Although Mental Health Awareness Month is in May, it’s crucial to discuss the importance of mental health all year long. Mental health impacts nearly everyone — whether they deal with mental illness themselves or have a friend, family member, or loved one who does. 

Destigmatizing mental health (and the emergence of online mental health care) can not only make it easier for people to get the help they need but also save lives.

How common are mental health issues?

It’s estimated that one in every five people in the United States lives with a mental illness, just under 60 million Americans. Although the severity of mental illness will vary from mild to severe, this number makes it one of the most common health conditions in the U.S. 

Nearly as many people have a form of mental illness as have a more visible health condition like diabetes or high blood pressure.

Why does mental illness happen?

There isn’t one individual cause that researchers have singled out for mental illness; it is often a combination of multiple factors. 

One of those factors is genetics, especially in the case of attention deficit disorder (ADHD), bipolar disorder, depression, and schizophrenia (note: telehealth doctors, like those at HealthTap, cannot manage ADHD, bipolar disorder and schizophrenia virtually). 

Other potential factors contributing to mental illness include environmental exposures before birth (alcohol, drugs and toxins), stressful life situations (especially transitional events like birth, death and divorce), traumatic events and even simple brain chemistry.

What are the symptoms of mental illness?

The symptoms of mental illness will vary depending on the diagnosis. Still, classic warning signs include:

• Changes in appetite/weight.
• Feeling down or sad (especially if that feeling doesn’t seem to lift).
• Difficulty concentrating.
• Excessive worry (especially about things that weren’t previously a concern).
• Inability to cope with life.
• Significant changes in sex drive.
• Trouble falling or staying asleep.
• Withdrawal from activities, family, and/or friends.

People exhibiting any of the above symptoms should contact a provider to discuss their options.

How does online mental healthcare work?

Because of the pandemic, telehealth services, like ours at HealthTap, are more popular than ever. While plenty of providers offered telehealth appointments before COVID, the pandemic provided a new opportunity for more and more people to discover this accessible form of health care. 

Now, more doctors than ever are providing their services virtually — allowing far more patients than ever to access healthcare no matter where in the country they may live. But how do online mental healthcare doctors deliver care to patients?

All it takes to receive telehealth services through HealthTap is a secure internet connection and a device that can be used to access the internet — usually a smartphone, tablet, or laptop. Virtual appointments usually use audio and visual components, allowing patients and doctors to see and hear each other. 

Once the connection is established, the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) covers anything providers and patients discuss. Patients can feel secure in being open and honest about how they feel (physically and emotionally). 

From there, the provider will suggest an effective treatment plan to address, treat and manage symptoms. 

Ways to manage mental illness:

An online mental health doctor may make various suggestions for treating and managing a patient’s symptoms. 

Medication management 

One of the most common ways to manage mental illness is medication. The type of medication depends on both the symptoms a patient is experiencing and what they are ultimately diagnosed with. For example, while there is some crossover, the medications used for generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) and major depressive disorder (MDD) differ. 

Commonly used mental health medications for depression are divided into several categories based on how they work in the body. Here are a few examples. 

• Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs): escitalopram (Lexapro), fluoxetine (Prozac), sertraline (Zoloft).
• Selective serotonin-norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors (SNRIs): desvenlafaxine (Pristiq), duloxetine (Cymbalta), venlafaxine (Effexor).
• Norepinephrine-dopamine reuptake inhibitors (NDRIs): bupropion (Wellbutrin).

Many of the SSRIs and SNRIs used to treat depressive symptoms can also be used to manage anxiety. In addition, the following medications may be prescribed. Remember that most telehealth providers cannot prescribe controlled medications (marked with a star).

• Anxiolytics — buspirone (Buspar).
• Benzodiazepines — alprazolam* (Xanax), clonazepam* (Klonopin), diazepam* (Valium).
• Beta blockers — atenolol (Tenormin), metoprolol (Lopressor), propranolol (Inderal).

However, as life-changing as these medications can be, every drug has potential side effects. With antidepressants and anti-anxiety medications, those side effects are often nausea, diarrhea, headache, and fatigue (especially while the body is adjusting to starting them).

It’s also crucial for patients newly prescribed antidepressants to know that these medications don’t work right away. It can take six to eight weeks to see results from a new antidepressant, so people must stick with it. While they may not feel a difference immediately, the benefits they can get from the right medication are priceless.

Therapy

Talk therapy is another effective way to manage the symptoms of many mental illnesses, combined with medication or on its own. While there are many forms of talk therapy, CBT (cognitive behavioral therapy) and DBT (dialectical behavioral therapy) are two of the most popular. 

Although each varies in its approach, all therapy seeks to help patients — whether they are dealing with mental illness or not — have a better relationship with themselves. 

What should people do if they’re having thoughts of self-harm?

Thoughts of self-harm, especially those that include a plan of action, are always an emergency. People who find themselves struggling should take immediate action to get themselves to a safe place.

In an immediate crisis, people in a mental health emergency can call or text 988 to reach the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline or text 741741 to talk to a trained Crisis Counselor 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Both resources are 100% free and confidential.

For others, seeking care at their nearest hospital or calling 911 may be best. Trained professionals can evaluate and recommend a plan of stabilization and treatment to keep patients safe when they’re at their most vulnerable.