Let’s be honest – who out there thought that 2020 would have turned out the way it has so far? The start to the new decade has been one of the most troublesome and difficult years in recent history for literally everyone on the planet.
The Covid-19 pandemic has affected, and still continues to affect, people all over the world. The lockdowns, the quarantines and the social distancing measures are something that mostly no one has experienced in their lifetimes, and were certainly not something that anyone would have expected to have become the norm in 2020.
The pandemic has affected a lot of people in different ways, and along with the physical effects on individuals health from the coronavirus, there have also been a great many people who have had their mental health affected, including many who may previously never have had any mental health issues, or least issues that they were aware of.
Living in a Virtual world
During the Covid-19 pandemic, life as we knew it changed dramatically, and things that we once took for granted suddenly became things that we could no longer do. Even simple things such as eating out in a restaurant, visiting your local gym, or even travelling were now out of bounds, and with the ever changing landscape of the pandemic, it was difficult to know when things could gradually get back to normal.
The pandemic heavily affected businesses all over the world, along with the way that people worked. Many people were made redundant, while others were forced to work less hours. Many people who worked in places such as offices or banks were made to work remotely from home, and there was a huge uptake in the way that we communicated.
Virtual meeting systems such as Zoom were suddenly something that everyone was using, and the concept of virtual meetings and conferences soon became part of our daily lives and routine.
Health care in the pandemic
One of the most difficult aspects of the Covid-19 outbreak was healthcare. Suddenly people were not able to simply turn up at their local doctors practice to be seen, and had to make an appointment and be given a specific date and time. Social distancing rules meant that you could no longer sit in a waiting room in a hospital or medical center, and instead had to turn up only at your specific time. Even counselors had to adapt to the new regulations, and Culver City therapist was one that had to make the required changes necessary due to the pandemic.
Many other forms of health care were also affected, such as meetings with physiotherapists and counselors for those who need weekly meetings with their specialists. During the lockdown, many people who are suffering from mental health issues found themselves in a very difficult, and sometimes distressing, situation. One way in which such individuals were helped was through virtual therapy sessions.
What is virtual therapy?
With the many restrictions being placed on our everyday lives due to Covid-19, there are a number of solutions that have been used, with the use of virtual therapy being one of the most effective for individuals who are suffering from mental health issues and need to be in contact with their doctor or counsellor.
Virtual therapy isn’t something new that has been developed specifically for the pandemic. It has actually been in use for a number of years and has been extremely beneficial for individuals who are disabled, unable to leave their homes, or who live in isolation without easy access to the medical care that they need.
There are a number of ways in which virtual therapy can be carried out, such as over the telephone, via an online messenger on your mobile phone or through the computer or tablet. It isn’t always necessary to have a visual connection with the person at the other end of the line. Sometimes just hearing a familiar voice or chatting to someone who you trust and can confide in can be enough for many people.
Virtual therapy can be used to help individuals with a variety of medical conditions or mental health issues, and can provide online counselling for people who may suffer from depression and anxiety, substance abuse, family or marital issues as well as many other issues.
Common types of virtual therapy
If you require a treatment that can be done remotely, without the actual need of any physical contact with your doctor, then receiving the therapy that you need virtually can be a real lifesaver during the Covid-19 pandemic. Below we will take a brief look at some of the most popular types of virtual therapy.
Virtual Physical Therapy
Just because you can not not visit your physio at their clinic to continue your rehabilitation program due to an accident, surgery or any other reason, it doesn’t mean that you have to stop your recovery.
Virtual based physical therapy is a very real thing, and is being used around the world to help patients continue their rehabilitation and to continue doing the daily exercises that they need. Via a platform such as Zoom or Skype, you can have a video meeting with your physio who can guide you through the necessary steps you need to be taking, as well as watch you perform your exercises to make sure you are doing them correctly.
Virtual psychotherapy
For individuals suffering from mental health issues, depression or relationship matters, virtual psychotherapy sessions can take place through a form of medium such as email, telephone or video chat. As long as the patient has the ability to speak to their doctor, they can continue taking the therapy that they need to help with their issues.
There are even a number of mental health apps that can be downloaded to your smartphone or tablet that can help with your issues, and provide you with helpful advice in addition to communicating with your doctor.
Some final thoughts
2020 has been a trying time for everyone. We’ve all suffered due to the Covid-19 lockdowns and social distancing measures being enforced on people around the world. Families have lost members due to the virus, others have suffered in terms of their financial or employment status. Others may simply have found it difficult to cope with being forced to stay home all the time.
Though at the beginning of the pandemic, things were tough, we’ve gradually been able to adapt, and find ways to continue living as normally as possible in these very un-normal circumstances. With the use of virtual therapy, a number of people around the world who suffer from mental health issues have been able to get the help and support when they’ve needed it the most.