Text Message Mental Health Services Surge in New Zealand
September 15th, 2009 |
A GoodTherapy.org News Headline
The use of text messaging to communicate among young people has experienced an incredible growth in recent years, and may have applications that wouldn’t seem immediately apparent. Once such application has been the development of a text-based mental health crisis service in New Zealand, which recently reported an awe-inducing 1280% increase in program use. Helping to answer questions and provide counsel for difficult situations in an anonymous, instant way, the service cites that concerns about relationships constitute the most frequently broached subjects. Though feeling overwhelmed, the service is bracing for further increases in use as it works to bring mental health to a whole new platform.
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6 comments so far
This sounds great… I wish we had that here in Columbia. A counselin service on text messaging is just what is required to induce many people to come out of the closet and get counselin anonymosly,coz many aren’t comfortable letting out their identity.
Really? How much more impersonal is our health care going to get? I know that there are people who say that the anonymity of this will only increase the numbers of people who are willing to seek out health care but I disagree. I think that in order for therapy to work there has to be the development of a relationship between a client and a therapist not just some run of the mill Dear Abby like situation that comes from texting and online counseling. Is this really where the field is headed? I try not to keep my head in the sand but it is treatment like this that usually just ends up as a band aid and just masks the problem for a little while instead of forging ahead and getting somehting meaningful from it.
I can see what both Creg and Georgia are saying and have to side more with Georgia. I feel the anonymity and lack of case information leaves it open to abuse in so many ways it makes my head spin. You do need at some point to build a proper therapist – client relationship.
Is it not a hundred times better to have something rather than nothing? These kids could be going through situations they cannot or will not discuss with their family. It’s a start and if it saves one young life was worth the effort.
The sheer volume shows there is an obvious need for this service or an alternative. Take away the promise of anonymity and you could take away the courage they have to send that text. The numbers would drop like a stone. The article states the operators do their best to put the most vulnerable teens in touch with counselors via a call. Texting isn’t all there is on offer.
Just have to hope in cases like these that you know whose hands you are putting your life in and that there is more than proper training being given to those who are answering texts and redirecting calls. Any old quack could set up something like this. Do your research ahead of time to make sure that you are going through someone who is licensed and able to deal with all kinds of issues which could come up.