Remote mental health care provided from the UAE is helping to fill a shortfall in some nations to meet a growing demand for support to address anxiety and depression, experts said.
Children in need of mental health care have been receiving treatment via Zoom from psychiatrists in Dubai due to a lack of services in County Kerry, Ireland.
A report by Ireland's Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service found teams delivering vital care were only running at 50 per cent capacity due to missing staff in key areas.
It left the service reliant on telemedicine delivered from the UAE by private providers.
We have observed increasing rates of depression, anxiety, eating disorders, ADHD and suicidal thoughts and behaviours among children and teens
Dr Catherine Musa,
a clinical psychologist in Dubai
While parents in Ireland have called for a rebuilding of adolescent mental health services, professionals in the UAE said Zoom calls to adult patients had become normal since the pandemic.
Marie Byrne, a professional mental health counsellor from Ireland who lives in Dubai, holds regular Zoom consultations with patients around the world.
“Zoom solved a great deal of crises during the pandemic as there was no other option for counselling at that time, so it was very effective,” she said.
“It is ideal for ongoing counselling, rather than a tool for an immediate crisis intervention, such as a breakdown or suicidal thoughts.
“It has many advantages, such as offering support in the comfort of familiar surroundings at home.
“If a patient is upset, they can immediately process what has happened in somewhere they are comfortable, rather than a clinic. They don’t have to drive or travel anywhere either.”
International services
Ms Byrne specialises in person-centred counselling and has clients in Italy, Australia, the UK and America, as well as across the UAE.
Despite the convenience of remote sessions, a meeting face-to-face helps establish trust, she said.
“Zoom and remote counselling is a good way to continue care,” she said.
“If someone moves to another country, there is already that physical foundation of meeting someone who you can continue to see in online sessions, which is hugely comforting.
“It can be an effective way to deliver support in areas where services may be under resourced.”
A review of global studies assessing the impact of Covid-19 on child and adolescent mental health found reduced physical activity, fear, stress and increased screen time were related to the pandemic.
That manifested in a worldwide increase in anxiety and depression, alongside sleep and eating disorders.
Home isolation, restricted physical activities, limited social interaction and the financial recession made the situation worse for school-aged groups, according to a review of more than 750 scientific papers published in the HCA Healthcare Journal of Medicine.
Dr Catherine Musa, a clinical psychologist and psychotherapist at the Aspris Wellbeing Centre in Dubai, said demand for adolescent services had increased since Covid-19.
“We know multiple factors have contributed to this exacerbation of mental health and educational issues,” said Dr Musa.
“Social isolation had a major impact on mental health. Children and adolescents were not only experiencing feelings of loneliness but also missed out on opportunities to develop important social skills.
“Social isolation also lead to the increased use of social media and screen time in general which has persisted after the pandemic.
“It created opportunities for bullying and comparisons with peers that contribute to feelings of inadequacy and low self-worth.
“We have since observed increasing rates of depression, anxiety, eating disorders, ADHD and suicidal thoughts and behaviours among children and teens.”
Legacy of anxiety and depression
According to a recent study released by the US Centres for Disease Control, there has been a significant rise in challenging mental health cases in 2020-2021 compared to the past two decades.
In its latest 2023 State of Mental Health in America report, Mental Health America found about 21 per cent of adults reported a mental illness – about 50 million people.
It also reported 2.7 million adolescents experienced “major depression”, with 60 per cent stating they had not received any mental health treatment.
Success has been reported in delivering Cognitive Behavioural Therapy, a psycho-social intervention that aims to reduce symptoms of depression and anxiety, remotely via mobile devices.
A pilot study of a Sensa mobile app, which helps manage stress, anxiety and depression, gave comparable results to traditional CBT training, while allowing users to tailor their own experience.
The app sets daily tasks, makes weekly assessments and enables a mood journal to monitor progress.
Of the 381 people who took part, 92 per cent experienced depression, 87 per cent stress and 80 per cent anxiety. After using the application, there was a “statistically significant decrease” in all three conditions.
“Taking care of our mental health takes commitment and effort and is an ongoing practice and process,” said Dr Monisha Vasa, medical adviser at Sensa.
“It is also important to seek care with mental health professionals if you think you might be struggling with depression, anxiety, or just need more support.
“Life is often fast-paced and full of stressors. If we all had quick access to CTB at any time, simply through our phones, it would go a long way towards improving the mental health of millions of people in the US.”
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How does ToTok work?
The calling app is available to download on Google Play and Apple App Store
To successfully install ToTok, users are asked to enter their phone number and then create a nickname.
The app then gives users the option add their existing phone contacts, allowing them to immediately contact people also using the application by video or voice call or via message.
Users can also invite other contacts to download ToTok to allow them to make contact through the app.
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
LOS ANGELES GALAXY 2 MANCHESTER UNITED 5
Galaxy: Dos Santos (79', 88')
United: Rashford (2', 20'), Fellaini (26'), Mkhitaryan (67'), Martial (72')
Tips to avoid getting scammed
1) Beware of cheques presented late on Thursday
2) Visit an RTA centre to change registration only after receiving payment
3) Be aware of people asking to test drive the car alone
4) Try not to close the sale at night
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6) Call 901 if you see any suspicious behaviour
The biog
Simon Nadim has completed 7,000 dives.
The hardest dive in the UAE is the German U-boat 110m down off the Fujairah coast.
As a child, he loved the documentaries of Jacques Cousteau
He also led a team that discovered the long-lost portion of the Ines oil tanker.
If you are interested in diving, he runs the XR Hub Dive Centre in Fujairah
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Benefits of first-time home buyers' scheme
- Priority access to new homes from participating developers
- Discounts on sales price of off-plan units
- Flexible payment plans from developers
- Mortgages with better interest rates, faster approval times and reduced fees
- DLD registration fee can be paid through banks or credit cards at zero interest rates
Some of Darwish's last words
"They see their tomorrows slipping out of their reach. And though it seems to them that everything outside this reality is heaven, yet they do not want to go to that heaven. They stay, because they are afflicted with hope." - Mahmoud Darwish, to attendees of the Palestine Festival of Literature, 2008
His life in brief: Born in a village near Galilee, he lived in exile for most of his life and started writing poetry after high school. He was arrested several times by Israel for what were deemed to be inciteful poems. Most of his work focused on the love and yearning for his homeland, and he was regarded the Palestinian poet of resistance. Over the course of his life, he published more than 30 poetry collections and books of prose, with his work translated into more than 20 languages. Many of his poems were set to music by Arab composers, most significantly Marcel Khalife. Darwish died on August 9, 2008 after undergoing heart surgery in the United States. He was later buried in Ramallah where a shrine was erected in his honour.
Explainer: Tanween Design Programme
Non-profit arts studio Tashkeel launched this annual initiative with the intention of supporting budding designers in the UAE. This year, three talents were chosen from hundreds of applicants to be a part of the sixth creative development programme. These are architect Abdulla Al Mulla, interior designer Lana El Samman and graphic designer Yara Habib.
The trio have been guided by experts from the industry over the course of nine months, as they developed their own products that merge their unique styles with traditional elements of Emirati design. This includes laboratory sessions, experimental and collaborative practice, investigation of new business models and evaluation.
It is led by British contemporary design project specialist Helen Voce and mentor Kevin Badni, and offers participants access to experts from across the world, including the likes of UK designer Gareth Neal and multidisciplinary designer and entrepreneur, Sheikh Salem Al Qassimi.
The final pieces are being revealed in a worldwide limited-edition release on the first day of Downtown Designs at Dubai Design Week 2019. Tashkeel will be at stand E31 at the exhibition.
Lisa Ball-Lechgar, deputy director of Tashkeel, said: “The diversity and calibre of the applicants this year … is reflective of the dynamic change that the UAE art and design industry is witnessing, with young creators resolute in making their bold design ideas a reality.”
ESSENTIALS
The flights
Emirates, Etihad and Swiss fly direct from the UAE to Zurich from Dh2,855 return, including taxes.
The chalet
Chalet N is currently open in winter only, between now and April 21. During the ski season, starting on December 11, a week’s rental costs from €210,000 (Dh898,431) per week for the whole property, which has 22 beds in total, across six suites, three double rooms and a children’s suite. The price includes all scheduled meals, a week’s ski pass, Wi-Fi, parking, transfers between Munich, Innsbruck or Zurich airports and one 50-minute massage per person. Private ski lessons cost from €360 (Dh1,541) per day. Halal food is available on request.
The National in Davos
We are bringing you the inside story from the World Economic Forum's Annual Meeting in Davos, a gathering of hundreds of world leaders, top executives and billionaires.
My Country: A Syrian Memoir
Kassem Eid, Bloomsbury
