The transformative power of gratitude letters
At a recent workshop on stress management, I invited the participants to write a letter to a person in their lives, expressing gratitude for something good that person had done for them. The purpose...
Is anime the cause for suicide in teens
A few months ago, I came across a study claiming that six cases of suicide attempts in a school in Oman were attributed to watching Korean dramas and anime. While setting aside the scientific analysis...
We need to see beyond talents
I recently came across a podcast of an interview with a young Saudi man describing his struggles with sadness, lack of achievement, and “feeling stuck with life”, as he describes it.These feelings...
How to decide when trust is gone
Mrs A came to our clinic with one question, “What should I do with my husband who has been cheating for the past five years?”. She was in her early thirties with two children and a successful job,...
The psychological cost of professional setbacks
A few weeks ago, I noticed a friend was over-posting on social media. The posts were about his recent and sometimes old achievements.Some days he will post about ordinary everyday activities like...
Can helping others heal your soul?
The movie 'The Intimate Storm' tells the real-life story of Pam, a 53-year-old rescue volunteer in the mountains. While on a mission, she accidentally falls into a small ditch but manages to climb out...
When a doctor dislikes a patient
During my training as a psychiatrist in the UK, a patient with depression filed a complaint against my colleague, claiming he was misdiagnosed and started on the wrong treatment. The patient appointed...
Who kicked the cat?
Once upon a time, there was a worker who suffered from the mistreatment of his manager, who would scold him in front of others for trivial reasons and attempt to steal his projects, adding her name...
The psychology of obedience
On November 18, 1978, more than 900 Americans, members of the Peoples Temple religious group, died in a secluded South American jungle settlement after ingesting poison at the urging of their leader,...
Opinion- Introvert, extrovert, or just restless?
I have recently come across a podcast called ‘What It Means to Be a Nomad,’ where a traveller in his late twenties was sharing his unique experiences of being constantly on the move, discovering...
The man who did not have Alzheimer’s
A few years ago, a man in his late sixties came to my clinic, saying he had become very forgetful over two years and had been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s at a hospital in a South Asian country. He...
Would you rent a friend?
I recently listened to a podcast about renting a friend in Riyadh, the capital of Saudi Arabia, and was rather surprised that such a thing has reached Arab countries.The girl in the podcast explained...
World Mental Health Day: Are workplace well-being programmes failing?
October 10 is World Mental Health Day, and this year’s official theme, ‘It is time to prioritise mental health in the workplace,; highlights the importance of fostering supportive work...
Self-help books: Tools for change or empty promises?
A recent report showed that around 18.6 million self-help books are sold in the US each year with financial profits from the industry projected to reach $14 billion by 2025, in the US alone.This...
Mindful dieting: Prioritising health over numbers
I recently met a friend who lost twenty kilograms of body weight over one year. I was very interested to hear his experience, especially since my previous dieting experiences were far from...
The dark psychology of financial fraud
THE American movie 'The Beekeeper' starts with the story of an old woman who gets scammed by a corporate cyber-scam that hacked her email and wiped out her savings and a significant trust she was...
Breaking stigma: A path to suicide prevention
A client who attended my clinic last week informed me that his cousin shot himself and died. The family noticed that he was becoming more withdrawn, neglecting himself, and refusing to go to work.He...
Alzheimer’s drug breakthrough: Cautious optimism
Last week several news channels reported about the newly approved medication for Alzheimer’s with titles such as ‘No more Alzheimer’s’ and ‘New Hope for people with Alzheimer’s’.A few...
When AI becomes too personal
A client who has been stressed lately at work takes up his friend's advice to try out a Chatbot. He was initially reluctant, but the friend convinced him the application could give him tips for...