Author: crilon52

As someone who has a disability, my everyday life is different from the majority. I have special needs that usual human beings don’t. I deal with life differently.

Most of the time, it’s much harder for me than for everyone else. The regular tasks for others require me some specialized tools and equipment to accomplish. Walking, for one, is a tedious task for me. I can’t do it without my crutches or someone assisting me. It gets even more challenging when I have to climb a flight of stairs or traverse a significant distance. And it’s just one among the long list of things that I find challenging to do.

Living with a disability is not easy. Not to mention that the limitations brought about by the physical disability is a challenge for my mental health. It continually gives me undue stress and anxiety, so I decided to seek professional help.

But with my disability, going to regular therapy is a struggle for me. So I designed a therapy that works for me, which is online therapy. Thankfully, there are numerous options for online therapy nowadays. Each platform provides unique services and payment plans. This article allows me to share with you some useful information about online treatments and how it works.

Is online therapy legit?

Online therapy is legit and can be similarly effective when compared to face-to-face treatment. This type of therapy works best for treating depression, anxiety, and post-traumatic stress disorder. Researchers discovered that the cognitive behavioral therapy conducted online was effective for patients who struggled with an anxiety disorder.

What is the best online therapy site?

BetterHelp is the best in providing a comfortable virtual environment for online therapy. It employs licensed professionals to conduct sessions. A questionnaire helps match you with a compatible therapist to support you. BetterHelp allows you to message your therapist anytime and schedule online live chat sessions at the most convenient time for you.

Is there any free online therapy?

There are support groups and nonprofit organizations that provide free online therapy. You can also find support groups online that include religious groups, teenage forums, and online communities. However, it is essential to note that these may not provide you with the appropriate treatment that your situation requires. For the best results, we suggest seeking help from those who are licensed and professionals.

What is the cheapest online therapy?

BetterHelp offers a weekly subscription of $60-$80 for clients who may not afford their monthly subscription but wants to seek help from a therapist. They provide tailored therapy for your condition. BetterHelp provides a flexible schedule, which means you can have your treatment on a time and day that works best for you.

Which is better, Talkspace or BetterHelp?

Both companies have their benefits. Talkspace has available psychiatry services to refer you to a psychiatrist who can prescribe medications immediately if needed. You no longer have to source a psychiatrist on your own.

Meanwhile, BetterHelp’s strength is that they offer unlimited messaging 5x a week and conduct live video calls if they request one. BetterHelp also offers phone therapy for clients who have a weak internet connection. Also, their therapy is best for individuals, teenagers, and couples.

Is BetterHelp worth the money?

BetterHelp is almost like face to face sessions, although it’s virtual. An added advantage is that, compared to face-to-face services, you can opt to maintain your anonymity throughout the therapy. It is also convenient and affordable, and they ensure that the security of their platforms. The therapists are capable of giving valuable insights to help you understand your feelings and yourself better.

In general, therapy and mental health services are worth it. It helps you rewire and retrain your brain’s cognitive responses as it processes your emotional reactions to stimuli regarding your dealings with other people, events, and how you handle situations effectively.

Is Talkspace expensive?

Traditional face to face consultations costs more than online mental health services since they range from $25 up to $250 per appointment. Talkspace only charges $25 a week, with unlimited appointments for five days a week.

How do I choose an online therapist?

When choosing an online therapist, it is always best to ensure that the service you are going to sign up for is 100% legit. Research and read the reviews online and listen to what your gut tells you. It is also crucial that you feel comfortable with your chosen therapist. If you are feeling any discomfort, you should request a different therapist for your next appointment.

You can also ask your friends and family about online therapists that they have previously worked with. Often, it is easier to trust the recommendations of those that you know.

Is 7 cups therapy free?

The online community of 7 Cups is free for everyone, especially those interested in participating in peer groups. However, if you would like to talk to a licensed therapist, they have available plans suitable for your budget and needs. They have a monthly plan, an annual plan, a two-year plan, and if you think you need an on-call therapist for life, they have a plan for that too.

Are 7 cups of tea safe?

The 7 Cups of Tea online service is not only safe, but it is also legit and highly recommended by its users. The good thing with 7 Cups is that you can choose to be anonymous, and you don’t need to disclose any personal information. You have the option to share only what is comfortable with you.

How much is Talkspace monthly?

Talkspace has subscription plans that can be billed monthly, quarterly, or annually. Their Plus monthly subscription costs $260, Premium monthly subscription at $316, Ultimate monthly subscription at $396. The good thing with Talkspace is that insurance providers now cover it. You may check out their page to know if your provider is covered.

What can I do instead of therapy?

If you are not comfortable engaging with a therapist, whether physical or online, you may do some exercises to improve your mental health. These activities can be yoga, physical and mental exercises, eating a healthy and balanced diet, meditation, etc. If you are diagnosed before and have a psychiatrist’s prescription, ensure that regularly taking your medications will surely help.

What are the 3 types of therapy?

There are more than three types of therapy. There is psychotherapy, wherein it is done by talking to a trained therapist. Pharmacotherapy wherein a psychiatrist prescribes a medication that is suitable for your diagnosis. Psychodynamic therapy wherein you will work with a licensed therapist to explore the connections between your actions and your unconscious mind.

Can an online therapist diagnose you?

Yes, especially at the moment that there are limited physical consultations that can be done live. They can send in their diagnosis via email, discussion through phone, chat, or other means comfortable with the individual. Some therapists offer telepsychiatry services. Still, you have to be sure that your chosen therapist is licensed since only a licensed therapist can give their diagnosis when it comes to your mental health.

How do Talkspace therapists get paid?

Talkspace therapists get paid once a month. Their pay is based on the clients they took in for the month, and Talkspace also gives bonuses to their therapists depending on their performance monthly.

Online therapy is a truly convenient way for me to receive therapy. For someone with mobility issues, it allows me to talk to my therapist without leaving the comforts of my home. I can even schedule the sessions and choose the means to communicate. Luckily, technology has undoubtedly brought convenience for people like us who have disabilities. Online therapy is indeed a game-changer.

Since I started with online therapy, I noticed significant improvements in myself. My therapist has taught me healthy coping mechanisms that I get to use from time to time. Slowly, I can feel myself getting better. And I know that in time, I will be able to achieve the best quality of life.

At this point, I’m happy and proud of my progress. I would never think that I would ever see myself in such a good place. If you have been struggling with your mental health, see how online therapy can improve your life.

Our disabilities should not define us. We are more than what we can’t do. Instead, we are what we can do. It should not disable us from living our best life possible. Here’s to the best version of you yet!

 

It was not long ago that people often talk so much about obesity. In some of the years way back, it is a condition that makes individuals different from the rest of the crowd. It is nothing comparable to being special because those years made it sure that being overweight is somehow an issue. However, not long after fast-food chains, junk foods, and processed foods became a hit; nobody talks about obesity as a taboo anymore. A lot of people began to understand that obesity is a lifestyle choice. But after that acceptance, society then shifted its outlook into the subject of disability. Individuals began to see it as something that is widely open to public discourse. “Physical disability reminds the able bodied of our frailty and mortality, and mental disability gives us a glimpse into the invisible yet damaging world of cognitive and emotional distress,” Ryan Howes PhD, ABPP explains.

Stigma

Honestly, there is nothing wrong with the public taking an effort in putting disability on a hot topic. But the problem is, people’s comments about a particular disability issue often cover as either a compliment or an insult. That is the reason why persons with a disability find it hard to decide how to respond and engage in a particular situation. There is no assurance that what the other people are saying is something offensive or not.

According to Ruth M. H. Peters and co-authors, “Persons affected by leprosy or by disabilities face forms of stigma that have an impact on their lives.”People talking about disability as if it is something that takes over the world is a bit exaggerated. Real talk, society is looking at its condition as something that is unprogressive, pitiful, and burden. People telling how lucky disabled persons are for surviving their situations will never say it without thinking how they wish God forbids the condition will happen to them. See, that is how the public creates this biased concern towards those individuals with a disability. Honestly, the public can genuinely care. However, most of the time, they do it not because they see that person as equally capable as them. But instead, caring for the disabled persons often comes with pity, responsibility, and sometimes the fear of becoming one. Check out BetterHelp‘s articles about how disabled persons are treated indiferently.

Well, persons with disabilities cannot complain, right? Because instead of them trying to disregard the help, it is way much better if they accept it. People who are disabled fully understand that they need help. They understand that they need to be there for themselves because soon, people will eventually pull back from the obligation.  Therefore, the issue of portraying strength and ability is always a different side of the story. But how does the public see it? Well, the truth is, able people can choose to either give a damn or not. They can decide not to care and only talk about it when they want to discuss something related to disability. From there, individuals can get the concept that disability for these people, seems to become a choice, same as obesity. But we all know it is not.

Society’s unacceptable view of people with disability is not something anyone of us can erase instantly. The judgments, insults, exaggeration, all of these are the growing parts of it. No one will say that they care because they feel like bothering. No one will admit that how they see and treat persons with disabilities is related to their personality. Society care for these disabled people because at the back of their minds, these individuals are and will always be “incapable.” But Elizabeth Mazur, Ph.D. seeks for societal progress, “Let living with a disability be a source of value, meaning, and pride.”

Being a disabled person, I always knew I was different. Having no arms and legs, things are quite different from the way I see it. I am fully aware that I cannot do things that ordinary people can because I am without limbs. I cannot run, walk, hold items with my hands, and assist myself for that matter. Regardless of that unfortunate instance, it won’t stop me from believing that life will be better someday. I always knew that the more I picture how good life is, the more I can have a better chance of living happily.

The Struggle

It is not easy to handle things with care. Quite a few times, I feel anxious about things, and I get depressed for being incapable. My emotional aspects seemed triggered because I try to set my mind to accept things exactly to be the way they are, even if it hurts deeply. I often question why things like this happen to me. But since I receive no answer, I quit complaining. Because what for? The emotional and mental torture is nothing but a burden, and I realized that I do not want that anymore. BetterHelp made me realized that I deserve to live life the way I wanted.

“The more distress there is in one’s life, the greater the impact on daily functioning and overall quality of life,” writes Mark Borigini M.D.

The struggle of not being able to do a lot of things affects my life in a way it affects others as well. I get lonely, sad, and hurt because other people won’t stop staring at me. They believe they have the right to feel sorry for my condition. Should I thank them? Should I feel sorry for myself too? I think not. Although I fully understand that most of them mean no harm, I can help myself but to think what would it be like if things weren’t like this. No, it is not a negative mindset. I am only trying to imagine life in a better view. There are things I believe I can do my way.

“If you let yourself rail against the universe and fall into a virulent case of self-pity—become a victim – you’ll stay depressed,” writes Russell Grieger Ph.D.

You see, the thing that keeps me going is the image I have created in my mind. I have this list of things I want to do that I know I can’t. But it doesn’t matter. I still hold onto those dreams that someday I will be able to accomplish it no matter what. I might not have my arms and legs with me, but I still got my brain and my heart. So, nothing is entirely missing at some point. I can always love the people around me, and I can still manage to laugh and smile. So yes, I am still good with life.

Insight

Having a disability is not something someone would wish to have. But if in case it happens, the only thing one should remember is how to be himself. The disability should not become him at any cost. A person must stay focused on his ability to communicate and express himself, regardless of the circumstances. As for me, I don’t like it that I am only limited to do stuff. But I don’t complain about it that much either. One thing I learned from my situation is that the less I complain, the happier I become. There are not many emotional and mental issues every time I stay positive.

“If you realize that yes, you do complain a lot and see that it is bringing down those close to you, it may be time for you to drill into the source of your own state of affairs,” writes Robert Taibbi L.C.S.W.

Different conditions cause blindness to people. It could be genetics, infection, chronic disease, and so on. It becomes a disability because the eyes are an essential thing that allows people to function suitably. So without vision, things can be a little different and hard. The people who have vision loss tend to make specific life-changing decisions and adjustments. We know not all of those adjustments are easy. But looking at a different angle where blind people picture life, let’s understand how some misconceptions are not what we think they are.

A Blind Person Have Stronger Balance

People believe in the idea that once a person loses one of his senses, his other senses tend to improve in multiple ways. Well, there can be truth to this statement. However, that only goes to individuals who practice their other physical senses rigorously. Meaning, the chances of getting enhanced sense skills after losing one depends on a person’s motivation to improve a particular sense. Meaning, the skill sense enhancements do not happen automatically. So the idea of a blind person getting a stronger balance is not at all accurate. Blind people are not able to see things around them, which makes them more vulnerable to accidents.

A Blind Person Is Still Capable Of Doing Everything

As much as people want to put a positive attitude towards a blind individual, no one can assume that a disabled person can still do a lot of things. Yes, that is a good start of mind-condition tactics to help a blind person to become aware of his physical state. However, a false hope that someone gives to him will do nothing. It is essential to understand that though blindness is not at all a hindrance to living, it is something that stops a person from doing risky things. People should consider thinking about reality instead of focusing on impractical chances they wish a blind individual would take.

A Blind Person’s Eyes Matter

This type of blindness misconception can be the most irritating and annoying thing that a blind individual will have to deal with. People assume that to be considered blind; one must look only in a specific direction. Therefore, a person who can invariably look from right to left gets questioned for the legality of his blindness. Aside from that, there is this people’s mentality that only those unusual colored eyes are immediately considered blind. So for a person who doesn’t have a red, white, or grey dot on his eyes, things can get a little too judgmental. For some people, an eye that looks normal and functioning is not at all blind.

It is not always that people automatically get and understand the condition of blind people. I must say, the misconceptions are there because that is how society imprinted it in everyone’s minds. The stereotypes and all the judgment somehow managed to pass through generations. But the most important aspect that people need to consider is the blind people’s thoughts, opinions, and reality. 

I am a disabled person, but I do not want to look at myself like that. I do not have legs to walk, but I have my hands that do more jobs for me. I know a lot of people feel sorry about my physical condition, but I honestly do not care. I understand that other people’s perception of my ability is not something I can change. However, it is a thing I can use to encourage and motivate myself to become able as much as possible.

Mind Setting

I am not going to lie. Living with a disability is not easy. However, it is always up to me to make a choice. I can either go the way where I think about the situation as unfortunate and cloudy. I can choose to be a victim for that matter. Or, I can desire to be confident and feel like I can conquer anything that others are telling me that I cannot do. I can be out there with the world winning for my sake. The truth is, it is all about the right mindset. The things I want to be and how I want the world to see me depends on my right mindfulness. Instead of complaining about why I turned out to be a disabled person, I might as well save my energy and do something worth living. I have my brain functioning properly, so I guess that makes it less complicated so far.

My Disability Won’t Stop Me

It did not catch me long to recognize that I have more important things to thank for instead of listing my complaints. Yes, the idea of not being able to walk somehow takes a toll on me. I refused to do things that only my feet can perform because I thought I couldn’t live with that situation. But hell, I was wrong. Traveling across the country, it is not a problem with my wheelchair. Hanging out with my friends, they get to visit me every week. And having a relationship, I am loved by my husband and children. So definitely, there is nothing that my disability can do to stop me from living the life I wanted.

Not A Weakness

My disability is not a weakness as what others see it. It is something that allows me to value the things I am more capable of doing. My disability may cause me anxiety and depression most of the time, but that is not enough to hold me back from trying and learning new things. I know and fully understand that I do need a couple of physical assistance. But it will never make me look at my leg-less condition as a weak point. I am better and will get better even without my legs.

For those individuals who have mental illness due to their physical condition, stop worrying. Try to be as positive as you can. You will be amazed by how the mind can turn things way better than the usual.