Covid-19: New UAE app offers users accessible mental health services

Two Abu Dhabi residents have developed an app to make mental health services accessible to UAE residents.

Viktorija Aksinova and Ahmed Al Mosa sought to make mental health more inclusive, launching the digital wellness and counselling application 'MindTales' – part of Abu Dhabi's Hub71 ecosystem.

Over the past three years of Covid-19 pandemic, the community's mental health has been put to the test, and the need for an accessible resource has been crucial. According to UN data released last month, nearly one billion people worldwide, including around one in seven teenagers, suffer from some form of mental disorder.

The app offers a variety of self-help tools to improve their mental wellbeing on the go, with the option of personalised counselling. Users can track their mood, manage negative thoughts and see their own progress over time. There are also games and resources researched by scientists.

Users can also choose from a selection of licensed counsellors and psychologists for a digital one-on-one session. The app can be accessed in Arabic, English, Russian and Ukrainian languages.

"Due to a global lack of access to therapy and counselling, 70 per cent of people with mental health issues do not receive the help and care they require. The need for support increased rapidly during the pandemic, which reflected in the high demand for the services and tools that our MindTales application offers," said Aksionova, CEO, MindTales, UAE.

According to a cross-sectional study conducted by both UAE universities and some from the UK, Australia and Jordan, over 36 per cent of surveyed participants reported increased stress from work, home and financial matters; 43 to 63 per cent of participants felt horrified, apprehensive or helpless due to Covid-19.