In the U.S., alone, an estimated 18.5% of the population, that is 43.8 million people, are dealing with some form of mental illness. From PTSD to anxiety, depression, and issues like schizophrenia and bipolar disorder, it’s safe to say there is a need for more attention to this topic. We have come a very long way in the field of psychology when dealing with mental illness.
In previous years, professionals held beliefs that mental illness was no more than demonic possession and the way treatment was handled was no different. We created asylums, electro-shock therapy, allowed priests to perform exorcisms, placed patients in isolation assuming their infirmity was something they could control, and performed lobotomies. This was probably the most ill informed idea of them all. With the advancement of technology, the world of psychology has grown leaps and bounds. Here are a few ways how.
Education
If you are like most people, you are curious about how your mind works and why you feel the need to do what you do. You enjoy the exploration of your own will and of those around you. Thanks to the internet, you can type just about any self exploring question in the search bar at hand and learn anything you want about it. You no longer have to pay $50 or more an hour, to gain a hint of what you or your loved one or friend might be dealing with. Of course, there are always sites that will play on your curiosity with false information. So, it’s a wise choice to educate yourself with scholarly articles and books written by proven professionals.
Treatment Options
Many enjoy the thought of having someone to talk out our problems with. Someone who won’t judge us and has a decent clue of what we’re venting about. Until now, paying out the nose by the hour for just that service and the previous archaic solutions were the only options to gaining a handle on possible mental illness. Thanks to the advancements in technology, the web is opening opportunities through efficiency.
Patient records are online, professional colleagues are much easier to get in and keep in touch with, allowing them to share information on certain cases without worrying about being states and countries apart, the science is more accessible so doctors aren’t struggling to keep up with new found information in their field, and the added availability of social media gives the profession a whole new look into the patient’s life. All of this together, makes for better, more concise treatment of the individual.
Accessibility of Treatment
There was a time in our history where if you suspected you were having issues with your mental health, there were very few places you could go for help, if you felt safe admitting your troubles at all. With the rise in violent crime, drug use, and the overall stresses in life mixed with growing genetic mutations and chemical deficiencies, the treatment of mental health issues has had no option but to grow.
Now, you can either go see your local doctor or you can use the internet to shop for a treatment program that suits you and your budget. Sometimes, best treatment for you may not exist where you live, but thanks to the web, you can search through thousands of options at once. If your battle is with PTSD, you can find a facility that is well equipped for that issue. If you suffer from chronic depression, you might find that TMS is a very effective treatment for MDD. If you’re having more trouble with an eating disorder, you may want a treatment facility that can address medical as well as mental health.
Technology has proven to be an asset in so many fields. Psychology seems like a natural next step.