Is Virtual Therapy Reliable When Compared To Face-To-Face Therapy?

In the 21st century, mental health is one of the most pressing matters. Today's society is faced with stress, economic worries, relationship issues, and self-esteem challenges. This has caused an increase in the need for mental health services, particularly after the COVID-19 pandemic. During the pandemic, there was a spike in depression, PTSD, anxiety, and even suicide. But, due to social isolation, many patients had to begin or continue therapy via virtual means.

Although people had their doubts about the effectiveness of online therapy, there were no alternatives back then. But now, after the bulk of the pandemic has passed, many patients wonder if online therapy is a good option for them. Current data have shown no difference between face-to-face therapy and the virtual alternative. And yet, patients may be wondering why this is the case. This is why the rest of the article will focus on the reliability of online therapy.

Is virtual therapy reliable when compared to face-to-face therapy?

For starters, virtual healthcare services are not new; they have existed for more than 60 years. Thus, there has been enough time to study the benefits and shortcomings of telehealth services. Most arguments against telehealth come from the fact that there is no physical contact with the patient. Admittedly, this can be a definite deal-breaker in some areas of healthcare, like orthopedics or surgery. But, in the case of mental healthcare, the lack of physical contact is no limitation for the diagnosis and treatment of conditions.

Although there is evident importance to physical contact in therapy —like in the case of a supporting hand on the shoulder— treatment can be successful without it. So, more patients are choosing the online alternative over the face-to-face one. The main benefits of virtual therapy are:

1. No physical limitations: Virtual therapy is unaffected by country, distance, weather, or traffic.
2. Accessibility: There are patients with physical limitations that impede going to therapy consultations. Such is the case for the elderly, very sick individuals, or those who need devices to move around. But, thanks to virtual therapy, there's no need for people to leave their homes.
3. Privacy: Many patients have self-esteem and trust issues due to their condition. To control these, patients are able to attend therapy from the comfort of their homes.

In conclusion, there's enough evidence to show the effectiveness of virtual therapy. And there are also many practical benefits to remote therapy compared to face-to-face therapy. So, when a patient decides on virtual therapy, there is no need to worry about its quality. 

For more info about virtual therapy, contact a local company.