Are you experiencing feelings of anxiety, fear, panic, depression or overwhelm as a result of the lockdown? Here’s how online therapy can help you cope during a pandemic.
Why online therapy?
According to this article, one out of 20 Indians needs psychiatric help but only a minuscule number are likely to find the help they need.
Online therapy benefits people in rural areas who may never have access to the mental help they need, primarily because of the vast distances, superstitions and stigma surrounding mental health issues.
Online therapy may also be the saving grace for those who do not have access to a mental health practitioner or are unwilling to go in person for appointments, especially those at risk of depression and suicide.
Another reason that online therapy will grow in popularity is that it is the best way to do a counselling session with the same professional when travelling, relocating, or during a lockdown.
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How lockdowns can impact your mental health
A lockdown or period of self-isolation can trigger a number of mental health issues such as anxiety and depression in those who already have them.
A pandemic is also the perfect trigger for those with anxiety and depression to give in to their fears. According to this article in TIME Magazine, more doctors are reporting the spread of despair, worry and depression among their patients, especially those already suffering from some form of anxiety disorder.
They’re reporting both new anxieties among existing patients, and relapses among former ones, with clients who are prone to anxiety or depression or OCD experiencing more symptoms. Those who are vulnerable could benefit from free online counselling for depression and anxiety at this time.
People with Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD) might be the most susceptible to the impact of a viral outbreak since the disorder by definition entails anxiety about germs, disease and social interactions.
During a pandemic, the fear of infection is very likely to trigger due to the excessive need for sanitizing everything. In fact, a lockdown is a perfect event to trigger a germophobe’s fears.
It’s that much harder to manage when the world tells you that, guess what, now is the time to feel that fear for real. If you already have OCD, you might want to consider online therapy for OCD to cope with the fear of infection.
People living with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) are also feeling the impact of the coronavirus pandemic as one more mortal threat like COVID-19 can be more than they can bear. Also, social distancing denies PTSD patients one of their most effective therapeutic strategies: company.
But a period of quarantine or self-isolation can be challenging even for otherwise mentally healthy people and create new mental health problems. It’s at this time that even normal people may benefit from online therapy for anxiety to manage their fears.
Domestic violence is also likely to increase as stress levels go up and families are forced to spend a lot of time together. Many women facing domestic abuse could benefit from depression help online as leaving the home is impossible in a lockdown.
What is online therapy?
Online therapy is any form of counselling or mental health help offered by a qualified mental health practitioner over a digital medium such as a Smartphone or Skype.
Is online therapy a thing? Yes, in fact, the first online therapy provider was Ask Uncle Ezra (1986 -2012) which was the earliest known organized service to provide mental health advice.
Today, thanks to the growing number of Smartphone users, many app-based companies are creating online therapy websites to offer free online counselling sessions to those who need them.
Online therapy pros and cons
The main advantages of online therapy are that it is much cheaper and more accessible than in-person therapy as the therapist can avoid the overheads of maintaining an office.
Another benefit of online therapy is the disinhibition effect where people feel more comfortable opening up and discussing problems when they are online.
Is online therapy cheap? The answer is yes. Some online therapy platforms even offer free online counselling 24/7 for vulnerable patients at risk of self-harm. It beats them having to call a free mental health helpline.
How much does an online therapy consultation cost? Whereas a professional psychotherapist may charge thousands of rupees for a 45-minute in-person session, online therapy rates can be as low as a few hundred rupees a session, with many websites offering online therapy for free for the first session.
Is online therapy worth it? Is online therapy legitimate? The answer to that question is not always clear. One disadvantage of online therapy is that many online therapy platforms are not run by qualified professionals.
So when choosing an online therapy and counselling website, read through it carefully to understand how they select their therapists and whether they maintain high standards for client confidentiality and privacy.
Is online therapy safe? Only as long as you don’t have a serious mental illness that may need intensive treatment and medication, which an online therapy consultation cannot provide.
So, how effective is online therapy? Well, if you consider that many who opt for online counselling are the kind of people who would never visit a therapist in person (either because of the stigma, or the high cost of therapy), then online therapy can be a very effective way of delivering mental health services to those who desperately need therapy but lack the willingness or means to seek it.
Unfortunately because of the lack of online therapy guidelines and oversight, the quality of online therapy sessions may vary widely and the security of patients’ personal data is also a concern.
How does online therapy work and can I get therapy online?
How online therapy works is you access an online therapy website or download an app that offers online therapy services. You register on the website or app and start a chat explaining the mental health issue you need help with.
You will usually get a response from one of the online therapists within minutes to hours and can then decide if you want to continue the conversation.
So if the outbreak and lockdown have triggered your fears and you need online therapy for anxiety or online therapy for depression in India, choose only the best online counselling apps for mental health help.
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17 self-care tips to cope during the lockdown
The best way to prevent anxiety and depression when you can’t leave your home is to keep your mind occupied with positive thoughts so that it doesn’t go down the rabbit hole of fear and negativity.
Along with your online counselling sessions, you may also benefit from some of the emotional self-care practices and coping strategies below to manage your stress and anxiety levels.
- Increase immunity and fight off infection with these immune system supplements and vitamins that are proven to boost immune system health.
- Follow a daily routine that you’re familiar with (minus going out). It will keep your mind occupied and lessen your anxiety levels.
- Take the opportunity to upskill, learn something new, or recreate yourself altogether. You could take a creative writing class and write that book you always wanted to write. You can take an online course or a Masterclass to upgrade your skills and keep your mind busy.
- To stave off loneliness and boredom, call your family and friends on the phone or videoconference with them and catch up with their lives. If you’re feeling sad or anxious, voice your concerns to them.
- Stop doomscrolling and learn how to use social media for good. Social media can improve your life if you use it wisely.
- Practice Emotional Freedom Techniques (EFT), a healing modality based on energy psychology and the theory that our emotions and physical symptoms are linked to the body’s energy system.
- If you find yourself getting anxious or fearful, avoid watching the news, especially bad news. Instead, give in to your binge-watching cravings and catch up on those Amazon Prime or Netflix shows you’ve been meaning to watch.
- Learn the skills to develop your emotional resilience and work with your most challenging emotions so you can stop getting overwhelmed, and start seeing the deeper purpose of anxiety, panic, rage, and apathy.
- If you’re facing conflict in your home, take a free training course in Nonviolent Communication (NVC), which has been used by therapists, corporations, and anyone wanting to find a way to improve their relationship skills.
- If you’re experiencing domestic abuse or violence in your home you can get free legal advice online in India from a domestic violence lawyer.
- Mindfulness and emotional well-being go together. These free mindfulness workshops and courses will help you improve your mindfulness skills with long-term mental health benefits.
- Find fun interesting hobbies to take up during and after the lockdowns. They will help you express your passion and creativity and give you a mental break.
- Practising self-care for women is absolutely essential, especially while caring for others. Taking care of yourself will help you look after yourself and your family better.
- Laughter boosts immunity, helps the brain relax and improves mood and relationships. Watching funny movies, telling jokes and sharing funny memes are good ways to cope when other things aren’t working as expected.
- To cope with stress and anxiety, start a gratitude practice. Gratitude is a mood booster that helps you focus on the bright side of things.
- This is the time to pamper yourself with some homemade facials and treatments for glowing skin. Or, if you prefer, you can order these natural skincare products and support a woman entrepreneur in India.
- Need help to take care of elders at home during COVID? Learn about home care for elderly people to help you choose the right home attendant for elderly care services.
And finally, get free online therapy for depression, relationships, careers, health issues and more on the AskSHEROES chat helpline.
I hope this article has shown you why you should do online therapy, where to get therapy online and how to get online therapy if you need it.
Stay home, stay safe and stay healthy till the time it’s ok to go out again.
Disclaimer: The information contained on this website is presented for the purpose of educating people. Nothing contained on this website should be construed nor is intended to be used for medical diagnosis or treatment. It should not be used in place of the advice of your physician or other qualified health care provider. Should you have any healthcare-related questions, please call or see your physician or other qualified health care provider promptly. Always consult with your physician or other qualified health care provider before embarking on a new treatment, diet, or fitness program.
Author bio:
Priya Florence Shah is the Group Editor at SHEROES and author of Devi2Diva, an emotional self-care book for women.
Disclosure: This blog contains affiliate or sponsored links. For more information, read our disclosure.
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- Yoga For Anxiety: 10 Yoga Poses To Manage Anxiety And Depression
- 6 Reasons Why Strong Women Need Mental Healthcare Too
- How Rapid Transformational Therapy™ Rewires Your Brain
- 14 Positive Mental Health Tips From A Mental Health Counselor
- How To Maintain Healthy Relationships When Mental Illness Intervenes
