The advent of the technological age has had a negative impact on society, due to the rise of cyberbullying, cybercrime, and data privacy violations. While it does have an ugly side, there are some advantages that a high-speed internet connection and a quality device can bring. For instance, you can study abroad and remain in touch with your family, or easily look for an apartment in another state from the comfort of your home. Moreover, you can do online shopping, pay for services online or even attend a therapy session. Mental health is an important aspect of our overall happiness and must be taken care of. As such, below we have listed some of the issues that online therapy can help with:
- Depression
Depression is an issue that plagues many individuals all over the world, due to a myriad of factors, for instance, the global pandemic that has been with us for the past 2 years. During this period of isolation especially, cases of depression have risen, due to families being distanced from their loved ones as a result of travel restrictions, alcoholism, and the like. With the lockdown that has been enforced and the reduction of social gatherings, there have been people experiencing loneliness to a large degree, which has thus led to the occurrence of gradual depression. There have been, of course, other factors such as layoffs leading to a financial crisis, or even in some cases, the loss of a loved one. Anyone who has unfortunately experienced any of these situations or has slid into depression can however, reach out and obtain help. With the advent of online therapy, you can receive assistance right from the comfort of your home which is quite helpful especially if your country still has lockdown or travel restrictions in place. If you do not know where to start, you can check out this guide that outlines some of the best online therapy platforms available to you.
- Phobias
Online therapy can be extremely helpful for people who are experiencing phobias of various sorts. If, for instance, you have a fear of travel, then online therapy would be quite good for you as you would do it in a safe space where you can express yourself freely. While therapy does require a person to face their fears at some point, online therapy can be a good place to start. It will help you lay the groundwork as to what could have triggered these phobias. It will enable you to have a conversation with your therapist, to build trust and a rapport up until which you feel comfortable and ready to face your fears.
- Social anxiety disorder
This is a situation that can affect how people interact with others in social settings. In most cases, people suffering from this disorder will avoid social gatherings altogether, therefore crippling their ability to create meaningful and lasting relationships with others. Some of the types of therapy that can be used for this situation include cognitive behavioral therapy, which helps to change a person’s way of thinking and grant them new ways to cope. Online therapy can thus be just as effective for this disorder in the same manner that in-person therapy would be.
- Stress
We face stressful situations every day, be it at our workplaces, school, or other spheres of influence such as parenting and relationships. While many tend to ignore stress assuming that it will just go away, in some instances this does not quite happen. Stress can lead to some of the underlying conditions that many have been experiencing, such as high blood pressure, or migraines. When you are under undue stress, it can be difficult to carry out your tasks efficiently, leading to poor performance at work for instance. It is therefore quite okay to get help as needed for your well-being and the well-being of those around you.
When not to use online therapy:
Online therapy is not ideal for situations where an individual may be experiencing thoughts of self-harm, or if they are dealing with severe addictions. These are best treated in help centers where adequate physical and emotional support can be accorded. Dealing with an addiction, for instance, can require the use of a medical professional due to some of the withdrawal symptoms experienced. Recovery requires the engagement of many faculties, as you need to heal not only just mentally or emotionally, but your physical body requires due care as well. Online therapy may therefore not be sufficient for this.
