Instant Messaging Touted As Medical Tool

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Instant messaging touted as medical tool

BANGKOK: -- Psychological consulting via popular Internet messaging programs such ICQ or MSN Messenger is an ideal way to promote better access to mental health services in the digital era, a study has suggested.

Presented at the Public Health Ministry’s annual conference yesterday, the study concluded that this new form of consultancy was extremely practical.

This could be a good, economic and convenient alternative to compliment conventional services, which are generally offered either by telephone or face-to-face, said Sakaorat Phuangladda, who conducted the study. Sakaorat, a psychologist working at Srithanya Mental Hospital, has conducted psychological counselling with seven clients using either the ICQ or MSN programs.

All messages sent and received between Sakaorat and her clients were kept on record for psychological analysis after completing the procedure.

The number of Internet users in the Kingdom continues to increase every year, with an estimated 3.5 million people now using the medium. Messaging programs are among the most popular of tools these days, said Sakaorat.

And she said chatting in cyberspace was a convenient and accessible way to chill out for people with psychological problems.

Most of the problems pinpointed in the study were loneliness, love-sickness and depression related to work or family problems.

--The Nation 2004-08-26