What is Mental Health?

Have you ever noticed that when you are in good mental state, everything seems to be perfect? You feel energetic throughout the day. You work perfectly and efficiently.

But when you feel down mentally , everything around you seems falling apart. You don't feel like working or your energy level is low. Though, you are the same person having the same abilities and intelligence. The only change is the mood that minimizes your energy level and performance.

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The impact of our mental health is experienced in every aspect of our lives. Our mood, physical health, and social ties help us cope with adversity and unexpected hurdles.

Together they contribute to our well-being and our mental health. A positive attitude towards improving and maintaining mental health can lead to a healthy, productive, and meaningful life.

The World Health Organization (2004) defines mental health in the following way:

“It is a state of wellbeing,

• in which the individual realizes their abilities,
• can cope with the normal stresses of life,
• can work productively and fruitfully, and
• can contribute to their community.”

E-Mental Health

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With the rise of technologies like mobile phones, telemedicine, and the digital world, new ways have emerged to treat people with mental illness. This makes the treatment process easy and accessible to all.

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E-mental health means any mental health services, therapies, and interventions that are delivered through the internet or online. E is short for Electronic; Electronic mental health includes a wide range of resources that are available on the internet. These resources include:

• Social Media
• Websites
• Chat rooms, Forums, or Discussion Boards
• Smartphone apps, and
• Specialized Voice-over-Internet-Protocol (VOIP) or Video-based e-counseling therapy platforms.

Along with technological advancement, the COVID-19 pandemic has also increased the value and need of E-mental health. COVID-19 changed the world order; people shifted from physical ways of doing things to remotely done online ways like online studies, online commerce, online medicine prescriptions, etc.

Like all these things, in-person therapy/counseling also shifted to online therapy/counseling. Is E-mental health as effective as in-person? This is a big question but recent studies and research have shown that E-mental health is as effective as in-person.

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E-mental health services in Australia

Like all other countries, Australia has also put its efforts to promote online mental health services as they are the need of the time. Australia is among the top leaders who are providing research and development for E-mental health solutions. Five types of E-mental health services are available in Australia:

1) Health promotion, wellness promotion, and psychoeducation

Examples of these programs include Blue Pages, beyond blue, ReachOut.com, mind health connect, Kids Matter, Mind Matters, Heads Up, Man Therapy, and Beacon.

2) Prevention and early intervention

Examples of these programs include Bite Back, Kids Helpline, Brave Online, Climate Schools, beyond blue’s Support Service, e-Couch, and Mood GYM.

3) Crisis intervention and suicide prevention

Examples of these programs include Lifeline, Healthy Thinking and i-bobbly

4) Treatment

Examples of these programs include my Compass, e-Couch, Mood GYM, This Way Up, Mental Health Online, SHADE, e-headspace, and others.

5) Recovery and mutual/peer support

Examples of these programs include Blue Board, an online internet support group for people with depression or telephone support lines staffed by mental health consumers.

E-mental health services in Australia are as effective and efficient as face-to-face delivery of mental health services. Clients are increasingly showing their interest and trust in E-mental health services. These services are easily accessible to all the clients as they don’t need to visit clinics and wait for appointments. E-mental health services not only provide easiness to the clients but are also helpful to the therapists and counselors in scheduling and attending their sessions.

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