Does Online Psychiatry Work?

What Is Online Psychiatry?

Online psychiatry involves meeting with a psychiatrist through a secure online platform, replacing traditional in-person appointments. This approach can streamline the psychiatry treatment process, making mental healthcare more accessible and convenient. Online psychiatry services typically include diagnosis, prescription management when necessary, and ongoing follow-up care. Many patients find that the flexibility and privacy of online psychiatry encourage them to seek help for both new and ongoing mental health concerns.²

Conditions Online Psychiatry Can Help

Online psychiatry not only offers convenience, but there is also research evidence that underscores its effectiveness. Online care grew in its prevalence during the COVID pandemic and many of the most common reasons that people seek mental health care can be diagnosed and treated via telepsychiatry. These include mood disorders, including anxiety and depression; stress-related issues; trauma-related care; and bipolar disorders.³

Online psychiatry can help the following conditions:

• Anxiety
• Depression
• Bipolar Disorder
• Panic Disorder
• Stress
• Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder
• Insomnia
• Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)
• Thoughts of suicide⁴

Conditions Requiring In-Person Psychiatry

While telepsychiatry is appropriate for a wide range of disorders, face-to-face appointments are advised in some cases. These include a mental health crisis; the appearance of severe mental illness symptoms; patients in need of immediate physical restraint due to imminent harm to self or others; onset of severe delusions or paranoia; and patients who would benefit from medications that a telepsychiatrist chooses not to prescribe.

How Does Online Psychiatry Work?

Online psychiatry closely mirrors face-to-face psychiatry but allows the patient to be located in a space where they feel they have more privacy and comfort. Understanding when to see an online psychiatrist can help individuals determine if virtual care is the right option for their needs. There are growing numbers of online psychiatry platforms, and they typically offer the same basic services. However, they may vary in cost, patient contract expectations, accessibility, and payment arrangements. Some practices support specialized apps for your phone.

After selecting the most appropriate online psychiatry platform for you, you complete the online intake form to request a consultation or appointment, and get matched with a psychiatrist. It is just like sitting in the psychiatrist’s office, except you are engaging through the virtual platform. The questions and discussions are equivalent to those that take place within a face-to-face session.

Goals of Online Psychiatry

The primary goal of online psychiatry is to provide timely and effective treatment for mental health disorders. Just like in-person providers, online psychiatrists are committed to helping patients manage their symptoms through personalized care, which may include therapy, medication, or a combination of both.

A typical initial consultation lasts about 45 minutes, allowing the psychiatrist to assess the patient’s concerns, establish a diagnosis, and create a treatment plan. Follow-up appointments are generally shorter—around 15 minutes—serving as progress check-ins to adjust treatment as needed and ensure medications, if prescribed, are working effectively.

Can Online Psychiatrists Prescribe Medication?

Licensed psychiatrists can prescribe many different medications via telepsychiatry appointments, although some psychiatrists don’t prescribe controlled substances online. In 2008, the Ryan Haight Act was passed by Congress to prohibit online prescriptions of controlled substances unless an in-person medical evaluation had occurred. These regulations were relaxed during the COVID-19 pandemic and online prescriptions of controlled drugs were allowed after video appointments.

The pandemic-related flexibility of the Ryan Haight Act has been extended which allows psychiatrists to continue to prescribe Class I-V controlled medicine to new patients after just a virtual appointment. Patients can receive prescriptions for a variety of disorders from mood disorders to more severe illness. These include medications for depression, anxiety, anti-psychotics, and impulse control and hyperactivity, and opioid addiction, among others.

Pros & Cons of Online Psychiatry Vs. In-Person Psychiatry

While the outcomes of online and in-person psychiatry are similar,⁵ individuals may prefer one modality over the other. There are inherent differences between the experience of being physically present with a psychiatrist and being in a personal space communicating via an online platform. Some of the factors that might sway the choice include comfort level with technology or unfamiliar settings, and even transportation availability.

Is Online Psychiatry Effective?

According to the American Psychiatric Association, receiving care from an online psychiatrist is extremely effective.⁶ In fact, its effectiveness has been noted in terms of accuracy of diagnosis, the effectiveness of treatments, and recipients of telepsychiatry are as satisfied by the care they receive as those who see psychiatrists in-person. It’s also recommended for individuals who struggle in social settings, such as autistic individuals.

Many studies have been conducted to determine the effectiveness of online psychiatry to ensure patients are receiving adequate care. Psychiatrists are satisfied with the reliability of virtual diagnosis, especially for PTSD, depression, and ADHD and their treatment outcomes.⁷ Patients report being highly satisfied with their care and their outcomes, as well.¹ Notably, children and adolescents, an often overlooked psychiatric patient group, find virtual appointments especially beneficial and accessible.⁷

When Online Psychiatry May Not Be Enough

Most mental healthcare providers strive to treat their patients in the least invasive manner possible. In this vein, both in-person and online psychiatry provides this type of care. However, there can be times when online treatment is insufficient to meet the needs of a patient. If symptoms escalate and treatment fails to manage them, in-person treatment is needed.

Medications can be helpful in evening out a person’s moods or controlling some symptoms, but additional interventions are often necessary to support overall wellbeing. This may include regular meetings with a mental health therapist who provides tools for enhancing behavior management, mood, or other life skills. There may also be lifestyle changes, such as diet and exercise, that need to occur in order to manage symptoms.

Alternatives to Online Psychiatry

While many people appreciate the accessibility and convenience of online medical care, some are hesitant to meet with a psychiatrist online. Recognizing that you may have a problem is a significant first step, and making the decision to seek out care is an even bigger step. If you’re not ready to commit to online mental healthcare, there are other treatment forms.

Some alternatives to online psychiatry include:

• In-person psychiatry: In-person psychiatry involves traditional office-based appointments where patients meet face-to-face with a psychiatrist for diagnosis, treatment, and medication management.
• Online therapy: Online therapy is designed for individuals who primarily need talk therapy without medication, connecting patients with licensed therapists through virtual sessions.
• Support groups and mental health apps: Support groups (or self-help groups) and mental health apps provide additional resources for ongoing support, offering peer connections, self-help tools, and guided mental health exercises.
• Employer-based assistance plans: Employer-based assistance plans often include site-based support services that provide access to licensed mental health practitioners as part of workplace wellness programs.

Where to Find an Online Psychiatrist

There are different ways to find an online psychiatrist who is right for you and your concerns. Asking for referrals from family, friends, or general practitioners is one option. To be sure the recommended psychiatrist provides online care, check their website or phone their office. There are also a variety of online psychiatry platforms that match potential patients with psychiatrists based on needs.

You might also explore listings of online mental health care providers. Consulting an online therapist directory can be a helpful resource as therapists can recommend psychiatrists to meet your needs. Also, because psychiatrists do not typically provide ongoing therapy, working with a therapist alongside a psychiatrist is advised. It is in therapy that clients learn the new skills and strategies needed to manage their issues while psychiatrist-prescribed medication helps support change.