Is BetterHelp Changing Therapy Forever?

When in-person social interactions are fewer and further between, it’s totally normal to find yourself spending more time in your head, listening to your own thoughts. It’s important to reflect, but when reflection turns into rumination, beware. 

For those new to therapy, the word itself can seem intimidating, cold, and even stressful. What was once a taboo concept to be embarrassed of is slowly being normalized as a legitimate means of healing. That is what BetterHelp is doing for people all over the world.

After you wake up, how long do you experience the world before picking up your cell phone or checking your computer? For most, it’s probably within the first five minutes. We live in a digital world, now more than ever. Learning how to use that to your advantage can change your life. 

BetterHelp is on a mission to do that for anyone, and everyone in need of online counseling. 

Let’s Assess the Situation

The World Health Organization (WHO) did a World Mental Health (WMH) survey to examine the increasing mental health crisis. When looking at 28 different countries, all reported the prevalence of mental health disorders, approximating that 18%-36% of the people in participating countries experience similar struggles with anxiety, substance abuse, and mood swings, to name a few.

More importantly, the WMH survey pointed out that most of these mental health disorder cases go untreated, due primarily to a lack of mental health professionals, and limited access. 

According to the Anxiety and Depression Association of America, 322 million people around the world experience depression. In the United States alone, 40 million people report anxiety disorders.

The point is – you are not alone. People everywhere are facing mental health struggles, and mental health professionals are doing what they can to provide the proper care to those in need. The good news, they’re trying to do better.

As our world changes, so does the way we receive help, so why are people so excited about online counseling? 

What is BetterHelp?

With 12,000 online, qualified counselors, BetterHelp is the largest online counseling service.

Although these mental health professionals are not psychiatrists, and therefore cannot prescribe medication, their goal is to provide affordable, accessible therapy to anyone in need.

Because of the online platform, people all over the world are capable of receiving the help they need from the comfort of their own homes in a confidential, simple way.

Online vs In-Person Therapy – What’s The Difference?

One of the main concerns most people have when contemplating online counseling is what losing the face to face interaction could mean for the quality of the healthcare provided. Excluding extenuating, dramatic circumstances, the truth: it’s not all that different. 

A study done with university students in Malaysia showed that 35% of participants would be more inclined to seek out online counseling than in-person counseling. Convenience, and cost are two driving factors in that decision, and it’s important for professionals to understand how many more people can be served by an online counseling service like BetterHelp. 

For students, parents and/or anyone with a job (or two), you know that finding the time, mental energy, and physical exertion for yet another thing on the to-do list can be difficult. 

There are also plenty of people that would benefit from counseling, but might not have the means of transportation that attending face-to-face therapy would require. 

People need options. They need a flexible, accessible way to take care of their mental health – and that’s what BetterHelp is offering. That’s why they are changing the therapy game.

Any Cons?

We don’t recommend being “plugged in” all the time. With work-from-home on the rise, and an overall shift to a more virtual world underway, it can be physically and emotionally taxing to stare into bluelight all day. But when you are able to implement online therapy into your day or week in a low cost, easy to manage way, you’re using our virtual world to your advantage. 

Personal, and/or work related stress might seem common enough to ignore, but over time it can take a serious toll on a person’s day-to-day communication, performance, physical abilities and overall health. 

The CDC even reported that “Nearly 1 in 5 US adults aged 18 or older (18.3% or 44.7 million people) reported any mental illness in 2016. In addition, 71% of adults reported at least one symptom of stress, such as a headache or feeling overwhelmed or anxious” (CDC.gov).

Don’t wait to “burn out” before seeking assistance. Find out if online counseling is right for you!

Logistics Of It All

• Price: A BetterHelp membership ranges between $80-$100 per week, billed monthly. In comparison, many in-person therapy sessions can cost around the same – but per hour. Given the unlimited, and convenient means of communication that online therapy offers, it can certainly be cost-effective. 

• Sessions: Once matched with a counselor, BetterHelp will provide the two of you with an online “room” for messaging. Messaging is available 24/7, and all messages are saved for your convenience, and reflection. The messaging service is then used in tandem with scheduled live phone sessions, and/or video sessions. 

• Anonymity: Of course, confidentiality is important with any therapy. In addition, BetterHelp gives you the option to stay relatively anonymous. If you’re nervous about providing too much personal information, BetterHelp lets you list a nickname to go by, and just asks that you provide an emergency contact for safety purposes. 

For a lot of people, it’s scary to start anything new. Especially regarding matters close to the heart, it’s easy to suppress and procrastinate instead. But the conversation about mental health awareness is growing rapidly, and so are the options for healing. 

Since its inception in 2013, BetterHelp has made a major splash in the way we think about therapy. With thousands of clients, positive reviews, and a forward thinking mindset, BetterHelp is taking matters and putting them directly into your hands. 

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Marie Miguel 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.