Your life is always hectic, and you’re constantly on the go. Even if you’re more of a calm person and think your life isn’t chaotic, the hard truth is that you probably run around like a chicken with its head cut off without even realizing it.

This pressure to always be busy and always doing something affects everyone in modern society. Technology doesn’t help, either, because it puts us under the additional stress of being constantly available to our coworkers, friends and family.

A lack of downtime can lead to many health issues, including mental illness.

If your life is moving too fast, you may be dreaming of a resource that can help restore your sanity. But how do you squeeze in time to find solutions?

The answer is telepsychiatry.

What Is Telepsychiatry?

Telepsychiatry is the modern answer to mental health problems. This budding industry allows you to get all the positives of visiting a counselor or psychiatrist, without making the journey to the office.

Telepsychiatry puts patients in touch with mental health professionals through various apps. And, in a world full of too much noise, this new way to interact with these types of professionals does wonders for people in need.

The Positives

Access to caring mental health professionals is critical to keeping society happy and healthy. As such, the advent of telepsychiatry has several benefits almost anyone who uses the service will feel, both immediately and in the long-term.

One of the great things about the telepsychiatry service is the ease of access. Making an appointment, traveling to the office, waiting, having the session and then making another appointment can be daunting for some people. These tasks may be even more daunting if you live in a highly populated country, such as India.

The world moves so fast, and squeezing in a series of in-person appointments may not be in the cards. Instead, telepsychiatry services allow almost instantaneous access to individuals who are willing to help you work through whatever situation you’re going through.

Another excellent benefit of this service is that it’s easier to improve the quality of your sessions. Now, using a telemedicine service doesn't mean you’ll be guaranteed more sessions than if you were to go in person. But, once again, the ease with which you can follow up is phenomenal.

Telepsychiatry has enormous potential around the world, but particularly in countries such as India. The Indian subcontinent blends traditional and modern in a massive kaleidoscope of varying cultures and beliefs. With this in mind, it's important to understand just how much the telepsychiatry industry in India can explode. It's an untapped market that is slowly growing.

At the tap of a button, telepsychiatry patients can connect you with someone who can help diagnose your problems, or simply provide a friendly listener if you’re going through a rough time.

Image Credit: Insight Telepsychiatry

One of the biggest struggles for mental health patients and caregivers is the stigma that surrounds mental health and the need for help when it comes to this subject. People are afraid to talk about mental health, and there are enormous societal barriers around the topic.

Many countries have a wide discrepancy between available mental health services and the number of individuals who need counseling or therapy. In India, this gap is particularly wide, due to the sheer number of people in the country. Cultural taboos may also be partially to blame.

Luckily, mental health is becoming increasingly acceptable to discuss, but many people still reject the fact that they may need help, and therefore refuse to seek it. Neglecting mental health problems can be extremely dangerous over the long term. However, telepsychiatry removes the stigma. People can't see you traveling to the office, and you can even talk to a professional from the comfort of your own home.

Another element of telemedicine, in general, is the logistical portion of the service. If you need to talk to a psychiatrist, you don't need to take as much time out of your busy schedule to go to these sessions.

The Future

With these positives, it’s interesting to look at the future potential for telemedicine. It’s an ever-expanding industry that has almost no ceiling. Apps are constantly evolving, and the integration of them from phones to computers and beyond will only help grow the points of entry for the telemedicine industry.

With many advances happening in the telepsychiatry industry across the globe, the potential is the biggest in India. Why? India has the most to gain from it. Currently, they lack some technological infrastructure. When people think about India, cutting-edge technology isn't the first thing that comes to mind. But their leaders are looking to change that.

India wants to become a health care destination. They want to be the place doctors and clinicians all around the world can turn to when they need answers. And it's a realistic possibility this could happen in the future.

The technologies and practices that make telemedicine possible are so new that we’ve barely scratched the surface of what it can bring. However, as with any new technology, there are also questions we need to address.

While this type of service is important, will it venture into the territory of face-to-face contact? Will telemedicine of all shapes and sizes eventually phase out human contact altogether? Or, will telemedicine simply be a useful side tool people can use if they decide human contact isn’t the best thing for them?

It seems telemedicine won't be overtaking regular meetings with doctors and clinicians anytime soon. Sure, it's a fantastic service to have, and people are taking advantage of its perks. But it doesn't look to be trying to take the central spot of regular visits. Both can live in harmony.

It doesn't matter what country you're in — both physical meetings and telemedicine can work together. This is particularly the case in India, as cultural beliefs will help keep face-to-face contact. Now, this won't necessarily rule out telemedicine. It just means countries such as India will want to try and keep some of the more traditional ways of practicing medicine. Indeed, it is an exciting time around the globe for the telemedicine industry.

Telemedicine, especially telepsychiatry, is a tool that’s finding a niche in society as it begins to see more widespread use. As technology improves, these types of services will become increasingly prevalent and easier to use. If you ever feel the need to use a telepsychiatry service, don't hesitate.

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