Disclaimer: Compensation was provided by Amwell via MomTrends. The opinions expressed herein are those of the author and are not indicative of the opinions of Amwell or Momtrends.
Mental Health. By just hearing these two words we create an image in our head. We think about our own personal experience, the experiences of a friend or family member, or perhaps relate it to the media and a movie that we recently watched or article that we recently read. What is most intriguing is just how powerful these two words are; yet still so taboo. Think about it, at the mere mention of mental health, most tend to shy away. Maybe they simply don’t know what to say, maybe they don’t understand it because it is not something they have personal experience with, or perhaps they are among the thousands that suffer and simply don’t know what to do.
In my home, it is because I suffer and nobody knows what to do and sometimes what to say. I’ve had mental health “problems” since I was a teen. They became very real when my father passed away when I was fourteen years old and we’ve been teeter-tottering our way through a love hate relationship ever since. Some days, weeks, and months are better than others and some are worse; often much worse. But often there is so much going on that I can’t or as my husband would put it, I won’t take a time out to take care of an important part of our family, me. I don’t imagine I am very different from a lot of parents. In addition to holding a full time job, many parents juggle the joys of parenthood that include soccer practice and games, dance class and competitions, homework, bath time, making dinner, doing laundry, reading time, packing lunches, and a million other things that we take care of at home. With everything going on we can’t imagine adding one more thing to do to our “to do” list so we keep moving forward and risk neglecting ourselves in an effort to keep everyone moving forward.
Unfortunately, sometimes moving forward just isn’t enough and we are left with feelings of worry, doubt, helplessness, and anxiety. But what are busy moms and dads supposed to do? If you have any experience with the mental health field you know that this isn’t a system that anyone would classify as simple. In the state of Ohio, any provider that you call has a 6 to 8 month waiting list just to get an appointment and that is if you are lucky enough to find someone that takes your insurance. More than once I have asked, “What am I supposed to do for the next 8 months when I need help now?” The response is always the same and I am informed to go to an inpatient care facility if things become unbearable. Fortunately for me, I’ve never had to resort to that but what about the people that really need help and need it now?
Let’s take this a step further, let’s say I wait the 6 to 8 months it takes for my appointment; assuming it is only that long and the doctor’s office doesn’t call to reschedule. Then I have to take time out to get cleaned up, find child care, drive to the facility (which can easily be 30 to 60 minutes away, one way), wait in the waiting room, and then drive home. That is two to three hours of time lost for one appointment. Hmmm, let’s think about this for a second. I’m already extremely busy and anxious about everything on my plate. So I take time out to “disappear” for two to three hours and that is supposed to reduce my anxiety? Yeah, not so much!
Okay, let’s go all out. Let’s say you find someone to watch your little one(s), you get cleaned up, drive to the doctor’s office, have your appointment, and it is a complete bust. Maybe your personality didn’t mesh well with the doctor’s or you didn’t like the responses you received. Maybe you didn’t get as much out of the appointment as you had hoped you would. Perhaps they suggest meeting weekly and suddenly you have a new level of anxiety because you have to figure out how to perform this disappearing act on a weekly basis. Or, as I have experienced, you leave feeling worse because the visit added to your problems instead of taking away from them. Then you are left with three choices. First, you could continue seeing the doctor that you didn’t have a good rapport with. Second, you go back to the drawing board and prepare for another 6 to 8 month wait, AFTER you find a doctor that is accepting new patients and takes your insurance. Third, you give up and go back to your family “to do” list.
These all sound really bad but they are all very real and situations that I have dealt with personally in the last 2 years. Sometimes even when we try to take care of ourselves it isn’t that simple or easy or at least it wasn’t.
Thanks to a program that I was recently introduced to, I’ve been able to add the word “simple” back into my vocabulary when discussing mental health and how to approach it. This is all courtesy of Amwell!
ABOUT AMWELL
Amwell is the nation’s largest telehealth company, connecting users with board-certified, licensed doctors, dieticians and psychologists for immediate and live, online visits—day or night, on either mobile or desktop.
We employ primary care, specialist physicians, licensed behavioral therapists and registered dietitians to meet our patients’ health and wellness needs. Some general conditions our doctors encounter include: minor illnesses and injuries, general health and wellness concerns, prescription refills, and chronic condition management.
Amwell doctors are available 24 hours a day, seven days a week, and are dedicated to keeping you healthy — all from the comfort of your home. Amwell behavioral health therapists are available during business hours 8am – 8pm and typically require a scheduled appointment prior to a visit.
My favorite thing about Amwell is the convenience. I am able to contact them to request a therapy session and often they are able to accommodate my request the same day or within a couple of days and all from the comfort of my home. This means I don’t have to find someone to watch my daughter, I don’t have to take time out of my work day or evening to drive to the doctor’s office, wait in the waiting room, and pray that our personalities mesh, and the results are mental bliss. Now all I need is my smartphone (a tablet or computer works, too) and a comfortable seat and I am ready to my appointment.
Amwell’s behavioral health services are available nationwide and include a network of more than 350 therapists, social workers and psychologists. And this, this right here is extremely important to me. What that means is if I have an appointment with a therapist/counselor and don’t feel as though we were a good match, I simply select another provider for my next appointment. No hassle, no waiting period, just a simple request.
Amwell’s mission is prioritizing the mental health of moms (and dads). Their approach is convenient, affordable, and private. Here are a few examples of situations in which Amwell therapy can help:
- Trauma and Loss
- Stress and Anxiety
- Infertility Stress
- Changes in Mood
- Postpartum Support
- Parenting Issues
- Anger Management
- Financial Challenges
- Substance Abuse
- Relationship issues
Amwell takes your privacy very seriously. Your visits with our doctors, dieticians and psychologists are secure and HIPAA compliant and are accepted by many major insurers, with more added every day. Enter your health insurance information for a lower cost visit.
REASONS TO USE AMWELL
Amwell was created by doctors and was voted most popular consumer telehealth app worldwide in 2014 according to App Annie, with more than 1.3M downloads. Amwell is the first telehealth service awarded accreditation by The American Telemedicine Association and the first telehealth platform to integrate with Apple’s Health App. Amwell is the only service that allows you to select the doctor you want to see for an on-demand visit.
Still not sure? Here are a few more reasons …
Lower cost. Consumers expect online behavioral health visits to be cost-savers; with in-office visits costing, on average, $165 for first-time patients according to the Healthcare Blue Book, Amwell offers a $79-95 therapist or psychologist visit – a savings of $80+ per visit. Insurers are beginning to cover telehealth visits as well, rendering the cost of the visit to be just the copay!
Accessibility. After hours or weekend availability. Great for those who do have transportation or when you don’t feel well enough to drive and those who are newly relocated and don’t have providers yet.
Convenience. Consumers are looking for a faster appointment. Amwell staff therapists may be able to see you that day or in the next couple of days – and all from the comfort and convenience of their own home. No babysitters needed, no time taken off from work, no hassle and total privacy.
Are you interested but still feeling a little uncertain? Let Amwell help!
TRY YOUR FIRST VISIT FOR JUST $1:
Amwell’s goal is to help and they can do so without you having to take a lot of time away from your family and busy schedule. Try Amwell now using coupon code MOMSLOVEAMWELL and your first visit will be just $1. Simply enter the coupon code at checkout.
To learn more about Amwell check out their social media outlets: Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | Pinterest
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