Mental health is a private matter and should continue to be

By Divija Bhasin

The last decade has changed the game when it comes to mental health, with many in society accepting that mental wellness is just as crucial as physical wellness. While conversations about mental illness have changed for the better, there is still some sort of stigma that makes confidentiality the very foundation of therapy.

The relationship between a person and their therapist is extremely personal on many levels. The healing process of any therapy session demands vulnerability, where people openly share their innermost thoughts, beliefs, fears, and concerns. Knowing that your therapy sessions are private and confidential helps build an open and trusting relationship between psychologist and client, so it is imperative that any information shared in these sessions is always kept private.

During the pandemic, when many mental health professionals moved their practice online, privacy became a bigger concern. While the online sessions ensured accessibility, psychologists became extremely cautious about using platforms that were not end-to-end encrypted. End-to-end encrypted private messaging apps offer a safe haven for those who choose to discuss their personal trauma, deepest insecurities with their mental health professional, or even loved ones. It created private and secure messaging platforms like WhatsApp a necessity in today’s digital world.

The number of people seeking professional help in India is increasing, but mental health problems and therapy are still viewed with skepticism and people who suffer from them are often judged by society. People seek therapy not only for mental illness but also for other reasons such as sexual abuse, divorce and other topics that are still considered taboo in India. Since all conversations in sessions now often take place on private messaging platforms and are restricted between therapist and client, the big question that comes to mind is: what happens in a situation where these conversations don’t happen? are protected with end? end to end encryption?

A violation of privacy could lead to discrimination in the life of the person seeking therapy. There have been thousands of cases where people have lost their jobs and have not had access to the same professional opportunities. Personally, mental disorders have often been used as grounds for divorce. This can potentially worsen the emotional suffering of these individuals and the people around them. What exists as a solution to your mental health problems may become what makes things worse if this confidentiality is violated. The idea that something like this could potentially happen at any time and to anyone can be stressful for clients who already find it difficult to seek therapy due to social stigma. Many clients choose to keep their therapy sessions and treatment for mental health issues a secret, even from their friends and family.

Enough time has been devoted to the benefits and limitations of encryption in public discourse and whether the request of governments around the world to build backdoors to access specific information to safeguard national security is warranted. The move, while well-intentioned, is likely to do more harm than good. There are many other long-term consequences of breaking encryption, such as identity theft, cyber hacking, and putting people’s personal data and information at risk, to name just a few.

As a mental health professional, my biggest concern is that a data privacy breach will deter people from seeking the help they need. It can also create space for third parties, including bad actors and hackers, to gain illegal access to this sensitive data, leading to unethical use of that data by third parties to sell products to people undergoing treatment and they will take advantage of your vulnerabilities without your consent. Knowing this would make anyone tired of online therapy. This can result in reduced access to good quality help, especially for people who live in areas where mental health professionals are not available for offline sessions.

Privacy is an institutional right and deeply connected to the psyche of an individual that allows him to establish healthy relationships with himself and with those around him. It is crucial to people’s psychological needs, as they recover from their trauma, heal and start anew, and privacy in one’s life, online or offline, is no longer an accessory but a necessity for all citizens for their comprehensive well-being.

In today’s ‘always connected’ digital world, the need to protect and safeguard privacy becomes even more crucial, which is where end-to-end encrypted platforms like WhatsApp have a critical role to play, ensuring that conversations remain secure. between you and your therapist. , and no one in between.

(The author is founder, consulting psychologist of The Friendly Couch. Opinions expressed are personal and do not reflect the official position or policy of FinancialExpress.com.)