Everything from movies to ordainments has become available on the internet, and it only makes sense that mental health care is now moving in the same direction.

According to a recent report in The Wall Street Journal, organizations including the Steve Fund and 7 Cups are working to set up online alternatives to traditional mental health treatment. These websites would make support more accessible to people who wouldn’t normally seek help, which is increasingly important for young minorities on and off college campuses.

Due to the stigma associated with mental illnesses, many people are sometimes unwilling to seek out support. This is particularly true among social minorities, who must often navigate prejudice and difficult economic circumstances in their communities in their search for treatment. Although the Steve Fund’s initiative will cater to young minorities unable to find support elsewhere, it is not enough. College campuses should follow suit by offering online mental health alternatives to accommodate a generation that thrives on technology over tradition.

In the past, face-to-face counseling may have been the only option for young people suffering from mental health problems. Now, however, the internet provides the opportunity for more effective support. Millennials grew up using the internet and social media to communicate, and, due to this, they may feel more comfortable using it to discuss their problems. Free, anonymous online platforms also afford young users the privacy and access they need to improve their mental health.

Online counseling should have the ability to work, considering young people already use the internet to express their mental health frustrations. Semi-anonymous websites, including Tumblr, are home to thousands of posts about depression, anxiety and other mental health disorders.

The internet is also an important resource for LGBTQ youth. In addition to support found on traditional social media, many programs are in place already to help connect young LGBTQ people with local resources and online support.

Jennifer Grygiel, a social media professor in the S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications, said such programs would ideally supplement real-life support. She herself set up an organization called No Gay Left Behind, which connects LGBTQ youth with other local LGBTQ community members and allies. She also acknowledged the success of campaigns by organizations like the Samaritans, an online suicide prevention service.

As indicated by Grygiel, real-life support is ideal. However, online alternatives can effectively reach young people when professionals in the real world cannot.

The accessibility of online counseling provides an advantage for millennials. According to 2014 Gallup statistics, as many as 17 percent of young adults aged 18 to 25 are uninsured. These uninsured individuals may be less likely to pursue mental health care, which varies in cost according to quality of service and the area in which they reside. Even with insurance, many services require a small copayment. A cost-free online resource provided by respective colleges would be much more accessible for young people who are struggling financially.

College is a time of great change, and students often have trouble coping. The stress of maintaining a strong GPA, an active social life and the myriad responsibilities of adulthood can be difficult to adjust to. And while most colleges offer some sort of counseling and some people may prefer the personal touch of a doctor, on campuses at least, online support may be a more feasible option for a connected world.

Hopefully, soon, people will be able to simply log in to find the support they need.

Tayler Knapp is an undeclared freshman in the S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications. Her column appears weekly. She can be reached at tmknapp@syr.edu.

Published on January 20, 2016 at 12:09 am