Can technology help close the mental health treatment gap?

Imagine a person who is in distress. They might be unable to sleep at night. Alternatively, they might replay awful memories in their heads several times. Or, they may have anxiety at work, which they cannot identify. They know that they need help, but even when they search, they find nothing. There are long waiting lists, high expenses, and no mental health specialist nearby.

This is no unusual story. In fact, it’s the most frequent scenario for people who are searching for mental health care around the world. Since time immemorial, the gap in mental health care has always been a separation between the people wanting assistance and the actual availability of that help. For a while, that gap has only been increasing.

However, something is evolving. Technology is coming to the rescue. Although it is not flawless, it is now opening doors that were shut for too long.

Why so many people never get help

Before discussing the solution, it is always good to know the problem well by asking questions like: What is the cause of the lack of support for those with mental health issues, when in fact they are in dire need of assistance?

• Lack of or small number of mental health care professionals in the immediate surrounding areas
• In-person therapy is expensive. Many people simply cannot afford it.
• There is still a lot of shame around mental health. Many people fear being seen walking into a specialist’s office.
• Work schedules, childcare, and everyday life make it hard to keep regular appointments.
• Some people do not even know where to start.

The problems mentioned are not minor. These problems cause people to suffer in silence for months or even years without support. This silence means endless costs not only regarding relationships, work, and physical health but also life itself.

What technology is actually changing

Telepsychiatry is secretly destroying at least some of these walls. Not all, but enough to help millions of people.

Telepsychiatry means meeting with a medical doctor via a video consultation rather than physically going to the doctor’s office. It all sounds simple, but this small change is transformative. For example:

• A person stuck in a rural town no longer needs to drive for hours. 
• A single mother does not have to choose between her doctor’s appointment and picking up her child from school. 
• A person who is very uncomfortable just with the idea of having to go to a mental health clinic can instead sit at their home and still have the quality of care a real, professional provider would give them.

This is not a chatbot or an app that gives generic advice, but a live interaction between a board-certified psychiatrist and a patient, which includes the psychiatrist sitting face-to-face with the patient, asking questions, analyzing the information, and planning a proper treatment regimen. 

Online psychiatry is not a shortcut but a real option

It’s a common fear that online care means less care. That the screen somehow makes the conversation less real or the treatment less effective. Research by the American Psychiatric Association suggests online psychiatric appointments can be even more effective than traditional appointments when conducted correctly and according to the right standards,

Why? This is because people generally feel unconfined and open in their own space. They also feel less judged. When someone feels comfortable, they tend to speak honestly, which leads to an accurate diagnosis and better treatment.

The main point here is that the same criteria must be followed. Just like a face-to-face psychiatrist has to adhere to the same guidelines as any other in-person psychiatrist. Longer appointments, thorough evaluations, careful medication management, and proper follow-up care. Not to say a rapid five-minute video call with a prescription at the end.

One of the biggest wins: Continuity of care

Here is the least-talked-about mental health treatment puzzle. Treatment isn’t a one-session deal, but it is a preventive process. Just like a person suffering from diabetes needs to have regular checkups to keep their condition under control, the person who is dealing with mental health issues (e.g., depression, anxiety, PTSD, insomnia, ADHD, OCD, schizophrenia, etc.) must have regular appointments to track their situation, get medication adjusted if needed, and stay on the right track in health care.

This is where technology makes its biggest impact. An online psychiatrist from platforms like GABA Telepsychiatry is available seven days a week, including weekends. That way, people no longer have to wait till the next available weekday appointment in a crisis. Timely care means minor problems do not turn into major crises.

• Regular check-ups to keep treatment progress on track
• Adjust medication sooner when it is not working out or seamless prescription refills
• Expert support for successful symptom management
• Small setbacks can be intercepted before they become serious issues
• Requirement of hassle-free workplace documentation

Take the following example: if someone is suffering from a physical ailment and calls the doctor on Tuesday afternoon, it is likely the person can be seen the same day-why should a person who needs mental health treatment have to wait 3 weeks for their appointment? They should not. Now, through telepsychiatry, they often do not have to.

Technology also helps with clarity

Many people are mentally disturbed, but they do not know what they are experiencing for a long time. They have a sense that something is off, but they can’t figure it out. They take one medication that does not work, and they quit.

Proper online psychiatric evaluations provide much-needed insight. They finally comprehend the troubles they are facing. This understanding pertains to a psychological transformation in itself. It removes guilt and instead focuses on knowledge. It replaces confusion with a plan and offers a clear path forward.

For example, people undergoing anxiety treatment can learn techniques to cope with everyday challenges more systematically without commuting and improve the emotional and interpersonal aspects of their lives.

It is not perfect, and that is okay to say

The truth is that technology is not a cure-all. Some people still can’t use or access reliable internet. In addition, some people are more comfortable with in-person treatment. Moreover, insurance coverage and cost remain gray areas we are still tackling. These issues are important and should be addressed.

However, for the millions of people who have been stuck in that treatment gap, sometimes for years, even for their whole life, telepsychiatry opens a door that was not previously available. Walking through this door for priority mental health is what matters most, and it is also the first step toward psychiatric care.