With the NHS at breaking point and little funding available to treat the number of people in the UK suffering from mental health, this article looks at whether online therapy is the way forward.
Online Therapy provides a quicker solution to waiting for counseling or GP appointments.
It also saves time and is often more convenient, particularly with people who don’t want to leave their homes, have no transport, or who are too busy to visit a counselor.
I was given CBT, by Outlook South West and I found that the information they were telling me to read was printed straight from the internet and that I could read the website myself.
If this is the case why are so many of us put on a waiting list only to be handed a few sheets of paper?
An article in Wired says that a whole host of services providing therapy via video conference and app-based support will help make it easier for people to access care when they need it.
However, online therapy be successful in helping to fill the gap in mental health care opened up by years of NHS budget cuts?
Healios is an online service that lets people connect with therapists over a video link and is already being used by 20 NHS trusts, providing support for 14 different conditions, including anxiety, depression, and psychosis.
People with a serious mental health condition who are referred by their GP to a secondary health service may be given the option to receive therapy through the Healios platform.
After enrolling with Healios, a person can directly book video consultations with a clinician who will provide support and coaching, helping them manage their condition.
People can attend the remote sessions whenever and wherever they want and also invite their family to join in if they like.
Others, such as TalkSpace, let people exchange instant messages with licensed therapists.
The company, which has one million users, has plans to allow clinicians to prescribe medicines through the app.
With lots of apps, Podcasts, YouTube videos, and self-help websites more and more people could be turning to online therapy.
Have you or a loved one ever experienced online therapy?
Let us know your thoughts and feelings about this, in the comment section below or over on our social media channels.