Perhaps you’ve always known that you are a worrier. Ever since you were little you may have had worries or fears that kept you up at night. And during the day, they may have lingered in the back of your mind, even when you went to school.
Maybe you thought that those worries would eventually go away. Yet, as you got older, you might have found yourself carrying all those fears around as an adult. And so, you 
may have simply accepted this as a normal part of your life.
But now, it seems as if those feelings have only gotten worse. It might be more difficult than before to fall asleep and sleep soundly. And lately, perhaps your back has started hurting for reasons you can’t explain.
What can be done? Should you see a therapist? But what about if social or personal situations don’t allow in-office visits?
One solution is deciding to do online anxiety disorder treatment.
Here’s why you should consider the effectiveness of online anxiety treatment.
The Convenience of Anxiety Disorder Treatment Done Online
Without a doubt, one important reason why online anxiety treatment works is convenience. Typically, when you see a therapist the process requires that you go to their office and meet them face-to-face. But in the 21st century, with so many things going on in life, this isn’t always that easy to do.
Some reasons why getting in-office therapy may be difficult are:
- Finding a therapist near you with the qualifications you’re looking for
- Scheduling that initial appointment to accommodate for work or other things you have to take into account
- Remembering to actually go to the appointment!
- Factoring in additional travel and time to get to the therapist’s office and back
Guess what? All of these things can cause anxiety! And, of course, we don’t want more anxiety, especially when the goal is to help treat it.
With online therapy, you’ll still have to remember to attend the session (but that’s only one out of several hurdles). However, a lot of the other logistical pieces are eliminated or made easier.
Anxiety and Transitions
One issue to explore a little further is having to factor in the time to get to the therapist’s office. This is also known as a transition time.
Transition times occur in your day when you need to shift from one activity to another. Sometimes this isn’t a big deal at all. For example, the time it takes you to shift gears from eating breakfast to walking the dog might not be that long at all. But what about traveling somewhere, such as to work?
Some people struggle a lot with the stress of some of these transition times. The anxiety of trying to get to a therapist’s office for the first time can be significant. You may arrive like a giant bundle of frayed nerves, worried you are too late for your appointment.
Online anxiety disorder treatment, however, shortens that transition time. That’s because you don’t have to go anywhere!
Being in a Familiar Setting
Another reason why online anxiety treatment works is that you are surrounded by a familiar place. You get to choose where to have the therapy session, not the therapist. And that is actually quite helpful for addressing anxiety. Why?
For many, new and unfamiliar settings can be distressing. After all, even the most welcoming and warm office is still that—an office.
With online treatment for your anxiety disorder, you can have the benefits of therapy in the comfort of your own home, or at the park, or wherever you feel comfortable. This is very useful because the therapist can address your anxiety in a place where you feel most relaxed and calm.
Effectiveness of Online Anxiety Treatment
Even with all these conveniences of only therapy, is virtual anxiety disorder treatment really effective? The answer is yes!
For instance, one study published in Psychological Services found that video conference treatment was effective for those with anxiety as well as depression, PTSD, etc. The visual element of this is important because usually online therapy involves a video connection between the therapist and the client. And this video feed provides that face-to-face link between two people.
—
Online anxiety disorder treatment offers all the benefits of traditional therapy. Yet, it comes in a format that is much more accessible and less anxiety-inducing to many clients. If you would like to learn more about the effectiveness of online anxiety treatment or how to set up an appointment, I invite you to reach out to me.