Online psychiatrists can help people manage mental health conditions that may require medication. Read through our best online psychiatry picks for a place to start your search.
Telemedicine is a safe and convenient way to seek mental health services in an increasingly virtual world. If you’re considering seeing a psychiatrist but prefer to hold sessions remotely, online psychiatry may be an ideal arrangement.
Take a look at some of our picks of online psychiatrist services.
Call 988 for mental health emergencies
Online psychiatry is not a substitute for emergency services. In the event of a mental health emergency — if you’re thinking about harming yourself or someone else — call the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline at 988.
*Some names have been changed at the request of testers.
• $129 for follow-ups
• up to $159 for follow-ups
• $85 for follow-ups
Healthline’s criteria
Healthline editors considered many factors when choosing the best online psychiatrist platforms, including quality, ease of use, industry standards and regulations, privacy, user ratings, and whether any legal action has been taken against the brand.
Each service on this list has a network of board certified psychiatrists who offer telehealth appointments, so you can get a diagnosis and arrange prescriptions without setting foot in a doctor’s office.
After our list of key features, each platform goes through our rigorous vetting process, which is overseen by a team of mental health experts. This process uses specific criteria to ensure we’re making the best recommendations. These criteria were also used to create our mental health scoring system.
Know that you may not meet with a licensed psychiatrist when using one of these services. Nurse practitioners and physician assistants can also prescribe medications for mental health conditions, so you may meet with one of those professionals instead.
Our Medical Standards and Insights team has carefully researched and vetted over 11,000 products and services. We evaluate services for consistency with standards of care and best practices, and we look into each brand’s reputation before sharing products and services on Healthline.
To choose the online therapy platforms on this page, we considered all the platforms that passed our vetting process. Then, we personally tested some of them to narrow down our list even further.
Online psychiatry usually involves scheduling an appointment with a psychiatrist and meeting with them virtually via a desktop computer, laptop, or mobile device with a secure internet connection. This process typically involves answering a questionnaire before you choose a time that works for you and your psychiatrist.
Before being evaluated for medications, you’ll discuss your mental health history and any other medical history with your psychiatrist. Based on their assessment and your questionnaire answers, they’ll determine the right course with you.
One of the most important things to keep in mind is this: Check in with your psychiatrist every 4 weeks, or as recommended, to track your progress and symptoms with medication. Monitoring your symptoms ensures you’re receiving the right dosage and care, especially if you’re trying new medication or tapering off a medication.
An online psychiatrist can:
- ask questions and answer your questions
- send links to online assessments
- send or receive private medical information
- send prescriptions for medications directly to a pharmacy you choose
- communicate with you through messaging features
- view data from devices like smartwatches or other sensor technologies
Though online psychiatry can be convenient, there could be
When considering seeking the help of a psychiatrist, you might first want to consider why you’re looking for help. Some psychiatrists may provide general care, but some specialize in certain conditions, such as ADHD, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, and substance use disorders.
Your primary care doctor or your therapist may offer you suggestions for choosing a psychiatrist or even refer you to one in your area. If you’re looking for online services or a telehealth provider, the list above can be a good starting point.
Other factors to consider when picking the best online psychiatrist for you include insurance coverage, overall cost, and types of professionals.
If you don’t already have a therapist and you want to find one, this may be an important factor to consider. Therapists can work with psychiatrists to help create a plan of action for you.
Commitment level is also something to keep in mind. Certain online psychiatry platforms may require or offer a subscription. You may want to decide what level of commitment you’re looking for before signing up for anything. For example, are you already taking medications and looking to manage them, or are you interested in learning about your options?
What’s the difference between a psychiatrist and psychologist?
Either mental health professional can offer guidance in terms of exploring any symptoms you’ve noticed, and they can help you take the necessary steps toward finding relief or treatment. Here are some key differences between the two:
Psychologists or therapists
They can help cope with challenges and mental health conditions through talk therapy and offer support while you make behavioral changes.
Psychiatrists
They can prescribe medications and other treatments to manage more complex mental health symptoms.
Many people put off meeting with a psychiatrist out of fear or nervousness. If you’re not sure whether you should sign up for online psychiatry, consider your health history and any sudden changes in the way you feel physically and mentally.
“Individuals that are experiencing changes in their mood, sleep, and appetite, or have thoughts of harming themselves or other people, should consider seeing a psychiatrist,” explained Tamir S. Aldad, MD, psychiatrist and CEO of Mindful Care.
“If the patient feels that their symptoms are mild, starting with a therapist might be appropriate. Combining talk therapy with treatment involving medication
If you’re working with a therapist already, you can ask them for guidance on how to make a decision about taking medication to manage your symptoms.
Scheduling an online psychiatry appointment can also be a good fit if you need a psychiatric diagnosis, prescription medication, or a second opinion.
It’s important to listen to yourself and understand that some events may require professional guidance to help you work through feelings or events in a healthy way.
Check with your insurance provider to see whether your plan covers any online psychiatry services, either partially or in full. Also, ask your insurance provider about any copays or deductibles that could affect your portion of the cost.
If your health insurance plan does not cover psychiatry services or you can’t find an online platform in your network, online psychiatry platforms generally accept direct payment. They usually accept all the major debit and credit cards.
Alternatively, you may be able to receive reimbursement from your health savings account (HSA) or flexible spending account (FSA) or set up a payment plan to pay over time.
While sliding-scale payment options are more common among online therapy platforms, online psychiatry platforms may offer financial aid. It could vary based on individual providers or platform, but you can check with your psychiatrist to see whether they can offer any alternative payment methods.
A psychiatrist may prescribe medication, therapy, or both upon making a diagnosis.
However, on some service platforms, online psychiatrists may not be able to prescribe certain medications, such as stimulants and controlled substances. These categories include some drugs used to treat ADHD and panic attacks.
Traditionally, there have been limits to the types of medication that online medical professionals — including psychiatrists — can prescribe.
Some medications, such as controlled substances, typically require an in-person visit. But the COVID-19 pandemic prompted the Drug Enforcement Administration to loosen some of these rules.
Now, medical professionals can prescribe controlled substances without an in-person visit. But this may change in the future.
Medications an online psychiatrist may prescribe include:
Many people see a psychiatrist because they can prescribe medications. However, psychiatrists don’t always offer therapy services, so people might wish to see a therapist as well.
Psychiatrists undergo psychotherapy training during their schooling, but they may not offer counseling services. Your psychiatrist can do therapy but may choose not to, encouraging collaboration between your therapist and psychiatrist.
A few professions fall under the umbrella of mental health professionals. While the terms “psychiatrist,” “psychologist,” and “therapist” are often used interchangeably, they are not the same.
The requirements to practice therapy can vary based on location, but mental health professionals usually hold credentials and licenses that indicate their level of training and expertise in mental health.
Those credentials, including any degrees obtained through higher education, dictate whether someone is a licensed and accredited therapist, psychiatrist, or psychologist — or even a combination of those.
Yes, you can see a psychiatrist with or without a referral. If you don’t have a referral, you can find a psychiatrist through your insurance network. Or, you can try to find someone who specializes in your mental health condition(s) or symptoms.
Yes. If you’re seeing a psychiatrist virtually, they’re still able to diagnose mental health conditions.
Psychiatrists can make medication recommendations and provide prescriptions for certain medications online. But some telehealth networks will not prescribe medications like stimulants or controlled substances.
While online psychiatry isn’t the best fit for everyone, it’s a convenient and accessible option for many to seek treatment on their own time and in their own home.
If you’re looking for mental health services that offer a little more than talk therapy, psychiatry can also provide medication management remotely and discreetly.