Online Therapy: Is it Right for You?

Whether you are seeking a mental health expert for depression, stress, anxiety, or other psychological problems. Online therapy or e-therapy could help you find an effective solution. Online therapy is a virtual way of communicating with a professional mental health expert through video chat, email, messaging, or over the phone. 

The start of the covid 19 pandemic has led to increased practice of online counseling, allowing patients from all parts of the world to connect with expert mental healthcare professionals without the need to get out.  Online therapy is considered to be as effective as in-person therapy that has been used as an effective way to treat various mental and emotional problems. 

Talking to mental health experts while in-person or virtually, can help an individual understand the root cause of their problem, manage symptoms and self-heal. Studies have also shown that cognitive-behavioral therapy or CBT is equally effective as taking antidepressants, to reduce the severity of the symptoms. But, without the risk of adverse side effects. 

Is online therapy effective?

Although online therapy may be a completely new term to many people, many studies and individuals have suggested that it is as effective as in-person therapy. Besides, when you get the chance to talk with a therapist from the comfort and security of your own home, it becomes easier to open up yourself compared to expressing yourself while sitting in a clinic. 

Of course, online therapy has some drawbacks too. For example, when you are communicating over the internet, the therapist doesn’t get the chance to gauge your body language and voice tone. Hence, it becomes a bit tough to build trust between the therapist and the patient. Which is the most crucial factor to the success of any therapy. 

Reasons why online therapy is right for you

Online therapy, if not more, is as effective as face-to-face therapy. E-therapy is proven to offer multiple benefits and the best user experience that traditional therapy can often lack. A few individuals may yet be more attracted to in-person therapy just because they have not yet experienced the freedom that online therapy offers. The content written on washingtoncitypaper.com/article/534154/best-online-therapy/ gives you a detailed insight on the major benefits of online therapy and a few downsides you may need to know.

Here we will discuss a few reasons why online therapy is the best way to treat your mental health condition.

Communicate the way you feel comfortable 

While traditional in-person therapy involves arriving at a location, taking your seat, talking to the therapist, and then leaving the place; online therapy opens up new ways to communicate. For example, text-based therapy allows you to discuss your problems and emotions with the therapist throughout the day or week. Audio messaging is another effective way to express yourself when you have a lot more to get off your chest. 

Consult a therapist at your terms

While traditional in-person therapy scheduling an appointment with your therapist and visits him weekly or monthly, online therapy gives you the freedom to make your plans. Online therapy allows you to talk to the therapist at your own convenient time and location. Besides, it allows you to make conversation with the therapist over the week. Thus, solving the most difficult problem to find time to see a therapist.

Entirely confidential

Many times we see that people are judged when they enter a therapist’s office. You may become a subject of gossip if people find out you are seeking the help of mental healthcare professionals. In such a situation people often quit consulting a professional therapist. But with online therapy, it is not the case. In e-therapy, you don’t need to get out to a therapy clinic and think of what people would say. You can just sit at your home and get professional help without thinking of what others would say. Besides, online therapy also gives you the option to choose a nickname for yourself while communicating with the therapist and can later open up when you think the time is right.