Experiential learning fosters public awareness of mental health

    

Apart from medical services and training, VR technology is also applied to public education. To deepen public’s understanding of mental illness, MIND SPACE, a Mental Health Experience Museum at Castle Peak Hospital (CPH), will adopt VR technology where visitors experience symptoms of mental illness suffered by patients. Expected to open in mid-2019, the museum will be open to the general public.

CPH General Manager (Nursing), Jolene Mui says, “We gathered real cases from patients and present them in the symptom rooms. Visitors can get profound experience from the VR interactive installation, which helps them better understand how disruptive mental illness can be. We hope visitors will develop empathy to patients and raise their awareness towards mental health.”

Two of the symptom rooms imitate the setting of local wet market and library in which visitors can experience symptoms of schizophrenia, such as visual and auditory hallucinations and delusion with VR technology and 3D projection. Putting on 3D glasses, visitors have to carry out a certain task in the room, like buying food and counting books. However, during the course, they will be interrupted by symptoms, for example, seeing fish rotten suddenly or hearing a blaming voice. After five minutes in the symptom room, recovered patients will share with visitors on their own experience. Information leaflet on treatment and assistance will be available.

To offer the public a comprehensive understanding, there will also be exhibitions in MIND SPACE on the development of psychiatric services in Hong Kong, Castle Peak Hospital in the past as well as brain and mental disorder, medication evolution and tips for resilience. The museum opens on Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays to Saturdays for group; Sunday and public holidays for the general public; and closes on Wednesdays. Interested parties can register online in future.