A look at 3 COVID mental health treatments: Do they help?

Recent mental health statistics are sobering, especially since there is no evidence that the pandemic is waning. Instead of focusing on grim mental health statistics, we present the latest statistics regarding helpful COVID mental health treatments.

About four in ten adults in the U.S. have reported symptoms of anxiety or depression during the pandemic, a rise from one in ten adults pre-pandemic. The information in this article may provide options for improving or maintaining a healthy mindset.

Let’s start with determining where to find statistics relating to mental health treatments as they relate to COVID.

Highlights:

Digital mental health involves any mental health treatment performed through an electronic platform.
Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) is a type of treatment that focuses on adjusting thinking patterns.
The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration’s (SAMHSA) National Helpline contains information for finding group therapy.
Activities such as line dancing, exposure to nature, and showing compassion can improve mental health during the pandemic.

COVID Mental Health Treatments Statistics: Where are they located?

Similar to our previous post, COVID-19 mental health statistics What the numbers uncover, COVID mental health treatment information exists in:

Government databases
International health databases
Professional medical publications
Medical and health clinical studies

You can find these journals at scholar.google.com and the Center for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) public health databases.

We’ll look at a few highlights from these articles related to treatments statistics.

COVID-19 Mental Health Treatments

There are hundreds of mental health treatment statistics. Let’s examine three methods and the data associated with their effectiveness.

Digital Mental Health

Digital mental health involves any mental health treatment performed through an electronic platform. Some examples are:

Internet-based mental health therapy
Wearable devices for tracking health
Chatbots that leverage artificial intelligence
Mental health apps
Virtual reality care

The following video shows how one physician benefits from digital mental health during the pandemic:

On January 3, 2022, JMIR publications printed an article on the efficacy of a digital mental health app. The study of 136 participants shows improvement in the specific measures of mental well-being, anxiety, and sleep with just two weeks of use.

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy

According to the American Psychological Association, cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) is a form of treatment that focuses on adjusting thinking patterns. During the sessions, a patient develops coping skills to change problematic emotions, behavior, and thinking.

In December 2021, the Journal of Anxiety Disorders released an article highlighting an Australian internet-based CBT study of 1,295 participants. It states that 55% of the participants that completed the course had significant improvements.

Seven disorders that could benefit from cognitive behavioral therapy — ^{Image source: https://www.verywellmind.com/what-is-cognitive-behavior-therapy-2795747}

Group Therapy

The Journal of Innovation in Aging published an article on December 17, 2021, examining group therapy for individuals caring for family members with dementia during COVID-19. The study shows

67% were satisfied with group therapy
83% felt the group was relevant
100% applied the topics outside the group regarding accepting emotions

The preliminary findings of the data show that group therapy may be beneficial for supporting family members during the pandemic. One location for this type of assistance is the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration National Helpline.

Statistics on the effectiveness of group therapy, one of the COVID mental health treatments — ^{Image source: StatsFind}

Other notable therapeutic activities and treatments

There are a variety of activities that are helpful for mental health during the pandemic. For example, medical journals show positive effects from the following:

Acupuncture [bvsalud.org]
Aromatherapy [sciencedirect.com]
Exposure to nature [wiley.com]
Line Dancing [mdpi.com]
Showing compassion [link.springer.com]

How will you use these COVID mental health treatment statistics?

COVID-19 mental health treatment statistics constantly change. Therefore, observing important patterns is essential. Monitoring these statistics can assist you and your loved ones to remain mentally healthy during the pandemic.

Watch our site for updated statistics on COVID-19 mental health.

The information contained in this blog is for educational and informational purposes only and is not intended as health or medical advice. Always consult a physician or other qualified health provider regarding any questions about a medical condition or health objectives.

Additional references: