Need Psychiatric Help In The Philippines? You Can Now Get It Online

There used to be a time when issues on mental health were only spoken in hushed tones because of the stigma attached to it. Thankfully, over the last few years, people’s views about mental illness have gradually changed. As the number of cases of depression, anxiety, postpartum depression, and other forms of mental health disorders increase, people are becoming aware that it is not something to be feared, but understood and treated. Because of this, people now feel more encouraged to seek professional help to alleviate their symptoms.

But getting help still has not been easy. The next hurdle people with mental health issues now face is in finding a service that is both accessible and affordable. Professional fees are prohibitively steep, and admittedly, some still feel embarrassed stepping into a psychiatric clinic for fears of being judged. So how does one go about it?

Thankfully, these are no longer a hindrance to obtaining reliable and affordable mental health care services with the introduction of telemental health services, or in simpler terms, online therapy. Now anyone can get psychological counselling and support without leaving the home. Even better, this service is now available in the Philippines.

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Mindcare Club is the first telemental health service in the country. Through its network of psychiatrists, psychologists, and counselors, you can receive help via videoconferencing, online chat, through e-mail or phone calls. 

“Our mission is to help lessen sadness in the world,” their website says. Through online services, Mindcare makes it possible to reach more people, such as those living in the province and other far-flung areas.

Mindcare has also made consultations affordable, starting at Php 800 per hour (compared to the standard Php 3,000). And getting a slot can be easily done online.

“There’s a whole new generation of young people who need mental health access, who are more comfortable online and do not have enough funds to travel,” Brian Tenorio, CEO of Mindcare Club, told GMA News. 

Hopefully, through this technology, Mindcare can reach out to those who need mental health care services the most and deliver effective management and treatment methods by allowing the patient to be in an environment he is most comfortable in, at a fraction of the usual cost.

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Don't be afraid to reach out if you are feeling anxious, helpless, or despondent. If you need someone to talk to: 

• Crisis Line +632-893-7603 / +63-917-800-1123 / +63 917-123-4567 / +63-922-893-8944
• Manila Lifeline Center at +632-896-9191 / +63-917-854-9191
• Department of Health's 24-hour suicide prevention hotline Hopeline +632-804-4637 / +63-917-558-4673 and 2919 for Globe and TM subscribers
• You can also join SOS Philippines on Facebook, a support group founded for survivors of suicide loss and Filipinos undergoing mental health ailments like depression and bipolar disorder.

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