What Is Chat Therapy And How Can You Benefit From It?

There are all kinds of ways that you can cope with issues that you are having. Some people dive into hobbies or rely on their friends and family for support when they feel stressed out or depressed. For others, though, chat assistance or chat therapy has emerged as an option. Let us take a moment to discuss what chat assistance and chat therapy are so that you can get some idea as to whether either might be for you.

Chat assistance vs. chat therapy: Understanding the basics

The essence of chat assistance is that you go online, or there are phone apps in some cases, and you talk to people about what is troubling you. In that respect, it is much like traditional talk therapy. The main difference, though, is that, when you're dealing with talk therapy, you contact a qualified mental health professional who you know has received training in their field.

That is not necessarily the case with chat assistance. In fact, in many cases, if you go to one of these websites or apps, they'll go out of their way to state that the person with whom you are speaking may have little or no recognized training.

Why do some people find chat assistance appealing?

Why would you want to speak to someone who is not a mental health professional about your problems? There are a couple of different answers to that question. The first is that in many cases, chat assistance is free. You sign up for a site, and often it costs you nothing. This could be helpful if don't have health insurance or you are unemployed or underemployed.

With chat assistance, you don't have to go through any screening or a research process, as you would with a therapist. If you make up your mind to engage in chat assistance, you can be online and talk to someone within moments.

There's also the notion that you might have problems or issues, but you might not necessarily think that they are severe enough for you to seek a licensed therapist. You might be feeling exasperated because of a family or a friend's actions, for instance, and you want to vent about it to someone who will listen. Your aim might not be a comprehensive analysis of what is taking place in these situations, as you would get with a therapist. Instead, chat assistance can offer a listening ear, emotional support, and they can connect you with further resources if needed.

In some cases, people find chat assistance appealing because of stigma, discomfort, or embarrassment discussing mental health concerns. With a chat assistant, people may have less fear of judgement than with in-person or remote therapy.

Who is most likely to benefit from chat assistance?

Those who get involved with chat assistance may be interested in chatting with regular people about their problems rather than professionals. Others may need someone to talk with right away and chat assistance can provide that immediate outlet. Chat assistance is not the resource you should use if you're trying to get a mental illness diagnosed or you're feeling suicidal. 

Who do you speak to during chat assistance?

The reality of chat assistance is that even as anyone can log on and use it, virtually anyone can sign up to be a listener. Because of that, when you use chat assistance, you do not know who will be on the other end of the conversation. You may not know if they have received any training, their education level, their age, background, or anything else about them. 

Because of this, you might get great or terrible feedback. The person with whom you are conversing might turn out to be extremely insightful and give you some fantastic advice about your problems, or they could suggest something outlandish. If chat assistance is something you'd want to engage in, you should keep this in mind. Much like a blind date, you never know quite what to expect. 

What to expect during a session

When you use chat assistance, the individual with whom you are speaking will likely try and get you to open up. 

If what you are talking about with them does not seem life-threatening, then you should get some earnest advice, though whether you'll choose to use it or not is entirely up to you. If you start to get into some territory where you're talking about harming yourself or others, though, then the person with whom you are chatting is almost certainly going to try and get you to talk to someone who is more qualified. You're meant to keep things moderately light in these therapy sessions. For more serious issues, it may be more appropriate and beneficial for you to go through more reputable channels for help.

The dangers of chat assistance and safety

There are some potential dangers and drawbacks of chat assistance. As stated previously, chat assistance is not the same thing as speaking with a therapist or other mental health professional. Keep in mind that the individual on the other end of the phone may have some basic training, but many of them are volunteers. Before using a chat assistance service, be sure to check their website for information on the level of help that they are able to provide.

Additionally, while most chat assistance sites instruct their employees and volunteers to be fair, impartial, and polite, just as with therapy you could get someone who isn’t really a great match or listener. Be mindful of this when calling a chat assistance line; if you would like to talk with someone else, let them know. Don’t share sensitive information such as your address.

Where chat assistance fails

If you're thinking about whether to use chat assistance or a more traditional therapist, consider the seriousness of the issues that confront you. Let's say that you're experiencing persistent depression, for example. It's very likely that in that situation, a licensed therapist may be best as they can offer tools, knowledge, and guidance that are scientifically backed to help with depression. They can also refer you to a psychiatrist if medication is needed. Chat assistance cannot legally provide mental health treatment, diagnoses, or medication.

Couples' therapy

If you're having problems with a spouse or significant other, then chances are you're going to want to use a traditional therapist as well. Someone via chat assistance can indeed give you advice or feedback about a problematic relationship situation that you are experiencing. However, keep in mind that relationship therapists have received extensive schooling and training, and are certified for working with relationship issues.

Regain offers convenient and affordable online couples and  marriage therapy that can be utilized from your home or anywhere you have an internet connection. You can choose your therapist, and switch at any time if you’re not a good fit for one another. 

Additionally, online therapy has been found to be overall just as effective for a variety of conditions and concerns as face-to-face therapy. The Journal of Marital and Family Therapy recently published a 2021 study exploring the feasibility and efficacy of internet-based psychotherapy for families and couples. The study found online therapy to be a successful and safe mode of therapy for a multitude of demographics with a variety of conditions and concerns.