The Value of Psychological Help
Psychologists are highly trained mental health professionals...
- A psychologist holds a doctoral degree in psychology and spends, on average, 11 years in education and training before he or she is allowed to practice.
- Psychologists are one of only two professions that can legally diagnose a mental disorder.
- Unlike other regulated health-care providers, such as psychiatrists or physicians, psychologists are not covered under OHIP.
...who provide quality care...
- In a classic study conducted by Consumer Reports, 9 out of 10 people surveyed said that therapy had helped them.
- Another major study showed that 50% of people who received therapy had noticeably improved after only eight sessions, with 75% showing improvement by 6 months.
...that is cost effective.
- Health economic studies have demonstrated that for every dollar spent on psychological services, 5 dollars are saved through reduced medical costs and increased productivity at work.
- Reviews have shown that providing psychological services to psychiatric patients with severe mental disorders results in overall costs savings through decreased days spent in hospital and decreased work impairment.
- When left untreated, psychological problems are costly to the individual and society:
- Fifty to 70 percent of usual visits to family physicians are for medical complaints that stem from psychological factors
- Anxiety and depression are among the six most common conditions seen in family practice
- A three-year study of a large corporation showed that 60 percent of employee absences were due to psychological problems