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QNA
Doha
THE Ministry of Public Health (MoPH), in collaboration with Hamad Medical Corporation (HMC), Primary Health Care Corporation (PHCC), Sidra Medicine and Naufar, has launched a mental health and well-being awareness campaign under the theme ‘Are you OK?’ aimed at encouraging people to talk more openly about their emotional well-being.
“In today’s busy world, it is easy to become overwhelmed with the pressures of daily life. Everyone experiences stress, anxiety and sadness at times throughout their lives and these feelings usually pass quickly. But for some people, these feelings persist and negatively impact their mental health and emotional well-being,” said Mahmoud Al Raisi, chair of the National Taskforce for Mental Health and Wellbeing and chief of the Continuing Care Group at HMC.
“But one of the main challenges for people who experience psychological distress is seeking help because of the stigma associated with it. This stigma often makes it difficult for people experiencing mental health symptoms to talk openly and to seek help. This is why we have launched a national campaign to raise awareness of mental health and well-being and to reduce the stigma. The campaign aims to encourage you to ask this simple question to people who you believe may be experiencing stress or anxiety,” Raisi said.
The campaign is being launched as countries around the globe have been holding activities to mark World Mental Health Day. In Qatar, many prominent landmarks were lit up in green on October 10 to highlight this important day. Green symbolises the continual awareness of mental health to help fight the stigma that is often associated with it.
Dr Samya Ahmad Al Abdulla, deputy national lead for Mental Health and Wellbeing and executive director of Operations at PHCC, said that this year has been a particularly challenging time for many people due to COVID-19.
“COVID-19 has changed our normal lives and has affected many people’s emotional as well as their physical health. So it is now more important than ever that people feel comfortable talking openly about feelings of stress, anxiety and sadness. By asking ‘Are you OK?’ and asking in the right way, you can help to start a conversation with someone who may be finding it difficult to speak openly about their struggles,” said Dr Abdulla.
Dr Majid Al Abdulla, chair of the Mental Health Service at HMC, said that experiencing stress, anxiety and sadness is common and not something that we should be ashamed of. “It is important that people are aware that many of us will experience these feelings at some point in our lives. We need to all play our part in creating an environment where mental health is talked about as openly as physical health. Simply talking about your feelings can help to relieve the pressure and begin the road to recovery. So, throughout October, let’s all make an extra effort to look out for people who may be struggling with emotional distress, and ask them ‘Are you OK?’”
Iain Tulley, national lead for Mental Health and Well-being and CEO of the Mental Health Service at HMC said the campaign was a
prime example of collaboration across the healthcare system. “We have a comprehensive range of mental health services delivered across the healthcare system in Qatar and I am delighted that this campaign has brought together the main healthcare providers to raise public awareness,” said
Tulley.
Doha
THE Ministry of Public Health (MoPH), in collaboration with Hamad Medical Corporation (HMC), Primary Health Care Corporation (PHCC), Sidra Medicine and Naufar, has launched a mental health and well-being awareness campaign under the theme ‘Are you OK?’ aimed at encouraging people to talk more openly about their emotional well-being.
“In today’s busy world, it is easy to become overwhelmed with the pressures of daily life. Everyone experiences stress, anxiety and sadness at times throughout their lives and these feelings usually pass quickly. But for some people, these feelings persist and negatively impact their mental health and emotional well-being,” said Mahmoud Al Raisi, chair of the National Taskforce for Mental Health and Wellbeing and chief of the Continuing Care Group at HMC.
“But one of the main challenges for people who experience psychological distress is seeking help because of the stigma associated with it. This stigma often makes it difficult for people experiencing mental health symptoms to talk openly and to seek help. This is why we have launched a national campaign to raise awareness of mental health and well-being and to reduce the stigma. The campaign aims to encourage you to ask this simple question to people who you believe may be experiencing stress or anxiety,” Raisi said.
The campaign is being launched as countries around the globe have been holding activities to mark World Mental Health Day. In Qatar, many prominent landmarks were lit up in green on October 10 to highlight this important day. Green symbolises the continual awareness of mental health to help fight the stigma that is often associated with it.
Dr Samya Ahmad Al Abdulla, deputy national lead for Mental Health and Wellbeing and executive director of Operations at PHCC, said that this year has been a particularly challenging time for many people due to COVID-19.
“COVID-19 has changed our normal lives and has affected many people’s emotional as well as their physical health. So it is now more important than ever that people feel comfortable talking openly about feelings of stress, anxiety and sadness. By asking ‘Are you OK?’ and asking in the right way, you can help to start a conversation with someone who may be finding it difficult to speak openly about their struggles,” said Dr Abdulla.
Dr Majid Al Abdulla, chair of the Mental Health Service at HMC, said that experiencing stress, anxiety and sadness is common and not something that we should be ashamed of. “It is important that people are aware that many of us will experience these feelings at some point in our lives. We need to all play our part in creating an environment where mental health is talked about as openly as physical health. Simply talking about your feelings can help to relieve the pressure and begin the road to recovery. So, throughout October, let’s all make an extra effort to look out for people who may be struggling with emotional distress, and ask them ‘Are you OK?’”
Iain Tulley, national lead for Mental Health and Well-being and CEO of the Mental Health Service at HMC said the campaign was a
prime example of collaboration across the healthcare system. “We have a comprehensive range of mental health services delivered across the healthcare system in Qatar and I am delighted that this campaign has brought together the main healthcare providers to raise public awareness,” said
Tulley.
