Sunny Side Up: Can online therapy help with Malaysia’s mental health crisis?

The increase in need for mental health services during the past few months adds to the current lack of resources in Malaysia. Photo: 123rf.com

From the start of 2020, the world has been adjusting to new ways of living as we work to overcome the crisis of the Covid-19 pandemic. As scientists and medical professionals strive to understand the virus, industries have found themselves having to adapt and survive in this new environment, which has given rise to the curious paradox of crises paving the way for opportunities.

In the mental health field, counselling and psychotherapy in Malaysia has seen an increase in telepsychology, or online therapy. Psychological services closed their doors earlier this year, but millions of Malaysians were still in need of mental health support. During the movement control order (MCO) period, a study by Malaysian think tank The Centre released in April said half of its 1,084 respondents reported issues with their mental health. The study reported that 22% of respondents experienced severe or extremely severe anxiety, with women and people under the age of 35 saying they experienced high levels of negative emotions during the MCO period.