Conversations around mental health have increasingly gained traction in the UAE, and the key to fully unlock the potential these talks in breaking the stigma is trust, a Dubai-based mental health leader said.
Chris Haill, founder and chief executive officer of Mindforce, a joint venture between Dubai Police and consultant Omnia, said championing mental wellbeing often boils down to promoting open communication between people.
“The difficulty is talking about it,” he said, explaining how trust is important to encourage more people to speak out and talk about their emotions. Haill was speaking at a session on the second day of the Arabian Business UAE Forum in Dubai.
Fortunately, Haill said companies in the UAE are already starting to recognise the role they play in people’s mental wellbeing.
“Before there was nowhere to go or talk to, but companies are making efforts to make it okay for people to speak out at any stage,” he said, amid recent UAE studies about how employees in the country are more likely dealing with stress.
A recent survey showed 68 percent of employees have reported increased levels of stress at work over the past 12 months – with more people feeling more fatigue and burnout.
The Mindforce founder said although such reports show concerning figures, they represent a positive development in the way mental health is viewed by people in the country. “At least we know there are more people we can help rather than being quiet,” Haill said.
“It’s going to take time to break down the stigma. It is still difficult for certain people to come forward,” he said, emphasising individual people’s role. “As individuals we have a lot to play into that – we have to start asking other people what they’re feeling,” he added.
Creating a community that is built on trust is crucial to further destigmatised mental health, the mental health leader said, and leaders will play a huge role in this regard.
Haill said “mental health champions” within companies are important to push the agenda further, adding how technology can also help, referring to digital products including mental health chatbots.
Follow us on
