Effectiveness of Internet Based Psychotherapeutic Intervention in Common Psychiatric Disorders

Abstract

The rationale of the article is to describe the use of the Internet for psychological treatment in a clinical setting. Internet-based psychotherapy as a therapeutic tool, that offers an anonymous way for people to search for information and participate in treatment. Research studies on web-based psychotherapy for the major depressive disorder, anxiety disorders and other psychological conditions has grown swiftly in the last decades. Findings revealed that some forms of Internet-based treatments often lead to results similar to those of traditional face to face psychotherapy. The advantages of Internet-based interventions are high-cost effectiveness, greater access to evidence-based treatment, and greater access to patients in remote locations. The deterioration of symptoms, the emergence of new psychological symptoms, a high rate of abandonment and the frustration caused by technical problems are some of the negative effects of Internet interventions. In conclusion, there is now ample evidence that Internet based-interventions work for common mental disorders such as depression, anxiety disorder, alcohol consumption, smoking cessation, eating disorders, headaches and insomnia. Research on interventions on the Internet is advancing at high speed, while the proliferation and prolonged implementation of interventions on the Internet in regular assistance is still in its infancy.