The Role of Telehealth on Mental Healthcare

Nearly one in five American adults suffers from a mental health problem. Health experts have even agreed that this is a national health crisis. However, care for mental health remains abysmal in the country, as people need to wait for a long time to get a consultation. Moreover, a third of the people live in regions that lack any mental care professionals. They would need to travel hundreds, or even thousands of miles to see a therapist.

But telehealth solutions have the potential to extend the outreach of mental care across the country. People no longer have to travel long distances or wait for months to get a consultation. Better yet, they could get one from the privacy of their own homes. The prospect of accessing a therapist anywhere in the country using a personal device from the privacy of one’s own home would go a long way in encouraging more people to see a therapist. 

The stigma around seeking mental health care prevents even the most rational people from actually seeking it. Many experts have stated that telemedicine applications, with the privacy and accessibility they provide, would actually help change the conservation around mental health.