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Telemental health apps to get therapy from home
From fear of contracting the novel COVID-19 virus and uncertainties regarding jobs, to loneliness from the isolation and relationship strains amidst lockdown, there are plenty of reasons why individuals turned to mental health apps during the pandemic. In this Pacific Prime UK article, we’ll look at exactly what telemental health apps are, outline the best telemental health apps, and discuss whether they are covered by health insurers.
About telemental health apps
Telehealth is the latest buzzword in the healthcare sector, enabling healthcare services to be delivered from a distance – either via online messaging or voice/video call. It’s no surprise that the COVID-19 pandemic accelerated the adoption of telehealth by the NHS to free up space in hospitals and to reduce the risk of infection transmission.
Similarly, telemental health (or even telepsychiatry) is a subset of telehealth. The focus is specifically on mental or behavioural health services, and there are plenty of telemental health apps designed to connect therapists, psychiatrists, and other mental health professionals to patients.
Telemental health apps vs. Mindfulness apps
Before we delve further into telemental health apps, it’s worth distinguishing them from mindfulness apps. Whereas the former is used to deliver mental health services to users via distance, the latter is designed to help users maintain a positive lifestyle such as Calm, Headspace, etc. With that said, not all apps will fall neatly into the two categories.
5 best apps for telemental health services
Like many of their counterparts around the world, people in the UK are experiencing more stress, anxiety, and depression since lockdown began, with women and young people the most affected, according to a study by University of Nottingham and King’s College London. So much so, that UK employers should offer additional support to their female employees.
If you’re struggling at home, you’re also urged to follow self-care tips and reach out for help. Contacting your general practitioner (GP) via the NHS is a good start, as they may be able to provide online or telephone consultation. For alternatives, you can check out our selection of the best apps for telemental health services:
1. Ieso
Ieso is an app that is recommended by the NHS. The service helps you beat anxiety, stress, and depression with online cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT). Simply complete the questionnaire, tell them about your availability, and wait to be matched to the right therapist. What’s more, you may be able to get a free course of therapy if you’re an NHS patient in certain areas of the UK.
2. Togetherall
Togetherall is another app that is recommended by the NHS. As an online community for people who are feeling down, the service has an active forum with round-the-clock support from trained professionals. You can either talk anonymously to other members, as well as take part in group or one-to-one therapy. The best part? It’s free.
3. BetterHelp
BetterHelp is the world’s largest e-counselling platform, with the mission to make professional counselling accessible and affordable to all including individuals, couples, and teens. After signing up, you will fill out a questionnaire and be assigned to a counsellor who fits your objectives and the type of issues. The cost of counselling ranges from USD $60 to $80 per week.
4. Talkspace
Talkspace offers telehealth therapy, as well as telepsychiatry evaluation and management. They also offer services that cater to couples and teens. Simply answer a few questions about yourself, select your therapist from a recommended list, and begin your therapy sessions. In terms of pricing, it’s based on subscriptions ranging from USD $260 to USD $396 per month.
5. Babylon
Babylon aims to put an accessible and affordable health service into the hands of everyone. They offer more than just therapy and mental health services. They also have experienced doctors and specialists, which is convenient if you’re looking for a one-stop app for all your healthcare needs. One-off consultations are GBP £49, while annual plans are GBP £149.
Health insurance and telemental health apps
Health insurers are also beginning to offer mental health services as part of their virtual provider network. One such insurer is Cigna, recently adding Talkspace into its growing menu of telemental health offerings. Eva Borden, Cigna’s managing director of behavioural strategy and solutions, said in a Forbes article that:
“Almost no one is immune to the emotional toll of the COVID-19 pandemic, whether you’re on the frontlines, juggling work from home, or in self-isolation. This is why we’ve accelerated efforts to bring more virtual mental health care options so that customers have easier access to the personalized support they need – at a place and time that works for them”.
Pacific Prime UK can help you secure health insurance with access to telemental health apps
If you would like to have access to the best telemental health apps, along with other private healthcare services, you should look into a health insurance plan. This is because the costs of private healthcare in the UK is extortionately high and securing a health insurance plan means you can avoid out-of-pocket expenses.
As a health insurance broker, Pacific Prime UK leverages our partnership with top insurers, such as Allianz, Bupa, and Cigna. We aim to bring you vetted health insurance plans that suit your needs and budgets – be it international health insurance plans, expat health insurance plans, or any other health insurance plans in the UK.
You’ll receive an unbiased insurance consultation, meaningful pan comparison, and a no-obligation quote! What’s more, our value-added services like administration assistance and claims support are also free of charge versus going directly to the insurer. Want to learn more? Contact us today!
With over 5 years of experience in the field, Suphanida spends the majority of her day synthesizing complex pieces of insurance-related information and translating this into easy-to-understand, engaging, and effective content across a variety of media such as articles, infographics, whitepapers, videos, and more.
Suphanida is also responsible for planning and publishing three whitepapers released annually by Pacific Prime: The State of Health Insurance Report, The Cost of Health Insurance Report, and The Global Employee Benefits Trends Report. Additionally, she handles the LinkedIn profiles of Pacific Prime’s Founder and CEO, as well as Global HR Lead.
Suphanida’s strengths lie in her strong research and analytical skills, which she has gained from her BA in Politics from the University of Warwick and Erasmus Mundus Joint MA in Journalism from Aarhus University and City, University of London.
Being of Thai-Indian origin and having lived, studied, and worked in Thailand, the UK, and Denmark, Suphanida also has a unique, multicultural perspective that helps her understand the struggles of expats and globetrotters.
Outside of work, she enjoys traveling to new places and immersing herself in different cultures.
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