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How Telemedicine Can Improve Your Mental Health

You might not have heard of telemedicine, but this bold new way of treating patients is currently taking the health care world by storm. Even though the idea behind the incentive is an old one, it’s found a new way to blossom in the contemporary world thanks to the advent of digital technology. Initially designed to help patients who lived far away from a doctor or were incapacitated some way and couldn’t get to see them, telemedicine utilised, as the title suggests, telecommunications. Back in the 1960s when the concept was first introduced, phones were the only method that doctors could use to contact remote patients. But in 2018, there are many more tools at doctors’ and patients’ disposal. As a result, telemedicine is revolutionizing the health care industry, for both clinical doctors’ visits and telemedicine psychiatry.

The main focal point of telemedicine has not changed; it helps doctors connect with remote patients and those with limited mobility. However, thanks to modern technology, there are many more benefits to using telemedicine than simply remote access. It allows patients to connect with their doctors instantaneously, saving both parties time and money. Worrying symptoms can be checked up on immediately, and doctors are better able to monitor their patients through a number of diagnostic tools. Also, there’s better access to specialists, and a wider selection of options for patients who may have previously been limited in scope of choice. But while this is all very clear-cut for patients dealing with physical disorders, when it comes to psychotherapy, can telemedicine have the same impact?

Divan - Mental Health Scrabble

Mental disorders are much harder to diagnose than physical ones.

The arena of mental health has changed a lot since the 1960s, when telemedicine was first introduced. We undoubtedly have a better understanding and a more empathetic view of many psychological conditions in 2018, but in many ways, it remains a difficult area to treat. While the stigma around mental health is also being lifted, there is still some that surrounds the diagnosis of some conditions, meaning potential patients aren’t as likely to come forward to doctors as they might be with a physical ailment. Despite this, thousands of people across the U.S. routinely visit psychiatrists for a variety of disorders. So naturally, it makes sense that the emerging field of telemedicine psychiatry can aid and improve mental health across the country.

The first thing that telemedicine psychiatry can help with is removing the gravitas from mental health. Many people could benefit from seeing a psychiatrist at some point in their lives, but they don’t want to go through the hassle of setting up an appointment, and thereby admitting to themselves they might be suffering from a mental disorder. This is a direct result of the stigma around mental health issues, which has been prevalent all over the world for many years. Telemedicine psychiatry can help potential patients ease into treatment; they will feel far more relaxed and reassured if they can conduct the initial discussions with their chosen doctor from the comfort of their own home. Admitting you may be suffering from a mental disorder and all that comes with that can be intimidating; telemedicine can be a great way to make the process less of an event, and help you get the care you need.

Telemedicine can help in other ways too. It might be that a patient is too overwhelmed by anxiety or depression to leave their house. Maybe they just can’t face going to a doctor or psychiatrist’s office. Again, telemedicine psychology can help by bringing them specialist care from the safety and comfort of their own home. It also provides patients with a wide range of options; you’re not just limited to the specialists in your local area. You can select from a wide range of psychiatrists who specialize in many different fields. This mechanism can help patients discover the right doctor for them, instead of having to settle for the handful who are within driving distance from their home.

Divan - Woman with Cat

An ESA can help reduce symptoms of common mental health disorders.

Telemedicine is also helpful in the field of emotional support animals, or ESAs for short. This popular new mental health treatment involves utilizing regular pets with no specific training as a way of providing support for those suffering from a wide variety of mental health disorders, such as depression, anxiety, bipolar disorder, and PTSD. The key to getting an ESA is a emotional support animal letter, which must be prescribed from a mental health professional. Again, this might seem like a daunting task for those who are intimidated by the mental health field, but through sites like Moosh, which guide patients through the process of procuring an ESA letter from their home, telemedicine is making a positive impact on people’s lives.

The field of psychiatry is still evolving; mental health professionals are doing their best to remove the stigma from the field, and encourage patients to see a specialist when they’re feeling vulnerable. Unlike physical disorders, mental afflictions can be very hard to quantify. Telemedicine psychiatry is an invaluable tool that can make the fight for mental health easier across the world.

Is Telemedicine Psychiatry As Progressive As Clinical Telemedicine?

Telemedicine is a brand-new, progressive form of health care currently taking the country by storm. In the age of digital technology, where the internet has expanded into almost every conceivable industry, it makes sense that the gigantic health sector couldn’t be far behind. And in fact, it wasn’t far behind at all; it was actually way ahead of the curve. If you’re just hearing about it now, telemedicine might seem like a brand new initiative, but its inception actually dates back decades, to the 1960s. Back then, of course, there was no internet, but the fundamental ideas behind telemedicine remain the same today. Mental health is a big part of today’s health care industry and the discussions around it – much bigger than it was five decades ago. As telemedicine advances into a new era, the question remains: is telemedicine psychiatry as progressive as clinical telemedicine?

Initially, telemedicine got its name because it allowed patients to consult with doctors remotely, via telephones. The basis of the practise is still intact today, and telecommunications are still used to connect health care professionals with long-distance patients; however, in 2018, most of this is done via smartphone and other electronic devices like tablets and laptops, which have been successfully integrated into our professional and personal lives. Patients can now consult with doctors and specialists in their own time, no mater where they are in the world. If a patient has a worrying symptom that they want checked out straight away, all they need to do is pick up their phone, and within seconds they can be connected with a doctor and well on their way to easing their minds, or getting it checked out further if necessary.

Divan Medical - Mental Health Latptop

Telemedicine psychiatry can be remarkably effective.

The process is pretty clear-cut when it comes to physical afflictions, as there is usually one set, defined course for treatment. Telemedicine can also provide patients with a broader option of specialists from around the country, as opposed to being forced onto a waiting list for a local specialist you may or may not be fully confident with. But as with all aspects of health care, there are a different set of procedures when it comes to mental health. Psychiatry and the treatment of mental disorders are extremely hard to define, and unlike most physical conditions, there is no one-size-fits-all treatment available for patients. So how exactly can telemedicine psychiatry help those in need of mental health treatment?

Well, one initiative that is seeing increasing use within the psychiatric community is the use of emotional support animals, or ESA for short. These are animals who function similarly to regular pets, and require no specific training for their role: being continually present as a source of comfort and companionship for their mentally afflicted owners. Studies have proven that the presence of an animal can help alleviate the most oppressive symptoms of common disorders like depression, anxiety, PTSD, autism, and bipolar disorder, with the treatment gaining serious traction within the last few years. To qualify for an ESA, the patient requires an emotional support animal letter, or ESA letter, from a verified medical professional, qualifying their condition and validating their pet as an emotional support animal. This crucial document then allows patients and their pets to avail of special laws like the Air Carrier Access Act (which allows ESAs on planes) and the Fair Housing Act (which allows ESAs to live in rented accommodation).

Divan Medical - ESA Dog

Emotional support animals are becoming a popular treatment option in the field of mental health.

But how exactly does telemedicine psychiatry fit into the ESA initiative? Quite nicely, actually; through sites like Moosh, patients can apply for their ESA letter online, and be vetted and approved for an emotional support animal in a very short space of time. This is especially pertinent if a patient has crippling anxiety or overwhelming depression, and can’t face leaving the house for a long period of time. For patients like this, telemedicine is a lifeline, as they’re able to begin and conduct their treatment from the comfort of their own home, in their own time. The process of getting an ESA letter may seem intimidating and potentially probing; however, by utilizing telemedicine sites like Moosh, it can be a simple, straightforward procedure, leaving the patient with little to worry about.

You can also confer regularly with psychologists over Skype, FaceTime, or any other app that allows people to talk face-to-face. This provides patients with the benefit of convenient consultation with their mental health specialists, without sacrificing the intimacy of the conversation. Previously, neither psychologist or patient would be happy conversing over the phone; these days, with the help of telemedicine, they can go a step further while still availing of the benefits of digital technology. It’s clear from all these advances that telemedicine is having a huge effect on the health care industry, across all sectors. It’s making health care cheaper and more convenient for patients and doctors alike, and as it continues to ascend, it’s sure to advance both the physical and the psychological fields of medicine.

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