25% of the population has some sort of mental disorder. Those people who do suffer from anxiety, depression, post-traumatic stress disorder, or some other condition should seek help.
However, we do understand how busy life can get. Who really has enough time to worry about meeting a psychologist every week or even multiple times a week? Also, with the ongoing COVID-19 public health crisis and most medical offices being closed, it can be especially challenging to get the care you need.
Don’t worry. There’s already a solution for that and it’s called telepsychology. Keep reading to learn more about medical and technological breakthroughs through telemedicine.
What Is a Psychologist?
Psychologists have a doctoral degree such as Ph.D., PsyD or EdD. According to the American Psychological Association, there are over 106,000 psychologists in the United States. They are trained extensively in mental health. This includes emotional and behavioral issues as well as mental issues.
These mental health professionals are skilled in diagnosing, treating, and preventing all mental health conditions.
Some psychologists specialize in certain conditions or disorders, but they are all knowledgable about mental health in general.
What Is Telemedicine?
Telemedicine is a fancy term that simply means medicine over the internet. It is an innovative way for patients to be seen over text chat, video call, or phone call.
This excellent alternative for office visits has become more common over time as people have become busier. You don’t have to wait in a weird waiting room or worry about long waiting times.
The visit typically consists of you speaking with your doctor over a video chat. They will ask you questions about how you’re feeling and determine if you need any treatment.
Telemedicine /Telehealth is genuinely a modern solution for busy individuals or those that want to get help in the privacy of their homes,
What Is Telepsychology?
Telepsychiatry is simply the branch of telemedicine that has to do with mental health. This kind of telemedicine links patients with psychologists.
As we mentioned earlier, psychologists are mental health physicians. So, telepsychiatrists are mental health physicians that can help you over the internet.
It could be difficult finding a psychologist who:
- Offers telemedicine services
- Accepts workers’ compensation
- Has experience treating injured workers.
However, it doesn’t have to be impossible. We’ve made the process simpler. All of the psychologists are prescreened to make sure they match all of the three criteria above. Finding a workers’ comp psychologist doesn’t have to be hard.
Why Should I Use Telepsychology?
People choose to get help from psychologists for many different reasons. You do not have to be suicidal or homicidal to reach out.
You may want somebody to talk to. You may be experiencing a loss. You may be going through a big life change.
Many psychologists would tell you that you don’t need a clear reason to see them. You could go there to share your story and get constructive feedback.
Most patients who are seen by a psychologist for work-related psychological injuries experience anxiety, depression, panic, mood swings, and various other life-hindering emotions.
You should use telepsychology if you’re someone who doesn’t mind having an extra ear or wants to seek out professional help.
Common Types of Psychology Injuries at the Workplace
Psychological workplace injuries are among the various reasons you may need to seek telepsychology treatment. This is crucial, as, in Australia, poor psychological safety costs businesses $6 billion annually, and the problem is on a similar scale in other countries.
Anxiety
With anxiety, you experience excessive, persistent, and intense worry and fear regarding daily situations.
Depression
Someone with depression experiences persistent feelings of loss of interest and sadness.
Insomnia
This sleep disorder results in problems sleeping. It can include issues falling or staying asleep and leads to sleepiness and low energy during the day.
Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder
Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) can occur after witnessing or experiencing a traumatic event, such as war, rape, serious accidents, natural disaster, or terrorist acts, or facing threats of serious injury, sexual violence, or death.
Stress-Related Illnesses
Numerous illnesses are associated with stress, either being triggered by high stress or worsening with stress. These include diabetes, headaches, asthma, heart disease, Alzheimer’s disease, anxiety, depression, and obesity.
Common Causes of Psychological Injuries at Work
Stress is a key contributor to many of those workplace-related psychological injuries, but it is far from the only one. Other common causes include:
Bullying and Harassment
Bullying goes hand in hand with harassment, as either can include things such as exclusion, threats, pushing or other physical threats or actions, playing mind games, sexual harassment, initiations, or assigning pointless tasks.
Bullying can lead to employees feeling depressed, stressed, and anxious, along with lacking confidence and dreading work.
Handling Difficult Customers
In customer-facing roles, some of the psychological injuries can come from the stress associated with handling difficult customers. The main problem for most workers in this situation is how they react to the situation and not the action incident. Employees are commonly stressed or fearful about their inability to handle or calm down the customer. They may worry about if the situation occurs again or if their employers blame them for it.
Job Insecurity
The feeling of job insecurity can be a significant factor in workplace psychology. One study even indicated that chronic job insecurity better predicts poor health compared to hypertension or smoking, with the researchers indicating the difference is likely due to stress.
Worries regarding job insecurity can include redundancies, mergers, restructures, and the employee’s relationship with managers. Some people are willing to deal with job insecurity in exchange for better pay or other benefits, but not everyone is.
Shift Work
Working shifts have been connected with psychological challenges at work for decades. One British study found that nurses connected low job satisfaction and shift work, with the night shift nurses being less satisfied due to stress.
Shift work is problematic because it disrupts your circadian rhythm, causing issues like fatigue and potential physical problems, as well. To add to the stress of shift work, it also typically makes it near impossible to see friends and family.
Work Overload
It is incredibly common for companies to ask employees to increase their responsibilities, especially when budgets are tight or they are low on staff. This can also come in the form of targets that are impossibly high, so employees feel they are inadequate. Work overload can also come from environments that are very fast-paced, as it becomes hard to unwind after the workday is over.
How Can You Get Help Today?
If you were injured at work or in auto accidents, telepsychology is a few clicks away on your phone or computer. There are so many resources out there for you to connect with a psychologist over the internet or phone.
If you have any questions, you can reach out to us at (888) 363-0979 or fill out the form below.
We’ll be sure to help you venture into this new world of telemedicine and telepsychology.