With an increase in the number of cases of psychological disorders and with more patients lining up outside psychiatric clinics, depression has become a major cause of concern in the Kingdom. This concern, however, is one that most Saudis argue is easily dismissed, even though published reports show that 95 percent of women in the Kingdom who go to psychiatrists and psychologists are depressed. Dr. Mohammad Al-Hamid, consultant psychiatrist at the Dr. Mohammad Center for Psychology and Behavioral Treatment in Jeddah, told Saudi Gazette that 70 percent of his patients come to be treated solely for depression. He said depression is more common in females and it starts in adolescence. “The adolescent period is the phase where there is confusion in identity. This is related to the intrapsychic or internal psychological processes of a person. The feelings are very complex and students are constantly worried about the future. There are so many questions based on existence and philosophical queries that arise at this age.” Dr. Al-Hamid also said that the rate of depression is increasing as people fight to adopt new lifestyle changes. “Life used to be simple, but now it is complicated. The social aspects have changed with globalization. Everyone feels lonely.” He added that the constant search for one's own identity and the change in lifestyle when dealing with friends or family is very different from what it used to be. “Women in our culture especially in the age bracket of 20 to 30 years face a lot more cultural, social and biological changes. There are more restrictions in terms of family and marriage and these pressures play a role in the occurrence of depression.” The most common reasons for depression are the growing divide within families in mentality and perspective and the increase in the number of broken homes due to the rising number of divorce cases. “It's either that the father remarries and is not fair to the first wife's kids or his wife is not fair to her stepchildren. Otherwise most parents do not have time to sit down with their children and simply talk to them,” Hajra Al-Hafiz, a 35-year-old psychiatrist who travels around the world to train young people, told Saudi Gazette. “What really bothers me is that parents do not care or have the time to sort out matters internally, they either negate them or pay a premium price for the daughter's psychiatry fee. Everyone is so busy with themselves that now they do not even have time for those close to them. Where are the family values, Islamic teachings and compassion?” asked Hussein Belawi, a 27-year-old marketing executive living in Jeddah. Domestic violence, abuse and negligence are also reportedly key elements of depression. “I've been taking antidepressants since I was 13 and my five sisters take them regularly,” said Razan Sharif, a 26-year-old architecture student. Razan told Saudi Gazette the use of drugs and legal intoxicants to help cure depression are commonly used “even in middle class families because they're affordable”. Haya Redwan, a 34-year-old Saudi businesswoman living outside the Kingdom, said she is worried about her children and the new generation. “Antidepressants are not seen as a problem and are not even considered in the bigger picture.” She told Saudi Gazette most young college students and working women are readily prescribed antidepressants by doctors and get addicted to them easily. “If you are a woman who has lived in Saudi Arabia, you would have at least seen a shrink once in your life,” Shaista Bandar, a 29-year-old banker, told Saudi Gazette.She admitted she has been seeing a psychiatrist for the past six years and was “borderline suicidal”. “The only reason I hold back is because it's haram. I've seen what it does to a family, but honestly sometimes you just do not want to care. I remember my best friend's dad married another woman who would lock up my friend and only open the door once a day, to slide her meal on the floor, as if she was an animal. One day she just couldn't bear it and slit her wrists.” Bandar said that after her friend was taken to the hospital and recovered, her father announced she would be confined for trying to dishonor the family name. According to results of a study conducted by the Family Protection Committee of attempted suicide since 2007, 80 percent of those who tried to end their own lives were young women. Sarah Jalal, a 24-year-old PR executive, asked, “Why aren't there any helplines? For people who cannot afford expensive treatment, where do they go? Depression if severe can have damaging consequences. Really, it's a pervasive problem. For starters, why do you think every woman is holding a cigarette? The most common reason is that everyone wants to feel good and so any drug or intoxicant for that matter is used to escape the harsh realities of life.” Marwa Hassan, a 23-year-old psychology student, told Saudi Gazette, “Depression is so widespread in the Kingdom that it is shocking. Its normalcy and acceptance by parents and the community is very dangerous. With deteriorating marriages and relationships, there has been a rise in the cases of suicide and attempted suicide. It is imperative that action is taken to help people cope with reality, not by using alcohol and drugs or by leaving the country, but by people living together and finding a cure for those who are struggling. After all we will all have responsibilities when we get married and not just to our family. We also have an obligation to ourselves, to live better and to fight the causes that lead to mental and severe psychological illness.” __
