"Mental health issues, often perceived as distant, something only crazy or mentally unstable people are considered, leading to a lack of interest and understanding," is a long-standing prejudice that has become a significant obstacle for psychologists striving to communicate mental health knowledge to society, enabling people to be aware and build resilience in caring for themselves and those around them.
Dr. Kantharat Leuang-on, CEO of ME HUG and a psychologist, has been focused on expanding access to mental health services and promoting prevention of mental health issues. She has been working to break down these barriers by studying new technologies in mental health care for the past 7-8 years.
“We've seen the West expanding access to mental health services through online platforms; they've developed them extensively. We wanted to do the same in Thailand, but most people in society, including mental health professionals, still don't fully understand how online technology can help. Then, during the COVID-19 pandemic, everyone had to switch to online systems, which required a long learning curve. As a result, many sick people were left behind and didn't receive care. We felt we missed an opportunity to prepare for this proactively. As a psychologist, I don't want technology to disrupt us, so I want to learn and adapt to it as quickly as possible.”
Dr. Kantharat shared the inspiration that drove herself and her team, all experts in mental health and metaverse technology, to study the metaverse and mental health. They proposed a project to the Safe and Creative Media Development Fund, securing a strategic grant in 2565. This funding was used to create a virtual exhibition within the metaverse, showcasing research reviewed from abroad on how metaverse technology is currently applied in mental health care and its outcomes. Examples of these applications include treating depression, autism, Alzheimer's, drug addiction, and schizophrenia. Those interested in more in-depth details can access the original research papers via the provided links.
"Normally, when we want to see an exhibition, we have to go and walk around, which requires a lot of space and budget for the organizers to put on each exhibition. But this is an exhibition in a metaverse world. Those who are interested can create an avatar and explore the exhibition without having to waste time traveling. There are no geographical limitations; you can view it through your mobile phone or computer. Just log in to the spatial website and you can see it."
The Metaverse and Mental Health exhibition, first held at the Thailand Creative & Design Center (TCDC) for a month, featured a showcase of the Metaverse exhibition from the Spatial website, seminars on various topics such as the metaverse and the LGBTQ community, mental health, and children and families. A highlight of the event was the opportunity to experience Virtual Reality (VR) technology developed jointly by CARIVA – AI and Robotics and ME HUG, which garnered significant interest.
“The VR experiences we offer include programs to treat acrophobia, stress, and relationship problems. Users can try talking to their avatar in a virtual world, encouraging, apologizing to, or thanking themselves to show self-love. These have been very popular with both children and adults, leading to invitations from various organizations to hold exhibitions almost every month.”
For those who haven't had the chance to see this exhibition yet, you can join us on an exploration of the metaverse and mental health at the spatial website. Spatial technology is an advanced technology that helps you get to know, understand, and access mental health services more easily.
