In order to combat the spread of COVID-19, we as a society have been forced to make quite a few changes to our daily lives. Unfortunately, many of these changes have made the struggles of those suffering from mental health conditions all the more difficult.
The COVID-19 pandemic has been devastating in far more ways than one. While the millions of lives lost due to the virus are by far its biggest toll, the toll that it has taken on people’s mental health has certainly not been inconsequential. In this article, we’ll explore what physicians need to know about the importance of mental health in a pandemic and how Bikham Healthcare is partnering with therapists and mental health professionals across the country to ensure those struggling with mental health issues are able to receive the help that they need.
COVID’s Impact on Mental Health
The COVID-19 pandemic has impacted mental health across the globe in several different ways. The first and most obvious way in which the pandemic has made life more difficult for those with mental health problems is the isolation that it has created. Human beings are social creatures, and we are not designed to be alone for extended periods of time. In fact, studies have shown that prisoners who are placed in solitary confinement exhibit a wide range of negative health consequences, including anxiety, depression, suicidal thoughts, psychosis, and even physical symptoms such as vision loss and chronic pain. During the early days of the pandemic, people across the world were forced to isolate themselves from their friends and loved ones, leading to many of the same consequences created by solitary confinement.

Another way in which the pandemic has negatively impacted mental health is the stress and fear that it has created. From the fear of contracting the virus and potentially becoming one of its millions of victims to the stress created by the various economic burdens that the pandemic has given rise to, almost everyone has been forced to endure higher levels of stress and fear for the past couple of years.
In addition to creating these new stressors, the COVID-19 pandemic has also made it more difficult for people to receive therapy and counseling for their mental health issues given the fact that face-to-face meetings between therapists and patients have largely been put on pause. For all of these reasons, mental health experts have declared that we are currently undergoing a mental health crisis in the United States.
How Telehealth Services Help Promote Mental Health During a Pandemic
No longer able to meet with their therapists face-to-face, many patients and physicians have turned to telehealth as a promising solution. Through telehealth services, those struggling with mental health issues are still able to receive therapy and other medical services without having to expose themselves to potentially contracting the virus.
Throughout the pandemic, telehealth services have been a saving grace for those with mental health issues as well as those with other medical issues – and at Bikham Healthcare, we are proud to empower the physicians and therapists who offer these telehealth services.
At Bikham Healthcare, we offer revenue cycle management, credentialing services, and provider enrollment services that are specifically geared toward physicians who provide telehealth services. By partnering with physicians across the country, we at Bikham Healthcare are at the spear’s tip in the fight to make telehealth more accessible to patients and physicians alike.If you would like to learn more about how Bikham Healthcare can empower your clinic to provide high-quality telehealth services to those in need of professional help during these challenging times, be sure to contact us today. A friendly and knowledgeable representative will be happy to answer any questions and explain more about the benefits of partnering with Bikham Healthcare in our mission to make mental health services more accessible.