Benefits of Online Counselling for Depression

The internet has opened up promising new platforms for seeking depression counselling. Many people living in rural areas or failing to find suitable psychologists nearby trust online sessions for improving their mental health care.  

However, that’s not all; online counseling for depression also helps people protect their privacy and choose among the vast sea of experienced professionals. This allows people to open up without the fear of judgment from the comfort of anywhere.

What is online therapy?

This is a form of mental health counseling where a therapist provides services to clients through the internet. The sessions can take place via video calls or phone, rather than in person at a physical office; essentially, it’s accessing therapy remotely through digital platforms.

There’s a significant rise in online psychologist consultation India. For example, amidst the Covid-19 Pandemic, Health platform Lybrate witnessed a 180% rise in online patient consultations related to mental health between March 1 and June 20, as per a report by Times of India.

Online counselling for depression is different in many ways and besides providing the standard mental health care benefits, they also offer other unique advantages. However, they can also be limited to both patients and the psychologist. 

How is online therapy different from in-person?

The lack of physical presence can limit a therapist’s ability to fully observe non-verbal cues like body language and facial expressions. This can potentially impact the depth of understanding and connection during sessions. 

However, it offers greater convenience and accessibility for individuals due to location flexibility. Both forms can be effective for different situations depending on individual needs.

Key differences:

Non-verbal communication: In-person therapy allows therapists to readily observe body language, facial expressions, and other non-verbal cues. This helps the psychotherapist to provide valuable insight into a client’s emotional state.

Physical environment: In-person therapy provides a dedicated space for therapy, creating a more structured and focused environment. Online therapy can be conducted from anywhere which is both beneficial and detrimental in certain ways. People have the comfort of not missing on appointments but new settings can potentially introduce distractions depending on the client’s setting. 

Accessibility: Online therapy offers greater accessibility for individuals with geographic limitations, busy schedules, or mobility issues, as it eliminates the need to travel to a physical office. 

Potential for disconnection: Some individuals might find it harder to build a strong therapeutic relationship online. This is largely due to the lack of physical presence and technical glitches during sessions. 

Advantages of Online Counselling for Depression

Improved access to treatment 

Online counseling can provide patients with access to evidence-based treatments and treatment information at their convenience. People are not worried about traveling distances to seek comfort. 

Also, sometimes clinically depressed people find it difficult to take time out of their hectic schedule. Absurd it may sound, there are many depressed individuals burdened with too many responsibilities to prioritize their mental health care. In such circumstances, online depression counseling comes to the rescue. 

Cost-effectiveness 

Online counseling can be more cost-effective than face-to-face treatment. The fees for most psychologists remains the same but people can save time and money on travelling. This may be insignificant in many cases where people are living in cities or have found an empathetic psychologist nearby. 

Patient empowerment

Patients can schedule their care and receive therapy from any location with internet access. 

This allows the patients to work independently from the therapist and seek therapy when they need it the most. 

Patients can return to the program at their convenience to access treatment information. Best online counselling programs can present information well in writing, by videos, and make it accessible at any time. 

Improved treatment satisfaction 

Online therapy can lead to better treatment satisfaction and better adherence of patients. Some of the key factors behind it are better documentation, symptom tracking, monitoring, and evaluation of therapy progress.

Talk n Share provides both in-person and online depression counselling 

Depending upon the problems, sometimes it is best to consider online therapies. Similarly, certain deep-rooted problems are best addressed in-person. You can find the answer by talking to yourself, what is the most suitable option for your mental health care. 

When to consider online therapy?

Convenience: People who have a busy schedule or live far from a therapist’s office.

Privacy concerns: Some people may feel more comfortable discussing sensitive topics in the privacy of their own home. Counselling for depression online in Delhi can help you find the best psychologist to resolve mental health issues.

Accessibility: People with mobility issues or living in a remote area. 

When to consider in-person therapy?

Complex issues: People dealing with severe mental health concerns that require close observation of non-verbal cues. 

Building rapport: A strong therapeutic relationship is crucial for your treatment. 

Need for physical interaction: Certain therapies like mindfulness based cognitive-threat  benefits better from physical activities or guided exercises that are easier to facilitate in person.

Choose wisely. Sometimes people start with online sessions and later switch to in-person when they are confident about the therapist.

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