Introduction
India as a nation is still yet to embrace the change in people going from stigmatizing mental health to seeking help for it. In comparison to western countries, therapy in India is still in its infancy stage. As we see people readily accepting that they need therapy, a sub-trend of therapy has been making its way into India- which is called ‘online therapy’ Online therapy essentially means taking a therapy session through online meetings at the comfort of each other’s homes instead of gathering at a traditional offline setup. Here the therapist can either be at their homes or clinics and the client is usually at their homes. There could be cases where the client is out of their homes - either traveling or at their workplaces since those locations make it rather convenient for them to take therapy amongst their busy schedules.
How did it start?
One of the major forces that drove the start of online therapy in India was the Covid 19 pandemic. For two long years, people were forced to stay inside their homes without the access to mental health professionals and their regular therapy sessions. Only the absolute necessities and medical services were open, and mental health services weren’t one of them. With constant news fatigue of deaths occuring in a large number globally, to people going through personal losses and medically difficult times, people needed therapy more than ever. Humans are social creatures and the constant isolation and lack of social interaction affected people’s mental health negatively.Hence, clients who were already in sessions and clients who wanted to start therapy started opting for online therapy sessions. This was supposedly picked up from the west where online therapy had been a common practice.
Affordable alternative to in person therapy
Soon during and after the pandemic, individuals started realizing the economic value of online therapy sessions. Since therapists no longer had a traditional clinic, their rents were saved and this caused a dip in the therapy prices. People also realized that along with money, they were also saving time with the online therapy sessions. There was a time when they had to take out time from their daily routine, hectic weekdays and relaxing weekends for the purpose of therapy. This indirectly affected either their work productivity or their personal life. However, with the advent of online therapy, individuals could easily fit therapy sessions into their schedules according to their convenience. The cost of traveling to and fro the clinics also started getting saved with no extra cost since people could take therapy using a simple mobile phone from anywhere, anytime. Individuals who were not ready to reveal to their close family and friends about them going to therapy benefited greatly since they could step out of the house and attend therapy sessions from a park, while taking a stroll or even from their garage! Moreover, as online therapy started gaining traction, there was an increase in the online therapy platforms and websites offering various subscription models which allowed for flexibility in cost. A concept called sliding scale was introduced where the fees of each session would be decided by the therapist and the client according to the client’s economic capability. This was a great move for the middle class and poor who couldn’t bear the economic burden of expensive therapy sessions but were still inclined to seek help. The decrease in the traditional clinics somehow made therapy more accessible and open to all the masses of society including the lesser privileged, disabled or disadvantaged. Since people realized that therapists wouldn’t be able to view them fully in their natural attire, the fear of being judged slightly diminished. People could sit comfortably in their beds while wearing pajamas and didn’t have to worry about what they should wear or how they should be sitting. Ofcourse, the client’s posture and type of clothes will still be taken into account by the therapist, however, the stringency of wearing particular types of clothes and the awkwardness of physical setups was gone.
Privacy and reduced stigma
In India, going to a clinic to meet a professional has always been attributed to something being medically wrong with the person. This is because most Indians end up going to the doctor’s clinic when they have tried improving on their own but haven’t succeeded in doing so. Unfortunately, going to a doctor and going to a therapist are perceived very differently in India. The stigma of mental health doesn’t apply to physical health. People would rather easily and readily go to a doctor even if they show symptoms of anxiety and they are unable to label it as anxiety. This stigma has prevented people from gaining the courage to walk into a mental health clinic and make an appointment. It is interesting to note that this isn’t merely fear of being judged or marginalized from the society, but also internalized stigma. People are afraid that they would think less of themselves if they end up going to therapy clinics. A great relief thus surfaces into people’s mind when they realize the feasibility of online therapy sessions. When something can be easily contoured into their routine without them going out of their way, people are much more likely to be open to trying it. Individuals rather start treating online therapy as an embedded element in their daily routines and that allows them to deal with their stigma in therapy itself without letting the stigma stop themselves from going to therapy.
Adaptability to cultural and language diversity
Therapy is a sensitive and vulnerable part of people’s lives. For someone who is religious and culturally bound, a culturally fair and sound therapist is one of the most crucial aspects that can either make or break therapy sessions. Since therapy involves opening up about your deepest insecurities and raw thoughts to an unknown person, it is important for the client to feel comfortable with the therapist. India has a diverse range of cultures and religions, each of them unique in its own way. India is also a country which pays great importance to the origins of a person’s culture and their religious beliefs. Culture and the religious values of a person determine how they have been raised which might be crucial information for the therapist. Hence a therapist who has appropriate knowledge about a specific culture and their language is equally important as a therapist with great paraphrasing or problem solving skills. Indians have stereotypes in their mind based on beliefs that have been passed down since generations or their own experience. These stereotypes can seriously interfere with the relationship between a therapist and the client if not dealt with carefully. For anyone who is seeking therapy for the first time, they might feel comfortable with a therapist who is similar to them in their cultural values or has sufficient knowledge about the client's culture. Unlike traditional set ups, online therapy platforms allow the client to be exposed to therapists who belong to a particular culture and linguistic origin. Since clients have information about the therapist's past experience, their language preferences and their values, it makes them more likely to open up to them. The idea behind this is that a slightly familiar therapist can make it easier to open up about vulnerable issues compared to a therapist who isn’t aware about where the client is coming from.
Growth of tech-enabled platforms and apps
As of 2023, 65% of the Indian population has internet access, facilitating the rise of telehealth services. Telehealth consultations for mental health issues have surged by 45% in the past two years. Additionally, mental health apps have witnessed a 30% increase in downloads, with over 200,000 new users in 2023 alone. All around the globe, there have been thousands of platforms that have emerged which facilitate mental health while using technology. A lot of the self help resources which were once provided only by the therapists, are available online now for the clients to do as homeworks. A new concept under technology driven therapy is the use of Virtual Reality (VR). Virtual Reality can be used to immerse clients with phobia and anxiety into extremely realistic environments where they can practice their skills in the safe presence of a therapist. There have been apps that are responsible for detecting the body language of the client. Several platforms have also come up with AI driven chatbots for mental health and are now being called as AI therapists. One such AI therapist is -Healo. Healo is an AI driven mental health chatbot which is designed by a team of psychologists and engineers. Healo is capable of understanding the client’s emotions, reflecting on what they are really feeling, providing insights and brainstorming realistic solutions with the client. Using Healo can be the biggest aid to make sure that therapy is effective. Healo also performs the job of matching you with a therapist to ensure your holistic well being and growth. It offers features like pomodoro to maintain productivity, self care cards which can give you ideas for activities about self care, journaling for deep reflection as well as self reported tests to know yourself better. Healo also has several calming music tones that can be meditative and peaceful as you are on your journey to explore yourself deeper and get an understanding of their unhealthy thought patterns and habits. Don’t believe that a chatbot can play the role of a co-therapist? Try it out now at Healo
Shift in attitudes toward mental health and therapy
With the advent of social media platforms like instagram and facebook, there has been a wave of mental health awareness facilitated by individuals with a massive following, known as the influencers. Therapists who run traditional setups have also started promoting their services on these platforms which have enabled them to have a diverse clientele and has made therapy even more accessible to the mass. A page dedicated to therapy, run by a therapist, gives the client a known and safe feeling which makes them realize that not everything in therapy has to be behind closed doors. A little bit of information about who the therapist is and what are their accomplishments as well as academic qualifications has been shown to facilitate therapy. A personal and professional disclosure is what is needed to make the client feel at ease. Along with influencers, several social media campaigns about mental health run by famous entities in collaboration with huge companies have also driven the mental health field. Several celebrities talking about their own mental health have constructed a belief that seeking therapy is nothing to be ashamed about and that mental health concerns can be talked about openly.
Challenges and future scope
An increase in convenience and affordability through online therapy doesn’t come without its challenges. As the therapy arena gradually starts making a base in the online world, it increases the chance of discrimination through digital divide. Rural areas where technology, especially social media platforms and therapy websites are difficult to access would be the ones left out when it comes to taking advantage of online therapy. Moreover, some of the other challenges that emerge with online therapy are verification of credibility of both the therapist and the client, therapists practicing in multiple states and countries without having a license to practice there, therapist being unable to see and judge the body language of the client and lastly disturbances or lack of privacy in the background. However, with government organizations reaching out to mental health companies, there is immense potential for mental health to transform itself and mold into something much larger than itself through its online reach throughout India. With expanding investors and government support, Indians are realizing the need for an organized system of mental health access both via offline and online platforms.
Conclusion
To sum up, online therapy in India is not a substitute but rather a transformative force for mental healthcare in India. While some online therapy platforms provide mental healthcare like crisis counseling for free, other therapy platforms are chargeable. However, it is important to check the organization’s credibility and licenses before being associated with the organization. Even though online therapy has its disadvantages and can never fully replace traditional therapy, it is a great option for those who are nervous about seeking out therapy for the first time or for those who would want therapy at affordable rates.
