Where to find mentalhealth services online
If your mental health has recently taken a hit, you are not alone, said David Brooks in The New York Times. “There is a river of woe running through the world,” all of it traceable to the fear, uncertainty, and loneliness brought on by the coronavirus outbreak and resulting shutdown of social life. In a survey published late last month by the American Psychiatric Association, more than a third of Americans said the pandemic was having “a serious impact” on their mental health. Calls last month to the federal Disaster Distress Hotline (800985-5990) were up almost ninefold compared with March 2019. And such a spike comes as no surprise, said Andrea Petersen in The Wall Street Journal. Even in a normal year, about 22 percent of Americans ages 13 and older experience an anxiety disorder, and 9 percent a mood disorder. But there is support available.
“If you’re new to therapy, don’t be intimidated,” said Kastalia Medrano in Vox.com. Help just got more accessible because health insurers and Washington have responded to the crisis by making more services available at lower entry cost, including for everyone covered by Medicare. With or without insurance, you can start by searching online for a federally qualified health center (FQHC) near you. The Health Resources and Services
Administration (hrsa.gov) makes it easy to locate these community-based centers, many of which provide telehealth counseling. Another free option is the national crisis text line: Just text CRISIS to 741741 at any hour and a volunteer social worker or clinician will respond quickly. If you have insurance, check your insurer’s website to find a therapist, and consult the therapist directory at PsychologyToday.com. Many insurers are currently waiving co-pays on telehealth visits, making it easier to find and settle on a therapist you like.
Online therapy services can also be great resources, said Ingrid Skjong in TheWirecutter.com. We like Amwell best, because it has hundreds of therapists and its video sessions feel most like a face-to-face conversation. But we recommend MDLive and Doctor on Demand as well. Talkspace is an app that can be cheaper than video therapy, because your dialogue with a therapist is conducted by text and video messaging, said Ruth Reader in FastCompany.com. But “as overwhelming as the world can feel right now, you may not want to speak to an actual therapist.” In that case, try an app designed to relieve anxiety, such as Deep, for breathing exercises; Headspace, for meditation; and MoodKit, for DIY cognitive behavioral therapy.