate in these programs are licensed, and they are every bit as capable of addressing problems as an in-person therapist.
One of the big advantages of telehealth is that it is much less expensive than traditional mental health services. Chatting online with a therapist may cost as little as $35 per session. This makes mental health treatment much more affordable and accessible for many people across the country.
Raising Awareness
In addition to raising awareness of mental health in general, awareness of these alternatives to traditional mental health treatment is increasing. With the advent of several telehealth companies such as BetterHelp.com, more and more people are discovering telehealth and how it can help them. As these companies make use of social media and other platforms for advertising, they are becoming more and more visible.
Through their advertising and other online efforts, these companies are not just raising awareness of telehealth but also mental health concerns as a whole. They are educating people about mental health and encouraging people who are struggling to seek help. This raising of awareness is only increasing with time, and it can only serve to improve how people think about mental health.
In the past, there has been an attitude toward mental health that people should simply be stronger and deal with life on their own. But with the awareness that telehealth companies are bringing to the table, more and more people are recognizing that mental health services are not just for “the crazy.” As this awareness grows, the industry will grow as well.
