Lamia Al Harmoudi (Sharjah)
The UAE attaches great importance to promoting and supporting the mental health of citizens and residents, and considers it a priority and an important and fundamental aspect, as it invests in it in a sustainable manner, especially in light of the Covid-19 pandemic, to build a cohesive society, built on strong and coherent psychological and health foundations, that maintains it a leading position in the world In the future, where doctors confirm that mental illness is mental and has a significant impact on a person’s ability to work, produce, and deal with life circumstances. The most common mental illness is depression and psychological anxiety, which usually affects women more than men, as one woman out of every 10 women in the world suffers from depression at some stage of her life.
Dr. Hussain Abdul Rahman Al Rand, Assistant Undersecretary for the Public Health Sector at the Ministry of Health and Prevention, said: “Promoting good mental health is a major focus of government work in the country, and is a major component of strategic and operational frameworks aimed at promoting the health well-being of the UAE community. As good mental health is the first aspect of the health axis in the National Strategy for Quality of Life 2031, and prevention, treatment and promotion of mental health and quality of life are included in the 2030 sustainable development goals for the country.
measures
Al Rand stressed that the Ministry and partners from the health and social sector have adopted the best measures to improve the mental health of the UAE community during the Covid-19 pandemic, through a package of promotional, preventive and service initiatives to enhance mental health. The Ministry was keen to join efforts to facilitate access to mental health services and to ensure their continuity and quality. Digital solutions in the field of mental health and telemedicine services have also contributed to providing consultations, psychological support and psychiatric services to all members of society, to alleviate the negative psychological effects resulting from the pandemic, such as anxiety and stress.
He pointed out that the National Mental Health Policy has developed a holistic approach to ensure the best levels of mental health in the UAE community, through multi-sector and multi-level partnerships and ambitious strategic goals. The policy’s executive plan is periodically updated by including a wide range of effective and innovative promotional, preventive and curative initiatives aimed at developing, strengthening and expanding the scope of comprehensive and integrated mental health services responsive to the needs of all segments of society, and preventing all age groups from various mental disorders, in addition to raising capacities and conducting Mental health research.
He said: During the committee’s first meeting, in the presence of members from ministries, agencies, departments, health and social and supportive institutions, the main focus was on the need for concerted efforts between partners to stimulate and accelerate mental health initiatives and to create environments that support good mental health. In addition to adopting proactive initiatives to spread a culture of good mental health and awareness of the basic concepts of mental health in the community, and reduce the stigma related to mental disorders by raising community awareness of the role of mental health and its impact on community well-being and quality of life.
comprehensive strategy
For her part, Dr. Noor Al Muhairi, Director of Mental Health Department at the Emirates Foundation for Health Services, confirmed that the Foundation undertakes the provision of mental health services and implements a comprehensive and integrated strategy for mental health services with all its components and ensures its sustainability, in addition to setting the necessary programs to develop and advance them as global destinations for health tourism and investment.
She said: The Foundation provides community mental health services that reflect a comprehensive care approach through a multidisciplinary team that includes biological, psychological and social interventions and is based on evidence and relevant international best practices, in addition to providing integrated and comprehensive mental health services that are preventive, curative and rehabilitative for all segments of society. By facilitating access to psychological services by promoting innovative early detection and intervention programs, as well as creating effective partnerships with all stakeholders to achieve common community well-being goals, and building and developing the competencies of primary care workers to provide community mental health services through continuous training and supervision.
She added: “The services include visits for unstable chronic cases in order to keep them in stable health in their environment, ensure the patient’s commitment to taking treatment, reduce the rate of relapse, and help patients’ families in caring for psychiatric patients and reduce psychological pressure on them. In 2021, the number of home visits reached more than 900. The Foundation also provides emergency intervention service and psychological support during crises in public hospitals providing mental health and Al-Amal Hospital for Mental Health 24/7, in Dubai and the Northern Emirates. The number of interventions by mobile intervention teams during crises in 2021 reached more than 100 interventions. Through the Day Care Service Center, the Foundation provides psychological, social and professional rehabilitation programs for chronic cases of inpatients and outpatients at Al-Amal Mental Health Hospital. The number of beneficiaries of the day care centers in 2021 reached more than 140, while the number of treatment sessions for rehabilitation reached about 900 sessions in the same year.”
And she continued: “The Speak to Let You Hear initiative, which is offered by the Foundation through the helpline for psychological counseling and psychological support for all the public, is one of the most important initiatives launched by the Foundation, where the service is provided by trained psychologists according to an approved policy that guarantees safety and quality, and the consultations are classified according to the degree of urgency. The number of psychological consultations on the hotline reached more than 4000 consultations, and the number of beneficiaries of the telemedicine service reached about 10 thousand beneficiaries. From 2020 to 2021, this also included virtual clinics for psychosocial rehabilitation programs for addictive disorders and virtual speech therapy sessions for children with developmental disorders.”
training programs
She stressed that specialized training programs in the fields of “primary mental health care for primary health care workers were launched, in coordination and cooperation with academic bodies and the WHO Regional Office for the Eastern Mediterranean, where 150 doctors and health care providers were trained, and mental health services were integrated in 39 centers.” in primary health care. In addition to activating 4 specialized community mental health centers, including: the Family Health Promotion Center in Sharjah, the Mairid Center in Ras Al Khaimah, the smart community mental health center at the Al Khazzan Center in Umm Al Quwain, and the smart community mental health center in the city center in Fujairah. Also, the network of community mental health clinics was launched for Al-Amal Hospital for Mental Health in primary care centers, and it is a joint service between Al-Amal Hospital for Mental Health and related primary care centers, where a specified number of family doctors participate in primary care and health workers in providing community mental care to patients. Psychiatrists are under the supervision and leadership of the doctor and the psychiatric team at Al-Amal Hospital. The number of psychiatric consultations and visits in outpatient clinics for the year 2021 reached 44,380 consultations.
relationship key
In turn, Dr. Hamid Al-Hajj, Professor and Consultant Psychiatrist at the University Hospital in Sharjah, stressed that what may be surprising to many is that mental health does not only take care of mental illnesses, but includes understanding feelings, thinking, communication, learning, respect and self-love, so mental health is a key For healthy relationships with ourselves and others for personal and emotional well-being and for effective contribution to society around us. One does not think that mental health is completely outside of human control, because scientific studies show our ability to develop and improve our mental and physical health by following an integrated health approach with the support and advice of specialists in this field.
He said, “The world is going through crises and hardships that it has not witnessed before, whether related to major economic and social crises or related to the Covid-19 pandemic, and the accompanying worrying effects.” With the help of God, the United Arab Emirates has been a global leader in taking preventive measures to eliminate as much as possible this harmful virus through a wonderful vaccine program. The great challenge for all of us remains how to get rid of the effects of the pandemic on our mental health and social safety. These challenges may lead to psychological distress, which affects our mental and physical health, which are closely related to each other. Everything that harms us psychologically can harm us physically, and increases heart disease, pressure, diabetes, and strokes. Many organic diseases are associated with psychological problems such as depression, anxiety, sleep disturbance, lack of appetite, poor concentration, memory and delusions, to name a few.
He continued, “It is not surprising that mental illnesses are very common, and they reach about one in four people around the world, and every day in my work I meet people who suffer from stress, anxiety and depression.” Some of them may feel that they are failures and that life has no meaning. Therefore, it is very necessary for institutions and schools to take care of the psychological health of employees and students and to provide health programs that include sports activities and workshops run by specialists to enhance psychological resilience. Physical activity, sports, and enjoying life are medicine for many Psychological and physical illnesses, as well as taking a good rest and sleep, practicing meditation and focusing technique are among the things necessary to achieve positive energy that is the source of happiness and self-realization.
Experiments
A number of community members who were infected with the Covid-19 virus, or who were in contact, or who lost a loved one because of the epidemic, said that they had an urgent need for sadness and isolation, which played a major role in affecting their physical and psychological health during that crisis, and she said (LM): “Last year I contracted Covid-19, and my health condition was delicate, as I suffer from a lung problem, and severe allergies, which led to my being confined to the hospital for a whole week. Those days were among the most days I spent In my life, it is difficult, as I am in complete stone, and I cannot physically communicate with my children and family, and despite the support I received from my family members, and continuous communications, staying alone was very difficult, and I think that after completing the period of stone, and entering a stage Hospitalization and convalescence have changed, and that some things are no longer the same as they were in the past, such as the issues of taste and smell, as well as my psychological nature, so I think that having virtual sessions to enhance psychological support will be one of the basic things that contribute to the recovery phase, and the good return after the epidemic.”
While Faisal Muhammad confirmed that he lost a person dear to him last year, and he is one of the close friends to his heart due to the epidemic, and his loss had a great impact on his psyche, and he is also concerned about the elderly in his family, and he explained: “We believe in God’s judgment and destiny, but feelings of Anxiety and tension may come to a person at any moment and in any situation, and he may not be able to control it, so promoting a culture of psychological support is important, and a human, cultural and health aspect should not be overlooked.
Tips
The World Health Organization has directed a number of tips and guidelines that can be practiced to avoid any negative psychological impact on the individual due to the pandemic, such as listening to the advice and recommendations of governments in the country, following reliable news channels, such as local and national television and radio channels, and reading the latest news issued by the World Health Organization. On social media, maintaining daily habits as much as possible, or acquiring new daily habits, getting used to waking up and going to bed at the same times daily, maintaining personal hygiene, eating healthy meals at regular times, exercising regularly, allocating time to work and time For rest, time for popular hobbies, and avoiding overuse of screen devices.
Treatment
Dr. Hind Al-Awadi, President and Founder of GNH Lifestyle, said: We specialize in the great interest in promoting mental health, which is one of the most important concerns of the state, as it is a major reason for maintaining a healthy and sound lifestyle. We are not talking here about psychological treatment, but rather it is a different field to maintain positive energy, and the ability to overcome crises and life conditions that raise the frequency of tension. Therefore, promoting mental health and raising the morale of the individual leads to reaching a positive health condition that contributes to the stability of society.
And she continued: “Investing in mental health is very important and should not be ignored by the individual or society, and it is considered an important aspect as the importance of physical health, and the flexibility of mental health must be strengthened, through specialists and holders of appropriate international licenses,” noting that the virtual sessions It facilitates access, communication and privacy for everyone who needs such sessions.
Initiatives
The UAE has allocated a national committee to improve the quality of healthy life in the country, developed an implementation plan for the national mental health policy, and approved a package of promotional, preventive and service initiatives to enhance mental health in the community, provide care services according to the best international standards, innovation and sustainability in supporting good mental health and combating psychological risks such as anxiety. stress and depression, and providing digital solutions in the field of mental health.
#Mental #health #morale