From the daily drudge to the ongoing pandemic, life can really take a toll on anyone, physically, emotionally, and mentally, and that has been no different in Saudi Arabia, a country that has been at the forefront of curbing the spread of the novel coronavirus regionally and beyond.
Happy #MentalHealthAwarenessMonth!https://t.co/Xlyndf8IDG
— About Her (@AboutHerOFCL) May 18, 2021
As May is Mental Health Awareness Month, 31 days dedicated to highlighting the importance of mental health when it comes to overall wellbeing, we want to stimulate positive conversations around mental health and highlight the resources, experts, and tools available in Saudi Arabia, starting with these three mental health services:
1. The Department of Mental Health (DMH) in Riyadh
The DMH is located in King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Centre and provides psychiatric and mental health support to admitted patients and referral patients from other hospitals, including transplant conditions. Its official website states that the department offers a team of psychiatrists, clinical psychologists, counselors, educators, and therapists, all working to provide treatment and evaluation for general psychiatry, psychiatry mood disorder, and psychiatric obsessive-compulsive disorder to children, adolescents, and adults. More info here.
2. The Psychiatry Department at International Medical Center (IMC) in Jeddah
As described on IMC’s website, its psychiatry department has a multidisciplinary team that works collectively to deliver “compassionate and evidence-based evaluation and treatment to suit all needs including marital consultation, stress management, eating disorders, and depression.” Amongst its list of services are psychopharmacology services, psychological services, and psychometric assessments. More info here.
3. National Center for Mental Health Promotion (NCMH)
From the beginning of the pandemic, the NCMH has been working around the clock to provide people in Saudi Arabia with mental health services, introducing an app called "Qareeboon" (Arabic for 'close to you'), as well as a call center, which facilitated a total of 20,130 visits to psychologists and therapists in just three months.
On #WorldMentalHealthDay, we thank the National Center for Mental Health Promotion in #KSA for their tireless work in helping people feel and cope better during the pandemic.
— About Her (@AboutHerOFCL) October 10, 2020
This top-notch facility is open six days a week from 8 AM to 4 PM to people from anywhere in the Kingdom seeking counselling, and can be contacted through its toll-free number 920033360.
