Date

5-25-2023

Department

School of Communication and the Arts

Degree

Master of Fine Arts in Graphic Design (MFA)

Chair

Sarah Lynn Dempsey

Keywords

mental health, therapy, awareness campaign, arab world, stigma, graphic design, digital painting, animation, social media, mental treatment

Disciplines

Art and Design | Psychology

Abstract

This study investigates why mental health has been neglected in the Arab world and what strategies could be used to promote it and break the stigma associated with mental disorders. The literature review reveals that the most prominent barriers preventing mental treatment in the Arab world are cultural stigma, poverty, illiteracy, false beliefs regarding the causation of the illness, conflicts in countries, and a scarcity of mental health services and research. The review also discusses the most common mental illnesses in the Arab world and how the culture affects the process of treatment. Additionally, it discusses the possible solutions proposed by researchers for promoting mental health. Those solutions include: raising awareness, building a culturally sensitive treatment method, promoting telepsychiatry, breaking the stigma associated with mental illness through education, increasing cooperation between therapists and faith healers, and developing research and mental health services. Moreover, case studies and visual analysis were conducted on successful campaigns that tackle the issue of mental health. The aim of the analysis is to inspire the researcher with ideas for the awareness campaign that will be created to promote mental health in the Arab World. The final visual solution includes digitally painted posters, social media posts, and animations.

Download

Share

COinS