How Does Telehealth Work in Addiction Recovery?
Addiction recovery is a long road and feeling isolated or alone can be a big problem. It is important that a person has structure in their life to keep them on track with their treatment. During the pandemic, it was challenging to maintain normal schedules and structures, and many individuals struggled with a new sense of isolation and loneliness. Thankfully, as adjustments were made, addiction treatment centers began to see a rise in remote sessions and one-on-one telehealth therapy sessions.
While these methods have proven useful in retaining structure during the pandemic, it’s now time to get a better sense of how they may work long-term and what benefits they can provide. In a recent study, researchers conducted a series of interviews with addiction treatment professionals and surveys of patients to assess their experiences with telehealth services. Overall, most professionals were comfortable with the use of telehealth for intake assessments and one-to-one counseling sessions. However, some were less supportive of telehealth for group counseling.
Interviewees noted that they felt a lack of connection when meeting via video and that it can be difficult to gauge a client’s emotions online. Additionally, it is more difficult to address any behavioral issues that may arise during a session online.
Aside from these drawbacks, telehealth can be an effective tool for maintaining consistency and helping individuals to develop healthy patterns of behavior. The ease of access removes barriers to care like travel expenses and work obligations, which are common excuses for missing appointments in-person. Moreover, it can help prevent relapse by ensuring that a person has regular contact with their treatment team.telehealth for addiction