The Benefits of Telehealth in Addiction Treatment

In this current age of rapidly growing and constantly changing technology, new ways to interact with each other are continuously being introduced in all aspects of our daily lives. With this being said, Victory Recovery Partners has been able to adapt to modern communication methods, such as telehealth, as part of our way of effectively treating patients who are suffering from substance use disorders. 

While telehealth sessions can be effective, as detailed below, there are certainly many benefits to traditional in-person therapy that should not be ignored. Firstly, in-person therapy allows the patient to form a closer bond with their counselor, increasing the development of a strong patient-counselor relationship. This is crucial for a patient’s ability to feel comfortable speaking openly and honestly with their counselors. In-person therapy, in the form of group therapy, also allows patients to connect with others who share similar hardships and experiences. However, sometimes in-person therapy may not always be an option for patients – and that’s where telehealth therapy comes in. 

In our practice, telehealth involves providing patients with counseling services through live video-chat sessions. There are several major benefits of telehealth therapy in helping patients to receive proper and effective treatment including accessibility, convenience, proximity to one’s home, the involvement of one’s family, and enhanced and expanded treatment options. 

In terms of accessibility, telehealth sessions allow for users to receive treatment from just about anywhere – given they have a Wi-Fi or cellular signal, of course! In current times, those suffering with substance use disorder may not have access to proper transportation or they may feel there is a stigma involved with receiving in-person treatment. Additionally, during COVID, we experienced a major shift towards being a telehealth society, and many of those same practices are still in effect today. For example, to take a step outside the addiction world, some therapists such as psychologists only offer telehealth now for general therapy. As explained above, there is certainly a benefit to receiving in-person treatment, as it is a method that has proven to be successful for decades. However, some patients, for accessibility reasons, opt for telehealth treatment. 

In addition to accessibility benefits, the convenience perks are another helpful part of telehealth in treating addiction. Those who may not have otherwise received any help at all for their addiction – such as those unmotivated to leave their house and physically attend a counseling session, can now receive treatment from the comfort of their own homes. To build on this, family members of the patient can also become involved in the patient’s treatment by attending virtual family sessions through telehealth methods.  

Additionally, as our technology is expanding due to a rise in new platforms (think of the rise of Zoom during the pandemic), there are more options now in terms of how counseling can be conducted. For example, even certified recovery peer advocates (CRPAs) can provide treatment through telehealth methods. 

There are certainly benefits to receiving in-person therapy. If a patient needs immediate care and they are suffering, in-person therapy (at least initially in the beginning stages of treatment), can prove to be most effective. Forming that special bond between the counselor and patient is key to one’s recovery. However, for the reasons listed above, in-person therapy is always not always an option – that is where telehealth comes in. By receiving counseling via platforms such as Zoom in the comfort of their own homes, patients who otherwise may not have taken steps to receive treatment can now receive the help and support that they need. 

Victory Recovery Partners, a network of five addiction/recovery centers on Long Island, New York, provides total care under one roof to treat addiction. This includes behavioral health, psychiatric, wellness, and medication-assisted treatment services. As explained above, we provide both in-person and telehealth counseling to our patients, depending on their unique situations and needs. To learn more about Victory Recovery Partners, please visit www.victoryrp.com