Verywell Study Reveals 90% of Americans Believe Online Therapy is a Sign of Strength

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Nov 09, 2020, 09:35 ET

NEW YORK, Nov. 9, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, Verywell (www.verywellmind.com) released findings from its Online Therapy Study, revealing that 90% of Americans in online therapy believe seeking out mental health services is a sign of mental strength, and more than a third (38%) of Americans in online therapy plan to continue seeing their therapists online for at least six more months.

Due to in-person restrictions caused by the pandemic, online therapy has emerged as a way for many to prioritize their mental health. Verywell surveyed over 1,000 Americans currently seeing a therapist online, representing a range of demographics including gender, race, religion, age, and political views. The results show the majority of Americans in online therapy (80%) are turning to their therapists for help with issues around politics, the pandemic, racism, the economic recession, and more.

"In the past, there's been fear that asking for help is a sign of weakness," says Amy Morin, Editor-in-Chief, Verywell Mind. "Fortunately, it seems people are starting to recognize that it takes strength to admit you want support, especially during this year, and online therapy offers flexibility that traditional therapy doesn't."

Some key takeaways of the study include:

The Country is Coping with Different Stressors:

Online Therapy patients in the Northeast are more worried about key political issues than the rest of the country, specifically the government's response to COVID-19 (74%), the 2020 election (71%), the economic recession (71%), and racial injustice (69%)
Online Therapy patients in the South are less worried about the amount of uncertainty in the nation than those in the Northeast (67% vs 76%)
Online Therapy patients in the Midwest are less worried about police brutality than those in the West (55% vs 65%)
Online Therapy patients in the West are more likely to rely on therapy to cope with political issues compared to the rest of the country—specifically on the government's handling of COVID-19 (52%), racial injustice (46%), and the economic recession (42%)

Therapy Helps People Find Balance No Matter the Stressor:

Of those currently in online therapy:

71% found help for their apprehension over sending their kids back to school
67% found help for dealing with their job loss
65% found help for being discriminated against
64% found help for their uneasiness of going back to work
63% found help for their concern over them or their loved ones contracting COVID-19

New Online Therapy Users Are Satisfied with Their Experience:

Nearly three quarters (71%) transitioned from in-person therapy to online therapy because of pandemic-related protocols. Yet, 1 in 5 (22%) respondents began online therapy for the first time in the last three months, suggesting more Americans are looking for online therapy to help them cope
92% expressed satisfaction with their overall experience, specifically citing ease of use (92%), privacy (91%), response time (91%), quality of counseling (90%), security (86%) and cost (82%)

To learn more about the study please visit here.

About Verywell
The Verywell family of brands, including Verywell Health, Verywell Fit, Verywell Family, and Verywell Mind, take a human approach to health and wellness content and are a welcome alternative to hyper-clinical health sites. More than 30 million people use Verywell sites each month to feel better and be healthier.

SOURCE Verywell