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Reports reveal that approximately 1 in 4 people in the UK will experience a mental health issue each year. In England, 1 in 6 people report experiencing a common mental health problem, such as anxiety and depression.
While these are alarming statistics on mental health, it is quite assuring to learn that new forms of therapies emerge which could potentially help us manage our mental health. Reports from both England and Wales suggest that approximately 1 in 8 adults with a mental health issue are currently receiving treatment. Medication is reported as the most common type of treatment for a mental health problem, whereas most therapies are delivered face-to-face.
Meanwhile, our smartphones have revolutionised how we interact with people, engage with the world, and get ourselves around. Taking into account the relationship between mental health issues and technology, the availability of a text-based therapy seems to be good news. In particular, through this therapy, people can benefit from an ‘asynchronous’ text chat with a licensed therapist.
Talkspace is a pioneer in this online therapy sector. One of the key features of this app is that it’s free of the facial expression or voice intonation that you’d get from interacting with a person. Although what the therapist types in may make you feel like you were talking to one of those chat robots, but because it’s asynchronous, you actually have time to think through your response before typing it out. Some people may find the extra time to think and craft their responses useful, whereas in talk therapy you don’t have time to think; you just have to respond in real-time.
Talkspace is increasingly becoming popular, with some sources citing that it is growing 70–80% faster than projected since 2016. The company offers counselling on relationship, anxiety, parenting, and a range of other issues.
All of their therapists are licensed and background-checked. Your therapist won’t judge you, and the same privacy rules apply as if you were at a traditional therapy office.
Talkspace has many therapists that can help you with depression, anxiety, and the challenges of being part of the LGBT community or a veteran, and more. They have the ability to understand what you are going through and to help you make a positive change in your life.
With Talkspace online therapy, anyone can benefit from therapy without visiting a practice, and for significantly less money than traditional therapy. Customer support is also available to help answer non-clinical questions about how Talkspace works.
Dennis Relojo-Howell is the managing director of Psychreg.
