Sami Abdul Raouf (Dubai)
The Emirates Health Services Corporation announced that the virtual reality laboratory to enhance mental health will enter into service during the second half of this year, to bring about a qualitative development in the field of psychological care services for patients, in a way that contributes to building humanity and enhancing the quality of life, in line with the vision of “We are the Emirates.” 2031,” and the state’s orientations seeking to serve humanity as a first priority.
Dr. Ammar Al-Banna, Director of Al-Amal Hospital for Mental Health in Dubai, affiliated with the Foundation, said: “The virtual reality laboratory for mental health is the first of its kind in the Middle East, as it is the first institution in the Middle East to introduce this treatment, and it provides opportunities to evaluate and treat psychological disorders within an interactive environment.”
He added: “The doctor or psychotherapist can use this therapeutic laboratory to treat patients who face fears, such as autistic people who suffer from behavioral disorders, as the laboratory helps to create a virtual environment.”
He stressed that confronting fears is considered one of the most important things this laboratory treats, as it can be used to treat fears of heights, fear of animals, and facing the public. It also greatly helps those who have difficulties in adapting, such as those with autism spectrum disease.
He pointed out that the doctor can be familiar with everything he needs, whether checking blood pressure or heart rate, to reach results through which he measures the patient’s level of stress, and builds an integrated treatment plan on that.
He stated that the idea of the laboratory project emerged from the Emirates Health Services Foundation and Al Amal Hospital for Mental Health, within an academic mental health research system to promote mental health through the use of technology and scientific research.
He pointed out the Foundation’s keenness to enhance mental health among members of society and address the most prominent psychological problems they face, pointing out that the virtual reality laboratory for psychological treatment is considered one of the modern smart technical tools that the Foundation is working to implement.
He added that the successive changes and rapid technological developments have created many psychological challenges that must be faced with scientific methods and modern techniques, explaining that virtual reality psychotherapy technology will contribute to providing treatment for many psychological problems such as electronic addiction and others, which afflict many children, adolescents and youth, stressing that at the same time He stressed the importance of improving the quality of mental health in communities, to enhance their presence and effective participation in advancing sustainable growth.
Al-Banna said: “Virtual reality psychotherapy technology works to create an innovative and interactive therapeutic environment that contributes to the development of advanced and personalized treatment plans for a larger segment of society compared to old methods. This technology can develop treatments for the elderly, children, and those who have sensory and cognitive difficulties such as anxiety and electronic addiction.” .
He added: “This technology allows the development and improvement of therapeutic results by adopting virtual reality technology that is based on artificial environments to provide an experience simulating scenarios that can be used to treat psychological difficulties, which helps patients address their fears.”
He stated that this is done in addition to cognitive behavioral therapy using augmented reality to correct thoughts and behaviors. The technology also aims to train and educate people with autism spectrum disorders on social skills through interactive environments.
This technology is of great importance as it is based on creating a high-precision virtual environment, in addition to its ability to collect and integrate vital data during therapeutic sessions to measure the level of stress and social interaction in scientific and accurate ways.
Al-Banna stressed that this technology strengthens the position of the Emirates Health Services Corporation on the global map in the field of psychological innovation, stressing that providing mental health services poses a challenge to different countries of the world, so a technology was developed using the latest technological means.
He pointed out that there are many services provided by Al Amal Hospital for Mental Health in Dubai, by providing emergency services and providing a special section for people of determination for the elderly, and it is the only department at the state level and in the region that provides internal services if necessary, admitting the patient to the hospital or providing treatment, assistance and rehabilitation. In outpatient clinics.
2024-02-05 21:04:28
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