Why Choose Telehealth for Mental Healthcare

Before the coronavirus pandemic began, telehealth was starting to take off in the mental health sphere. Though many patients were still skeptical, more and more people saw the impact it could have on their lives. Once telehealth became the only safe option, use expanded quickly.

With both in-person and online appointments available, patients now have the choice on what kind of mental health care they want. If you’re considering mental health care, you may find that telehealth is the right choice for you. Below are just some reasons patients continue to choose telepsychiatry and teletherapy.

Telehealth Overcomes Many Challenges to Getting Care

Approximately 26 million people in the United States live with a mental illness but do not get treatment. That’s 52 percent of those who live with disorders like depression, anxiety, PTSD, and more. Not only can living with an untreated mental illness decrease the quality of life, but it can also be dangerous.

Some people do not get care because they lack awareness or fear the stigma that still surrounds mental health care. However, other people cannot get access to quality mental health care because of obstacles such as:

• Social distancing measures for safety
• No available providers within driving distance
• Mobility issues
• Being afraid of public spaces
• Lack of reliable transportation
• Too busy at work to leave for a commute
• Caring for children at home

If you face any of these issues when you try to get in-person care, telehealth may be the right choice for you. Rather than struggling with these challenges just to get to an appointment, you can fit your appointments into your life.

Telehealth is Effective for Mental Health Care

For as long as telehealth has been around, researchers have studied how this method of health care delivery affects patients outcomes. Time and time again, studies have shown that telehealth is an effective and viable way for patients to get the care they need. Importantly, this has proved especially true for online psychiatry and therapy appointments.

For many patients, telehealth is as effective as in-person care. For others, telehealth is better and leads to more positive outcomes. In these cases, the better outcomes are likely because they are able to overcome obstacles and get the consistent, regular care they need.

Telehealth May Fit Into Your Budget

When you have to leave work or home in order to go to a mental health care appointment, you may incur additional costs, such as:

• Missed hours at work
• Public transportation fees
• Gas
• Childcare
• Tolls
• Mileage on the vehicle

While these costs may be minimal at first, they can add up to significant amounts if you need to go to therapy weekly or get another service regularly.

Unfortunately, some telehealth providers do not accept insurance, leaving you to foot the whole bill. However, LifeStance Health and other members of the LifeStance Health family accept most insurance plans. Since most insurance providers have started covering telehealth appointments, there’s a good chance that your appointment will be covered.

Are you ready to try telehealth for mental health care? Schedule an online appointment with one of our expert providers today.