No, it isn't political correctness and gender equality gone mad – men really do suffer from Paternal Post-Natal Depression (PPND). And it is time people started talking more openly about the ways in which new fathers are affected, according to the Priory Wellbeing Centre Dubai. To get the discussion rolling, it is holding dedicated workshop sessions on post-natal depression for both men and women, at its centre on Oud Metha road, near Healthcare City.
Many of us will be familiar with the Priory name, probably in the context of celebrities in the United Kingdom checking in for treatment for their addictions. But this is only one aspect of the services it offers, says Dr Walid Abdul-Hamid, clinical director and consultant psychiatrist at the Dubai branch of the Priory, which opened in April.
“We cover the whole spectrum and our centre in Dubai is the Priory’s first outside the UK – we’re very excited to be here,” he says. “The standards of care we adhere to are exactly the same as those experienced by patients in the UK.”
As recently reported by The National, the UK branch of the Priory has carried out an extensive survey on new fathers, and the anxiety and feelings of despair and depression that many suffer from. And though the research was carried out elsewhere, Maartje Suijskens, a resident counselling psychologist at the Priory, says it is "representative of trends that we see in other parts of the world, including the UAE".
According to the poll, one man in 10 claims to have had “negative thoughts” after having children, while one in 15 said they believed they were suffering from PPND. Worryingly, up to half the men who experienced depression or anxiety didn’t seek help, saying they were too embarrassed, because they believed that they should be happy.
“Research from the American Medical Association,” says Suijskens, “shows that PPND affects up to 10 per cent of new fathers throughout the world. It is likely that the numbers are even higher as fathers suffering with depression are less likely to seek help. While there are no specific statistics regarding the rates of PPND in the UAE, the pressure on expat fathers can be just as significant, if not higher.”
Suijskens says those pressures often result from being at a distance from friends and family, and many fathers face extra burdens by being the primary provider, both financially and emotionally. “And it’s been proved that the influence of a father in the development of children is equal to that of the mother, so it’s imperative that, if they’re suffering from depression, they seek the right help,” says Suijskens.
Abdul-Hamid adds: “Men have always viewed talking about their emotions as a weakness, but it’s becoming clear that being open about this, like women usually are, is better for them. Women are normally happy to talk to their friends, their doctors, and are more ready to seek help through therapy. Men, though, tend to ‘self-medicate’ with alcohol and unfortunately seek help only when it’s too late.
“We need to catch these problems earlier and deal with them, as we would with physical ailments – psychiatrists don’t bite, you know.”
What, then, can we as a society do to get this into the open, to be able to banish the stigma associated with male anxiety? “We are working on getting the issues recognised,” says Suijskens, “but we’re not seeing a change just yet. We need to get the right information into the hands of new parents. For instance it could be provided at the hospital following the birth – we [doctors and psychologists] need to work together on this.
“There is an issue here, too, with health insurance. Most insurance companies either do not cover mental health at all or they will provide only partial coverage for selected diagnoses, as well as selected treatment. This significantly contributes to the negative stigma and misconceptions around mental health.”
The two say that new fathers may well be aware that “something’s not right” with them, but that they’re unlikely to link this to possible PPND. Suijskens says that having a baby is “a life-changing experience” that presents no shortage of challenges, advising that in the weeks and months following the birth, it’s important for both parents to communicate with each other, as well as with family and friends, and to be open and honest about their emotions. The worst thing, she says, that new parents can do is to bottle everything up and hope the feelings of despair will go away of their own accord.
Abdul-Hamid says fathers can experience post-traumatic stress disorder after the birth of a child, especially if the mother has gone through complications. The peer pressure that new parents experience to always be happy – because a baby is a blessing, after all – can also be damaging.
So, what signs should we look for in our friends, colleagues or family members who might be suffering without knowing it? According to the Priory, if you have serious depression you might feel exhausted and anxious, be obsessed with finances, start to withdraw from relatives, be irritable and intolerant, or sleep badly. If that reads like you or someone you know, it’s time to act.
The Priory Wellbeing Centre Dubai is holding free post-natal depression workshops on December 9, from 10am to 12pm. See www.priorygroup.ae
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Read more:
The midlife baby blues: the challenges faced when becoming a parent later in life
Panic attack, acute anxiety disorder - the results are debilitating and frightening
Call for greater awareness in UAE of depression in new dads
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The National's picks
4.35pm: Tilal Al Khalediah
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6.20pm: West Acre
7pm: Flood Zone
7.40pm: Straight No Chaser
8.15pm: Romantic Warrior
8.50pm: Calandogan
9.30pm: Forever Young
Uefa Nations League
League A:
Germany, Portugal, Belgium, Spain, France, England, Switzerland, Italy, Poland, Iceland, Croatia, Netherlands
League B:
Austria, Wales, Russia, Slovakia, Sweden, Ukraine, Republic of Ireland, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Northern Ireland, Denmark, Czech Republic, Turkey
League C:
Hungary, Romania, Scotland, Slovenia, Greece, Serbia, Albania, Norway, Montenegro, Israel, Bulgaria, Finland, Cyprus, Estonia, Lithuania
League D:
Azerbaijan, Macedonia, Belarus, Georgia, Armenia, Latvia, Faroe Islands, Luxembourg, Kazakhstan, Moldova, Liechtenstein, Malta, Andorra, Kosovo, San Marino, Gibraltar
Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
The smuggler
Eldarir had arrived at JFK in January 2020 with three suitcases, containing goods he valued at $300, when he was directed to a search area.
Officers found 41 gold artefacts among the bags, including amulets from a funerary set which prepared the deceased for the afterlife.
Also found was a cartouche of a Ptolemaic king on a relief that was originally part of a royal building or temple.
The largest single group of items found in Eldarir’s cases were 400 shabtis, or figurines.
Khouli conviction
Khouli smuggled items into the US by making false declarations to customs about the country of origin and value of the items.
According to Immigration and Customs Enforcement, he provided “false provenances which stated that [two] Egyptian antiquities were part of a collection assembled by Khouli's father in Israel in the 1960s” when in fact “Khouli acquired the Egyptian antiquities from other dealers”.
He was sentenced to one year of probation, six months of home confinement and 200 hours of community service in 2012 after admitting buying and smuggling Egyptian antiquities, including coffins, funerary boats and limestone figures.
For sale
A number of other items said to come from the collection of Ezeldeen Taha Eldarir are currently or recently for sale.
Their provenance is described in near identical terms as the British Museum shabti: bought from Salahaddin Sirmali, "authenticated and appraised" by Hossen Rashed, then imported to the US in 1948.
- An Egyptian Mummy mask dating from 700BC-30BC, is on offer for £11,807 ($15,275) online by a seller in Mexico
- A coffin lid dating back to 664BC-332BC was offered for sale by a Colorado-based art dealer, with a starting price of $65,000
- A shabti that was on sale through a Chicago-based coin dealer, dating from 1567BC-1085BC, is up for $1,950
The specs
Engine: 4.0-litre flat-six
Torque: 450Nm at 6,100rpm
Transmission: 7-speed PDK auto or 6-speed manual
Fuel economy, combined: 13.8L/100km
On sale: Available to order now
Formula Middle East Calendar (Formula Regional and Formula 4)
Round 1: January 17-19, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
Round 2: January 22-23, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
Round 3: February 7-9, Dubai Autodrome – Dubai
Round 4: February 14-16, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
Round 5: February 25-27, Jeddah Corniche Circuit – Saudi Arabia
No more lice
Defining head lice
Pediculus humanus capitis are tiny wingless insects that feed on blood from the human scalp. The adult head louse is up to 3mm long, has six legs, and is tan to greyish-white in colour. The female lives up to four weeks and, once mature, can lay up to 10 eggs per day. These tiny nits firmly attach to the base of the hair shaft, get incubated by body heat and hatch in eight days or so.
Identifying lice
Lice can be identified by itching or a tickling sensation of something moving within the hair. One can confirm that a person has lice by looking closely through the hair and scalp for nits, nymphs or lice. Head lice are most frequently located behind the ears and near the neckline.
Treating lice at home
Head lice must be treated as soon as they are spotted. Start by checking everyone in the family for them, then follow these steps. Remove and wash all clothing and bedding with hot water. Apply medicine according to the label instructions. If some live lice are still found eight to 12 hours after treatment, but are moving more slowly than before, do not re-treat. Comb dead and remaining live lice out of the hair using a fine-toothed comb.
After the initial treatment, check for, comb and remove nits and lice from hair every two to three days. Soak combs and brushes in hot water for 10 minutes.Vacuum the floor and furniture, particularly where the infested person sat or lay.
Courtesy Dr Vishal Rajmal Mehta, specialist paediatrics, RAK Hospital
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Killing of Qassem Suleimani
What is Folia?
Prince Khaled bin Alwaleed bin Talal's new plant-based menu will launch at Four Seasons hotels in Dubai this November. A desire to cater to people looking for clean, healthy meals beyond green salad is what inspired Prince Khaled and American celebrity chef Matthew Kenney to create Folia. The word means "from the leaves" in Latin, and the exclusive menu offers fine plant-based cuisine across Four Seasons properties in Los Angeles, Bahrain and, soon, Dubai.
Kenney specialises in vegan cuisine and is the founder of Plant Food Wine and 20 other restaurants worldwide. "I’ve always appreciated Matthew’s work," says the Saudi royal. "He has a singular culinary talent and his approach to plant-based dining is prescient and unrivalled. I was a fan of his long before we established our professional relationship."
Folia first launched at The Four Seasons Hotel Los Angeles at Beverly Hills in July 2018. It is available at the poolside Cabana Restaurant and for in-room dining across the property, as well as in its private event space. The food is vibrant and colourful, full of fresh dishes such as the hearts of palm ceviche with California fruit, vegetables and edible flowers; green hearb tacos filled with roasted squash and king oyster barbacoa; and a savoury coconut cream pie with macadamia crust.
In March 2019, the Folia menu reached Gulf shores, as it was introduced at the Four Seasons Hotel Bahrain Bay, where it is served at the Bay View Lounge. Next, on Tuesday, November 1 – also known as World Vegan Day – it will come to the UAE, to the Four Seasons Resort Dubai at Jumeirah Beach and the Four Seasons DIFC, both properties Prince Khaled has spent "considerable time at and love".
There are also plans to take Folia to several more locations throughout the Middle East and Europe.
While health-conscious diners will be attracted to the concept, Prince Khaled is careful to stress Folia is "not meant for a specific subset of customers. It is meant for everyone who wants a culinary experience without the negative impact that eating out so often comes with."
The specs
AT4 Ultimate, as tested
Engine: 6.2-litre V8
Power: 420hp
Torque: 623Nm
Transmission: 10-speed automatic
Price: From Dh330,800 (Elevation: Dh236,400; AT4: Dh286,800; Denali: Dh345,800)
On sale: Now
Bharat
Director: Ali Abbas Zafar
Starring: Salman Khan, Katrina Kaif, Sunil Grover
Rating: 2.5 out of 5 stars
Fund-raising tips for start-ups
Develop an innovative business concept
Have the ability to differentiate yourself from competitors
Put in place a business continuity plan after Covid-19
Prepare for the worst-case scenario (further lockdowns, long wait for a vaccine, etc.)
Have enough cash to stay afloat for the next 12 to 18 months
Be creative and innovative to reduce expenses
Be prepared to use Covid-19 as an opportunity for your business
* Tips from Jassim Al Marzooqi and Walid Hanna
Tips for job-seekers
- Do not submit your application through the Easy Apply button on LinkedIn. Employers receive between 600 and 800 replies for each job advert on the platform. If you are the right fit for a job, connect to a relevant person in the company on LinkedIn and send them a direct message.
- Make sure you are an exact fit for the job advertised. If you are an HR manager with five years’ experience in retail and the job requires a similar candidate with five years’ experience in consumer, you should apply. But if you have no experience in HR, do not apply for the job.
David Mackenzie, founder of recruitment agency Mackenzie Jones Middle East
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