Phototherapy as an Alternative Treatment in Mental Health for Malaysian Post-Pandemic Covid-19 Victims

Globally, the COVID-19 pandemic has had a significant influence on mental health and raised demand for more therapeutic approaches. This article assesses phototherapy as a substitute treatment for mental health issues among COVID-19 survivors in Malaysia. Data was gathered qualitatively via case studies, participant stories, expert and personal interviews, and firsthand observation of the seven participants’ phototherapy sessions. The study found that participants are unaware about phototherapy and feel uneasy about it by voiced differing opinions, with some being amenable to mixing phototherapy with more traditional treatment modalities like medicine and counselling. For broader acceptance and use, future research would look at the effectiveness of phototherapy in various demographic groups, in comparison to other forms of treatment, and in conjunction with digital technology.