When it comes to our health, we do not like to scrimp on care because our health is important to us. However, many choose to ignore their mental health because of the high costs and lack of insurance coverage. And there is nothing worse for your mental and emotional state than financial worries. But with telemental health care, or online counseling, you can get the same care at a much lower rate. The cost of traditional face to face counseling can cost about $250 to $500 an hour while telemental health care is only $40 to $70 per week. That is quite a difference in savings. But since there are still some people who are convinced that telehealth is not as good as traditional health care, we will explain why it is just as good, if not better.
What is Telehealth and Telemental Health?
Telemental health is also called online counseling and it is done from your home or wherever you happen to be when you need help. You do not have to call and make an appointment and you can use it anytime you need to, 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Even on holidays. Now, that does not mean that your counselor will be right there at 3:00 AM to answer you right away but they will typically answer within a few hours. Once you sign up with your online counselor, you will have unlimited access at the same low rate, unlike traditional hourly rates that only give you that one hour. Period.
Why Telehealth is Less Expensive
The reason that online counseling is so much cheaper than traditional counseling is because the counselor does not incur the same high costs as traditional counselors. For example, they do not have to pay to lease an office, pay employees for the office, spend money on utilities, furniture, and other office supplies, and they do not have transportation costs. So, because they save money, so do you. And that is great news for your mental health no matter what. Saving money on health care means you have more money to save for the future, which is important.
Why Telehealth May Be Better for You
Besides saving money, telehealth also saves you time, it is convenient, and it can be a life saver for many people who suffer from mental conditions such as severe depression, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and social anxiety disorder. For example, those who have severe depression sometimes find it hard to get out of bed in the morning, let alone getting dressed and going to see a doctor. Also, those with PTSD or social anxiety disorder have trouble being around crowds or being out in public. So being able to talk to your counselor from the safety and comfort of your own home is essential to many who would forego treatment altogether if they did not have telehealth options. In fact, studies have shown that a larger percentage of those with mental illnesses are getting treatment due to the availability of telemental health care.
Regardless of your condition, if you or someone you care about is concerned about their mental or emotional health, it is important to get treatment. Ignoring it will not make it go away. In fact, when you let it go, things will usually get worse. Talk to a counselor today to get some help – click here to find out more.
This is a guest post by Marie Miguel. She has been a writing and research expert for nearly a decade, covering a variety of health- related topics. Currently, she is contributing to the expansion and growth of a free online mental health resource with BetterHelp.com. With an interest and dedication to addressing stigmas associated with mental health, she continues to specifically target subjects related to anxiety and depression.
