“The Happiness Project is the memoir of the year I spent test-driving the wisdom of the ages, current scientific studies, and lessons from popular culture about how to be happier – happily, it was a #1 New York Times bestseller. As one of the hundreds of experiments I’ve conducted, I started this blog. Here, I recount my daily adventures in pursuit of happiness.” – Gretchen Rubin

War is hell. And it doesn’t end on the battlefield.

The military’s response to what was once called “shellshock,” “battle fatigue,” and now PTSD, has changed dramatically, largely due to the astonishingly high numbers of veteran suicides during the Iraq war: between 2005 and 2007, suicide rates among veterans soared to 20% of the national total.

This number drops significantly among veterans receiving treatment at the VA. “[P]eople who have PTSD have suffered a wound, just like they’ve been shot, and need to be treated,” said Defense Secretary Robert Gates in a Pentagon Channel interview.

Online therapy, through sites like Breakthrough.com, has emerged as an alternative to reduce the effects of stigma. Veterans can access therapists confidentially, from any location, and with the option of maintaining their anonymity.

“Online counseling lets people get help where they are, physically and psychologically,” says Mark Goldenson, CEO of Breakthrough.com. “They don’t have to sit in a waiting room, explain why they are leaving home or work, or pay for gas or childcare. It lets people focus on getting better.”

Online counseling also helps people find the best provider for them, which research shows is an essential factor in getting better. Users can briefly talk online with potential counselors before committing to an entire session.

Online therapy also reduces costs for both clients and providers. It can eliminate travel costs, reduce administrative and overhead fees, and is increasingly covered by insurance (including Medicare and AMA).

While teletherapy is still a new practice, studies have shown that it can be as effective as in-person treatment. For example, a Lancet study found that online counseling more than doubled the likelihood of recovery for certain conditions.

With the military now encouraging soldiers and veterans to get help, perhaps fewer of our nation’s heroes will suffer in silence.

Beyond its current affordability, a UK study found that psychotherapy is actually 32 times more effective at making you happy than money: a $1600 course of therapy had a happiness-equivalent of receiving a $50,000 raise. Based on their findings, it could be inferred that compared to therapy, money is a relatively inefficient way of achieving happiness.

The WHO estimates that depression is the leading cause of disability worldwide;  even nations which have experienced enormous economic growth have not seen concurrent increases in national happiness. This recent research suggests that in order to improve the national mood, nations would do better by expanding access to mental health care than concentrating on economic gains.

A penny saved is a penny earned — unless you spend it on therapy, in which case it is the happiness-equivalent of 32 cents.

With these new regulations, it is hoped that more of the 57 million Americans who would benefit from mental health services will be able to access them.

It turns out, this is not necessarily true. A recent Lancet study found that for depression, online therapy (counseling sessions conducted via live video, chat, or email) was 2.4 times as effective as in-person sessions with a GP (the general go-to for depression within the UK health system). Depression is experienced by 1 in 6 people at some point in their lives; the associated labor-loss cost is estimated at $44 billion per year in the US.

“Online therapy lets people get help where they are,” says Mark Goldenson, CEO of Breakthrough.com, the online platform which connects mental health providers with clients through secure video, chat and email. “They don’t have to sit in a waiting room, they don’t have to explain why they’re leaving home or work, they don’t have to arrange childcare. It lets people focus on getting better.”

“Once the conversation starts, [they] forget there’s a screen between us,” says Dr. Kristopher Kaliebe, an assistant professor at Louisiana State University, who has telemed equipment set up in his home.

1 in 4 adults has a diagnosed mental illness. These 57 million Americans are nonetheless significantly underserved due to cost, inconvenience, low access in certain areas, and the effects of the stigma surrounding receiving mental health help.

With the establishment of Health Care Reforms, the Mental Health Parity Act, and the spread of technology, telecounseling may become a key part of the emerging healthcare spectrum. As 40 million newly-insured patients enter the health care system, and telecounseling is increasingly covered by insurance, big shifts may be expected. The most important tool in a doctor’s bag may soon become her laptop.

“In some ways, it’s a throwback to the housecall of the past,” says Goldenson. “Only in this case, the practitioner can be available at more times and from almost anywhere.”

About Breakthrough.com: Breakthrough.com connects mental health providers with clients through secure video, email and chat. Breakthrough.com is a startup in Menlo Park, CA, and has been covered in Forbes, Wired, and TechCrunch, and was recently named by Business Insider listed them as one of “The 15 Startups I Would Invest In If I Had The Cash” alongside Twitter, Foursquare and Zynga.

One article on PRNewswire.com discusses:

“We used to meet in bars, and restaurants, we now meet on Facebook and Twitter,” said David Jones, global CEO of Havas Worldwide and Euro RSCG Worldwide.  ”Social media hasn’t replaced but has enhanced real world relationships making them faster, more transparent and more authentic.”

With a lot more temptation available, couples are facing old challenges with new twists!

Through online therapy, a couple is free to evaluate many things including:

• What risky behaviors are present in their relationship now?
• What are some red flags they may not yet be aware of?
• How can an online therapist help them find new ways to reconnect via online counseling?
• What does it mean when you are emotionally cheating on your partner?
• Am I showing my partner how much I appreciate them?
• Is my relationship healthy?

Two other notable points from the PRNewswire article include:

Take the Pressure Off. Nearly a third of women and men say online relationships can take the pressure off face-to-face relationships.

Flirting online is the new norm. More men than women risk flirting online, with a substantial 39 percent of men saying they’ve flirted online, compared with a more modest 23 percent of women.

Online therapy or distance counseling can facilitate many productive relationship discussions.   While some couples would rather meet in person with a therapist to discuss their concerns, many others are comfortable tackling these issues at their own pace, virtually, with an online therapist.

When you think of your relationship, do you see any behaviors you would consider discussing with an online therapist?  What are some examples of risky behaviors you think might constitute as emotional infidelity?

Belky Perez Schwartz is a Licensed Mental Health Counselor and Freelance Writer in Coral Gable, Florida. Visit her virtual office or send her an email today for more information on relationships, online counseling, and social media.

1. Escalation of intensity of romantic and sexual behavior – more time or money spent, more intense sexual experiences etc.

2. Lying, hiding or keeping Secrets about your sexual behavior – living a double life.

3. Looking for relationships and sex has become your primary life priority.

4. Failed Previous Attempts to stop problem sexual or romantic behavior.

5. Sexual behaviors continue despite clear and obvious potential or actual consequences (legal, family, work, health etc.)

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