For therapy providers like Talkspace, suicide prevention is one of the most challenging cases in mental health provision. Suicide is reaching epidemic proportions in the United States, causing tremendous distress for families and communities across the country.
A 2016 study by the Center for Disease Control (CDC), found that over 45,000 people died by suicide in the US in 2016, making suicide the tenth leading cause of death in the country.[1] As reporters from USA Today note, recent suicides among celebrities may also be pushing the suicide rate up for a segment of the population. [2]
“Underscoring the challenge, the deaths of fashion designer Kate Spade and celebrity chef Anthony Bourdain this month came as a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention report showed that suicide has climbed nearly 30 percent since 1999.”
Unfortunately, those who contemplate suicide, or act upon the thoughts, are often labeled as moral failures. The result? Individuals contemplating their own place in life are reluctant to seek help. “People who face mental illness do not need confession and absolution concerning moral issues. They do not need to be judged, ignored, isolated or otherwise punished. What they desperately need is professional medical treatment, an affirming community and every kind of support imaginable.”
However, the good news is that help is available thanks to concerned individuals and therapeutic providers like Talkspace. A conversation with a trusted friend or therapist amid life’s struggles may be the launching point for the sort of self-care that leads to revived mental health. Likewise, family members of an individual who attempts or even dies by suicide may benefit from a digital conversation with a therapist from Talkspace, someone who and experienced in mental health counseling. While someone in a life-threatening situation should not use Talkspace, but should instead call +1 (800) 273-8255 or use these resources to get immediate help, Talkspace does have crisis intervention protocol in place in the event that a user’s situation deteriorates.
Tapping into Hope
For millions of Americans who live in an increasingly “digitally connected world,” mental health providers like Talkspace provide accessibility, safety, and tools for healthier living. “The potential is there,” notes psychiatrist John Torous, of Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, a Harvard Medical School teaching hospital.[4] Specifically, Torous believes that a variety of options are needed in mental health care. The numbers certainly affirm Torous’ view.
Nearly one in five U.S. adults had some form of mental illness in 2016, and almost half of those adults lacked access to routine treatment, according to the National Institute of Mental Health. Young adults, in particular, lacked access to treatment: Only 35 percent of adults 18 to 25 get treatment for mental illness.[5]
Without access to quality mental health support, people may face a situation in which a manageable issue degrades into a life or death struggle. This is untenable in the minds of providers and families impacted by the challenges of mental illness in all its forms.
Unfortunately, the suicides of notable people like Robin Williams, Kate Spade, and Anthony Bourdain have pushed many individuals contemplating suicide to the brink. Given the adverse impact of celebrity suicides, many celebrities are touting digital providers like Talkspace as an accessible means to receive quality care quickly, but before a situation is life threatening.
Olympic swimmer Michael Phelps, for example, believes that digital therapy providers are especially helpful for millennials who wrestle with time management and fiscal well-being.[6] Young adults must be engaged through approaches and technologies that “speak their language.” While a Baby Boomer may prefer the traditional 45-minute therapy session in a brick-and-mortar establishment, young adults want the option of receiving services on demand regardless of the setting. Outfits like Talkspace deliver this sort of convenience, bringing hope to those impacted by the alarming trend of suicide.
The Approach
The nearly 2,000 therapists on Talkspace have rigorous credentials and significant experience. With the upcoming addition of psychiatry, Talkspace intends on providing clients with a constellation of impactful services and treatments delivered at a time that works.
Daniel Cooper, a writer for Engadget, sees the novel approach to therapy championed by Talkspace as a game-changer in a discipline that’s not known for tremendous innovation. “Time-poor folks who struggle to carve out a couple of hours each week to journey to a clinic can still get the help they need. Plus, it’s cheaper: An hour-long session in the real world could cost hundreds of dollars and may require wrangling with your insurance provider.”[7]
With a few strokes on the keypad of a laptop computer or smartphone, and individual struggling with a mental health concern is remotely linked to a caring therapist who’s credentialed, trained, and available to help the person dealing with the heaviness of life. If a remote therapist feels that the individual on the other end of the line could benefit from supportive medications or intensified treatments, appropriate referrals are made. At the end of the day, it’s all about offering good outcomes to people who are overwhelmed by the deep burdens of life. Eventually, thanks to the care provided by Talkspace and other providers, the stigma attached to seeking help for suicidal ideation and mental illness in the broadest sense will be overwhelmed.
[1] Extracted from: https://cw39.com/2018/06/15/can-apps-like-talk-space-betterhelp-stop-recent-rise-in-suicide-rates
[2] Extracted from: https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2018/06/15/mental-health-therapy-apps-suicide-rates/698092002
[3] Extracted from: https://washingtonpost.com/opinions/suicide-is-not-a-moral-failure/2018/06/22/662580bc-7424-11e8-bda1-18e53a448a14_story.html?noredirect=on&utm_term=.ba0f8fc8b56b
[4] Ibid.
[5] Ibid.
[6] Ibid.
[7] Extracted from: https://www.engadget.com/2017/11/09/your-therapist-will-text-you-now/
