Why an Online Psychiatrist Might Be a Good Fit for You

Online therapy can go by many names. E-therapy, teletherapy, cyber counseling, the list goes on. Online therapy is a new method or system of psychiatry that offers many to try and get the help they need.

How about you? Could you benefit from an online psychiatrist? Why do people choose to use an online therapist as opposed to a traditional one?

What is the Difference Between a Psychiatrist and a Psychologist?

There is a distinct difference between a psychiatrist and a psychologist. A psychiatrist, also known as a psychiatric provider, is a medical doctor who can treat children, adolescents, and adults. The main difference between psychiatrists and psychologists is that psychiatrists are medical doctors and can prescribe medication. Psychologists are not medical doctors, so they tend to focus on counseling and treatment.

That said, psychiatrists and psychologists often work together to create a holistic treatment that uses every aspect of the latest psychological services.

Benefits of Using an Online Therapist

Online therapy is becoming increasingly popular, and working with an online psychiatrist may be an excellent choice. Using online treatment is not only convenient and can save you time, but the professionals who work on an online platform are licensed and ready to help you take control of your mental health issues.

Additionally, many different platforms offer online therapy. Because of this, you have many different ones to choose from and can find a therapist that works well with your personality and mental health needs. Online therapy also makes it easy to find a qualified therapist who will work with your mental health problems.

• Reasons Why You May Prefer an Online Psychiatrist

An online psychiatrist can treat numerous mental health problems, including depression, anxiety, stress, and trauma. Because a psychiatrist is a licensed doctor who can provide medical treatment and prescribe medication, they may be a good choice for an individual looking to manage their mental health problems through medication.

• Talk Therapy

Even though psychiatrists mainly prescribe medication, they may prescribe talk therapy to manage mental illness. In some cases, the psychiatrist may do the counseling themselves, but more commonly, they will refer you to a psychologist or a therapist.
Your psychiatrist will likely work with a psychologist or therapist to make sure that you are receiving the best care possible.

• Convenient Medication Management

Managing medication doesn’t have to be difficult if you have an online psychiatrist. Instead of having to go into the doctor’s office every time you need to alter your medication, you can simply make an online appointment with your psychiatrist. For the most part, the psychiatrist probably just needs to figure out if your dosage amount is off and can easily alter it.

• Saves Time

Along with conveniently managing medication, seeing an online psychiatrist will save significant amounts of time. Instead of having to take time out of your day to go to a medical clinic to see a psychiatrist, you can simply talk to them over video chat or the phone. This can save you a lot of time in the long run and is one of the best perks of using an online psychiatrist.

• Genetics Testing

In some instances, online psychiatrists may even do genetics testing with you. A psychiatrist may order genetics testing to help figure out the root of your mental illness and see if the genetic testing provides any insight on the best way to treat your mental health problems.

Types of Mental Health Services Offered By Online Psychiatrists

Let’s discuss what an online psychiatrist does and how they help people.

• Sleep Problems

Sometimes when we find it difficult to sleep, the underlying problem could be something much more troublesome than expected. This can be helped by a psychiatrist or medication that they might give you to help you sleep.

If you’ve been suffering from erratic or very little sleep and can’t explain why, try talking to an online therapist. By talking to a psychiatrist or online therapist, you may be able to get to the root of these problems so that you can have a better night’s sleep.

• Anxiety

Stress-induced anxiety is a common factor these days. Some individuals, however, have it worse than most. Sometimes this anxiety can be so excessive that it disrupts our ability to live an everyday life.

We might be suffering from so much anxiety that it manifests itself in behavioral and physical problems. Having an online psychiatrist available may help treat and reduce your stress.

You might be so anxious that leaving the house can make you feel uneasy. This is where online therapy can be a solution. While most online therapists will have a scheduled weekly meeting, you can also do text therapy to send a text to your therapist when you feel anxious, and then you can talk about those texts later on when you have your full sessions.

• Bipolar Disorder

Some people find it difficult to keep their emotions balanced. This is a disorder called Bipolar Disorder, and it can have you going from feeling like you’re on top of the world to down in the dumps fairly quickly.

The feelings of depression can be so sudden that you might not be prepared for it. Finding a traditional therapist and setting up an appointment could take some time. When it’s time for your appointment, you might be on the flip side of the disorder and think you don’t need a therapist after all.

Getting help right away from an online psychiatrist can help pinpoint your depression from bipolar disorder right away. Especially because online therapists and psychiatrists can be reached at the drop of a dime, they may be a better option for individuals who feel like they can’t wait.

• PTSD (Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder)

While individuals who have served in the military are most commonly associated with post-traumatic stress disorder, anyone who has experienced a traumatic event can be diagnosed with PTSD. People who have PTSD can have triggers at any time. Having the ability to contact an online therapist immediately is a great thing to have in your arsenal against PTSD.

Additionally, PTSD can be severe, and the triggers can be challenging to manage. Having a trusted mental health professional that you can contact nearly anytime can be great to help you manage your symptoms and learn how to cope when the triggers do occur.

• ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder)

ADHD can make it very difficult for you to stick through an hour-long appointment with a psychiatrist. Even though it is common in children, the disorder does stick with that individual throughout their lives.

Additionally, ADHD can penetrate multiple areas in your life, including school, work, relationships, and more. To correctly manage your ADHD, it’s essential to trust a relationship with a psychiatrist and therapist. This is because you will likely use medication to help manage your ADHD symptoms and work with a therapist to help you manage the responsibilities of daily life.

Finding an online therapist to help you get a quick and immediate response to your problems and help you focus just long enough to give you treatment can be an excellent thing.

• OCD (Obsessive Compulsive Disorder)

Obsessive compulsive disorder can make life difficult by obsessing about seemingly trivial things. An online psychiatrist will attempt to help you manage your OCD through medication paired with cognitive behavior therapy. OCD may also be impacted by other disorders such as anxiety. By working with a psychiatrist or online therapist, you can help manage your symptoms and start to take control of your life.

Final Thoughts

Now that you know all about why using an online psychiatrist may be a good choice for you. Check out our expert guides to see which online therapy service is best. Luckily, many fantastic choices are available online that all have qualified and licensed therapists ready to work with you immediately.

*THE ABOVE IS NOT AND SHALL NOT BE CONSIDERED AS PROFESSIONAL OR MEDICAL ADVICE.