Qatar - Public encouraged to seek help from mental health helpline
Date
1/12/2022 4:10:33 AM
(MENAFN- The Peninsula) The Peninsula
Doha: The Ministry of Public (MoPH) has emphasised on prioritising the importance of people's mental wellbeing during COVID 19 pandemic.
The protracted disruption to life due to COVID-19 could bring feelings of anger, depression, anxiety and even grief.
Therefore, the Ministry through several social media posts encouraged public to seek professional mental services by calling the helpline 16000, if needed.
The helpline is staffed by experienced mental health professionals who can provide assessment and support to callers through four main categories: children and young people (and parents), adults, older people, and frontline healthcare workers.
To access the helpline, which is available from 7am to 3pm Saturday to Thursday, members of the public can call the toll free number, 16000 and select option 4.
“While it is natural to experience heightened stress and anxiety during such times, the enormity of the COVID-19 situation and its lingering effects can be devastating. Anyone who feels they are struggling for a prolonged period can call the confidential helpline for advice. If they agree that more clinical intervention is needed, a separate consultation can be set up with a psychiatrist or psychotherapist.
“We also urge that people with pre-existing mental health conditions continue with their treatment plans and to call their doctor or the helpline if they experience any deterioration in their symptoms,” Dr Majid Al Abdulla, Chairman of Psychiatry at Hamad Medical Corporation said earlier.
The helpline is confidential and users can remain anonymous, avoiding the stigma often associated with mental health. The staff taking calls at the helpline speak a range of languages and every effort will be made to enable callers to communicate in their language of choice.
Staff will make an initial assessment of need, may offer brief support or refer for more specialist help when this is required. National Mental Health Helpline Service has logged more than 40,000 calls between April 2020 and November 2021.
MENAFN12012022000063011010ID1103525969
Legal Disclaimer:
MENAFN provides the information “as is” without warranty of any kind. We do not accept any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images, videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information contained in this article. If you have any complaints or copyright issues related to this article, kindly contact the provider above.