Can Betterhelp Diagnose You? (5 Reasons Why)

This article will discuss whether or not Betterhelp can diagnose your mental health condition and the reasons behind the answer. Furthermore, the article will not only introduce Betterhelp but also highlight its services and discuss the implications of a wrong diagnosis. The article will also highlight what steps must be taken by mental health providers to make a correct diagnosis.

Can Betterhelp Diagnose You?

Betterhelp cannot diagnose you because of the following reasons:

• Not Allowed In Their Terms & Conditions
• Difficult Making A Diagnosis Online
• Use Of Medication May Begin
• All Service Providers Cannot Prescribe Medication
• Betterhelp – A Platform To Connect

Before we look at these reasons in detail, let us take a look at what Betterhelp is and the services it does provide to clients if not that of diagnosing their mental health condition or illness.

BetterHelp – Your Online Partner In Mental Health

Betterhelp is one of the largest online platforms that provides multiple services for all types of people who are suffering from mental health problems and require counseling. What is great about this service is that it is online hence it is available anywhere and every time. You do not have to go to the doctor’s office to get an appointment or wait in line for your turn. This is great if you feel pretty down and getting out of bed is a challenge for you!

With approximately 1700 licensed therapists available online at the click of a button, Betterhelp ensures that its clients receive the best help they can get by connecting them to professional therapists and counselors who know what they need to do This is apparent by the total number of sessions which Betterhelp

 has already conducted from their platform; a whopping 70 million sessions already completed! This is possible because the company understands the needs of clients well and hence provides therapy related services to them online and not just at  physical location. In a world where things are changing constantly and the unknown is always around the corner, it is becoming more of a need rather than a desire to get services online and at your doorstep – we simply don’t have time nowadays!

When you visit their site, you will see that the company realizes the various situations you may be stuck in; you could be a child who needs help, a person in a relationship who feels they need to opt for couple therapy or an individual who is having a tough time facing their problems. The website also recognizes people who experience different feelings, thoughts and experiences compared to the vast majority of people; it does not judge a person based on how others are but how the person is themself! So don’t worry! You are in good hands at Betterhelp.

If Not Diagnosis Then What?

Just because Betterhelp does not diagnose disorders like ADHD does not mean it provides no services at all! Betterhelp as we mentioned deals with everyday issues individuals face. It tries to connect clients to service providers who can help clients manage their emotional and mental health issues in productive manners using communication and simple yet important activities.

How does Betterhelp reach out to its clients? Let us take as look at the following to find out:

• Chatrooms: These are open 24/7 and you can drop a message any time you feel like doing so. However, your counselor will only get back to you once they have the time or chance to. Usually people like dropping questions they want opinions on from their counselor and don’t mind waiting a bit.

• Live Chatting Sessions: here you can chat with your counselor in real time and there really is no limit on the number of messages exchanged or time spent talking here. It depends on the needs of the client and the nature of the problem.

• Live Phone Calls: Kind of like Skype this platform has their own system set up where you can have audio sessions with your service provider. It does not show your contact details to the counselor for reasons of privacy and in case the counselor and counselee become direct. 

• Video Sessions: clients who are more comfortable or want a more personalized experience can also opt for video sessions. Like other mediums of interaction, there is no limit on these although people mostly hold the opinion that 1 or 2 sessions per week are sufficient.

Why Does Betterhelp Not Allow Service Providers To Diagnose Clients?

Not Allowed In Their Terms & Conditions

It is stated in the terms and conditions section on Betterhelp’s website that clients must disregard any diagnosis given to them regarding their mental health condition or illness because it could be inaccurate due to the online nature of counseling sessions. Hence, service providers are not allowed to diagnose the mental health condition of clients due to this very reason.

Difficult Making A Diagnosis Online

Not only does Betterhelp prohibit diagnosing clients through this platform but also providing advice or guidelines on drug usage. This is because Betterhelp realizes that it is difficult to collect sufficient information online to always make a correct and accurate diagnosis. Online you may not be able to see the client properly or even hear them especially if they opt for chat sessions. 

Use Of Medication May Begin

If you have told your clients that they are suffering from a certain disorder it is natural that they will go off looking for a medicine that will do the job. It is only natural to want to treat yourself. This is dangerous especially for those clients who live in countries where there is no concept of a doctor’s prescription and medicines are easily available.

All Service Providers Cannot Prescribe Medicine

This is an important point and it highlights the differences between the qualifications of different service providers on Betterhelp. For example, marriage and family counselors are not qualified to diagnose you with a mental condition such as schizophrenia; a psychiatrist however can and so can a psychologist.

Betterhelp – A Platform To Connect

The online mental health service provider is actually a platform where many individuals can connect; the professionals who have the skills and clients who are in need of them in order to improve their mental health. Hence, the website also claims that these service providers are not the employees or their representatives but simply users of the platform. This is why in their terms and conditions the company clearly states this and says that they are not responsible for any harm to the client due to the counseling session.

Betterhelp’s aim is to connect people from all over the world and they believe that those who have the resources to help should be connected to those who need those resources or require assistance. This is why they have invested so much to build a robust system where people can interact in a safe and secure manner.

What Is Needed To Make A Diagnosis?

To make a correct diagnosis, there are many types of information required that can come from various sources such as:

• Mental & Emotional Assessments: Psychologists and other service providers often assess the emotional and mental health of their clients to determine if they have a certain disorder. For example, clients who are unable to draw lines properly may be suffering from a mental disease that has affected the brain.

• Physiological Check-ups: Mental health is a serious problem to the extent that it can affect the body. Stress in it’s extreme forms can lead to marks or rashes on the body. Hence, to make a proper diagnosis, clients might have to undergo a physical check up.

• Observation: Simple observation is usually the first way to see if the client is normal or not. How one conducts themself and how they speak can show many symptoms of a mental disorder if there is one. 

• Medical Tests: Mental health has its effects on the body and sometimes affects different chemicals within us. Hence, the client may have to have tests done to determine if they suffer from a certain condition.

Yes most online mental health platforms like Betterhelp and Talkspace do not offer diagnostic services but they have an array of other services that are pretty useful. 

Conclusion

This article looked at the reasons as to why Betterhelp does not diagnose your mental health condition. It not only explained these reasons but highlighted what types of information are required to make a proper diagnosis. The article also introduced Betterhelp and other services that it offers to the readers.

References