Doha: More than 30 percent of visitors to psychiatry clinics in Qatar are women and a majority of them face problems with their husbands, say health experts.
An increasingly large number of women are seeking treatment for psychological problems resulting from social pressure and family disputes, a local Arabic newspaper reported yesterday.
Dr Hassan Al Berayki, a consultant at the Family Consultation Center, said that more people are attending workshops and training sessions conducted by the centre and a majority of them say that they are facing domestic problems.
He also said that the centre has solved 47 percent of family disputes which were referred to courts. “Young people who want to get married are also seeking consultation showing that community’s awareness is increasing,” said Al Berayki.
Experts said that the Qatari community is now more open to psychiatric treatment due to social changes and high levels of education.
Some, however, feel that because of the social stigma attached with psychological problems, families in Qatar at times hide patients, making things worse for them.
“It’s important to create more awareness in the community about such treatments because there are families here who hide patients, and there comes a point when particular mental conditions cannot be controlled anymore,” Ahmed Al Kuwari said.
High fees for psychological consultation at private clinics also discourage people from seeking help.
“To see a psychiatrist, you need QR500 just for consultation, which discourages people,” Nazir Al Kharba, who performs ‘Roqia’ (Islamic healing), said.
Kharba said that on a daily basis he treats seven cases, half of which are then referred to psychiatric clinics. He also said that many patients go through mental disorders because of pressures and fear, depression or because they are home sick.
Dr Mohammed Umer Saleh, who works with the psychiatry department at Al Ahli Hospital, said that he treats 35 visitors on a daily basis who suffer from various problems. “We have over 500 patients every month and a majority of them are women,” Dr Saleh said.
He said that the fee for every session varies from QR300 to QR500 depending on the length of the session, which usually lasts 30 to 50 minutes.
The Peninsula
