Dr Ashna Gupta
The growing importance of psychological issues and health has been a huge wave recently and is expected to rise substantially. The concept of mental health has been revolutionary over the years, especially in the post-COVID pandemic era. In today’s world, mental health is king. However, this was not the case a few years ago, and even now we have a long way to go.
The stigma surrounding this profession is deeply rooted in the human psyche. For generations, people have been ingrained with such irrational, strong preconceived biases, stigmatizing beliefs, and a fear of being judged negatively, judged, and looked down upon by other members of society.
Henceforth, starting a conversation or asking for help or even helping yourself is compromised and staying forgetful, stuck and making things worse becomes the first/priority. When people start living out these values with such prejudiced attitudes, the result is a “social deficit” that is as contagious as the common cold. The problem never goes away; it’s still there, in fact, it’s only exacerbated by chronic ignorance.
It is still very common that if a person suffers from any health related ailments like viral fever or any other bodily infection, he/she will go to the doctor and get treated after examination. However, when it comes to any type of psychological problem/illness, the first response is a lack of awareness or awareness of the problem at hand, followed by a lack of acceptance (even if there is awareness), and finally if by any chance the above two are prevalent – no Take further steps to improve the problem or improve the problem. This seems unfair because the individual is denying his/her own reality and being unfair to himself.
It’s time to break down the myths and taboos surrounding psychological help and start conversations about the worries, issues, and struggles we’ve been silently dealing with. Prioritizing mental health should become the new normal. With the alarming increase in the mental health needs of the population, it is the responsibility of psychologists and other professionals in the same field to psychoeducate as many people as possible about the importance, demand and supply of mental health and the overall quality of a healthy lifestyle.
Emerging technology-based solutions, including telephone/audio counseling and video/web conferencing tools; self-directed, web-based, and desktop computer-based therapy tools; web-based text communications (e.g., email, chat, forums); and mobile technology. Barriers to accessing mental health care can be helped to break down by providing information, accessible and private treatment services and addressing some of the major mental health stressors people face, such as harassment, abuse, work stress, family problems or other mental health barriers.
The Internet offers several avenues to enhance healthcare delivery in clinical settings. For example, remote video consultations could give consumers easier access to skilled healthcare professionals regardless of geographic proximity. Using the Internet to transmit medical images to expert interpreters can speed up and improve the diagnostic process and reduce costs. Virtual reality tools can help therapists plan effective intervention techniques and improve their use of information during procedures.Using the Internet to Access and Collect Health Records Allows Providers to Improve
Information for therapeutic purposes, whether the patient is a regular visitor or a stranger.
Additionally, telehealth platforms, including instant messaging or video calls, have proven useful in primary care settings, helping counselors connect with clients. Telephone-based interventions have been shown to have considerable clinical utility in areas such as behavioral management of chronic pain and as part of post-treatment smoking cessation efforts. Since phones, including mobile phones, have long been a part of life, research often shows that both clinicians and clients are satisfied with phone-based consultations. In fact, many clients find telephone consultations to be a satisfying and rewarding process. In addition, some evidence suggests that clients may participate more in counseling sessions if they are provided in a telehealth setting as an alternative or adjunct to a face-to-face setting.
In conclusion, significant developments in technology are emerging and offer great promise for integration into behavioral health services. These are exciting times to leverage technology to improve the quality and reach of effective behavioral health services, but a carefully planned approach to adopting TAC is critical to delivering the greatest benefit to behavioral health providers and program administrators, as well as their clients.
(The author is a clinical psychologist at Aetna vHealth. This article is for informational purposes only. Before initiating any treatment, medication and/or remedial measures, please consult a medical professional and health professional. The views expressed are their own and do not reflect official position or the policies of FinancialExpress.com.)