Seha, the Abu Dhabi Health Services Company, has evaluated the psychological impact of the pandemic on health workers and the worst affected patients. Getty Images
Seha, the Abu Dhabi Health Services Company, has evaluated the psychological impact of the pandemic on health workers and the worst affected patients. Getty Images
Seha, the Abu Dhabi Health Services Company, has evaluated the psychological impact of the pandemic on health workers and the worst affected patients. Getty Images
International research studies on anxiety and depression symptoms during the Covid-19 pandemic generally report large increases in the rate of clinically significant symptoms among the general population. A recent UK study, for example, suggested that 64 and 57 per cent of the 3,000 adults sampled reported significant symptom-levels of depression and anxiety, respectively. These are similar to the figures our own research team found in the UAE, with the results published in Psychiatry Research last month.
How quickly we bounce back from this situation is still an open question. Will the elevated symptoms lead to an increase in actual mental illness prevalence across our societies? And if so, what should we do about it?
The real trouble with mental health problems is that they tend to be episodic. For example, after recovering from an initial episode of depression, many of us will go on to have a second episode and then a third and then a fourth, fifth and sixth. In an article for JAMA Psychiatry, Lewis Judd, of the Department of Psychiatry at the University of California, suggests that people living with depression, on average, experience four major episodes across their lifetimes, with each lasting around 20 weeks.
We bounce back, but some of us only bounce back for a bit. It is almost as if, once we discover "dark places", it becomes easier to find our way back there again and again. Psychologists have termed this observation the "kindling hypothesis" – the proposition that each episode of mental illness makes another one more likely.
Mental health professionals used to debate: which works better, pills (antidepressants and anxiolytics) or talk therapy? We now know, however, that was totally the wrong question. For depression at least, both treatments are roughly equal over the short term. The critical question, however, is which treatment leads to a longer-lasting recovery, and which one is associated with lower relapse rates?
Even compared to maintenance treatment with pills (long-term antidepressant use), talk-based psychological therapies are associated with lower rates of relapse. In therapy, we learn new ways to cope with and relate to the bumps in life's road. We might also develop better defences against the slings and arrows of outrageous misfortune (the bad stuff that just happens).
It is hard to see what learning, if any, takes place by consuming antidepressants. However, this pharmacological approach can help many people weather the storm until it passes.
This longer-term benefit of talk therapies – treatments such as cognitive behaviour therapy – has led to an increased investment aimed at improving access to such evidence-based psychological approaches. The UK government, for example, under the banner "no health without mental health", invested £400 million from 2010-15. The aim of this investment was to ensure that "every adult that requires it should have access to psychological therapies to treat anxiety disorders or depression".
The Abu Dhabi government recently set up a hotline to help safeguard mental health during the pandemic. The programme, one of many, involves trained responders offering essential information, and, crucially, lending a compassionate ear to people struggling to cope with the outbreak.
These are good initiatives. But even the best talk-therapies still have troubling relapse rates. In some studies of depression and anxiety, the relapse rate at six months can be as high as 50 per cent.
According to Carl Jung, those who learn to live amicably with their demons gain from their experience. Alamy Stock Photo
This has led psychologists to develop programmes that are specifically aimed at relapse prevention and, better still, primary prevention – preventing illness before it ever occurs. Mindfulness-based stress reduction and mindfulness-based cognitive therapy are two leading examples of this prevention-orientated approach. Their popularity is rooted in their success.
Individuals who make lasting recoveries from mental health problems, those who learn to live amicably with their demons, and make peace with despair, what do they gain from their experience?
Carl Jung, Sigmund Freud's one-time protege, certainly thought they gained a lot. In his autobiography titled Memories, Dreams, Reflections, he wrote: "Only the wounded physician heals... and then only to the extent he has healed himself." Jung was referring to the idea that the most successful healers or therapists draw on the knowledge of their own hurt to help others. Those who have recovered from psychological wounds are well placed to help others.
This brings to mind the novelist Matt Haig, who after experiencing a suicidal episode of depression in his twenties, went on to write the No 1 bestseller, Reasons to Stay Alive. Haig describes books as being like antidepressants. His own works of fiction have provided solace and healing for millions.
Kanye West, like many other artists, has described his bipolar disorder as a superpower. AP Photo
Similarly, the experience of being overwhelmed by emotions can be associated with great works of visual art. The poet Charlotte Smith once wrote: "Those paint sorrow best who feel it most." Echoing this sentiment, on his 2018 album Ye, the billionaire rapper Kanye West refers to his experience of bipolar disorder as a superpower rather than a disability. This is an idea that echoes across continents and down through the ages. For example, the 12th-century Benedictine abbess, Hildegard Von Bingen, today celebrated as Europe's first-known female composer and one of the greatest European poets of the medieval period, experienced bouts of deep melancholia, a condition roughly equivalent to contemporary mood disorders.
We often talk about mental health problems as enemies to be overcome and vanquished. However, perhaps we could also look at them as teachers to be heeded, or gifts we have yet figured out how to use. Once we learn the lessons and harness these gifts, our recoveries will be longer-lasting, and we will have been refined by our journey.
Justin Thomas is a professor of psychology at Zayed University
The specs
Engine: 3.0-litre six-cylinder turbo
Power: 398hp from 5,250rpm
Torque: 580Nm at 1,900-4,800rpm
Transmission: Eight-speed auto
Fuel economy, combined: 6.5L/100km
On sale: December
Price: From Dh330,000 (estimate)
White hydrogen: Naturally occurring hydrogen Chromite: Hard, metallic mineral containing iron oxide and chromium oxide Ultramafic rocks: Dark-coloured rocks rich in magnesium or iron with very low silica content Ophiolite: A section of the earth’s crust, which is oceanic in nature that has since been uplifted and exposed on land Olivine: A commonly occurring magnesium iron silicate mineral that derives its name for its olive-green yellow-green colour
Founder of the Muslim Brotherhood, Hassan al Banna, "accepted the political utility of violence"
Views of key Muslim Brotherhood ideologue, Sayyid Qutb, have “consistently been understood” as permitting “the use of extreme violence in the pursuit of the perfect Islamic society” and “never been institutionally disowned” by the movement.
Muslim Brotherhood at all levels has repeatedly defended Hamas attacks against Israel, including the use of suicide bombers and the killing of civilians.
Laying out the report in the House of Commons, David Cameron told MPs: "The main findings of the review support the conclusion that membership of, association with, or influence by the Muslim Brotherhood should be considered as a possible indicator of extremism."
Tailors and retailers miss out on back-to-school rush
Tailors and retailers across the city said it was an ominous start to what is usually a busy season for sales.
With many parents opting to continue home learning for their children, the usual rush to buy school uniforms was muted this year.
“So far we have taken about 70 to 80 orders for items like shirts and trousers,” said Vikram Attrai, manager at Stallion Bespoke Tailors in Dubai.
“Last year in the same period we had about 200 orders and lots of demand.
“We custom fit uniform pieces and use materials such as cotton, wool and cashmere.
“Depending on size, a white shirt with logo is priced at about Dh100 to Dh150 and shorts, trousers, skirts and dresses cost between Dh150 to Dh250 a piece.”
A spokesman for Threads, a uniform shop based in Times Square Centre Dubai, said customer footfall had slowed down dramatically over the past few months.
“Now parents have the option to keep children doing online learning they don’t need uniforms so it has quietened down.”
Director: Shady Ali
Cast: Boumi Fouad , Mohamed Tharout and Hisham Ismael
Rating: 3/5
2.0
Director: S Shankar
Producer: Lyca Productions; presented by Dharma Films
1. Domestic VAT refund amendments: request your refund within five years
If a business does not apply for the refund on time, they lose their credit.
2. E-invoicing in the UAE
Businesses should continue preparing for the implementation of e-invoicing in the UAE, with 2026 a preparation and transition period ahead of phased mandatory adoption.
3. More tax audits
Tax authorities are increasingly using data already available across multiple filings to identify audit risks.
4. More beneficial VAT and excise tax penalty regime
Tax disputes are expected to become more frequent and more structured, with clearer administrative objection and appeal processes. The UAE has adopted a new penalty regime for VAT and excise disputes, which now mirrors the penalty regime for corporate tax.
5. Greater emphasis on statutory audit
There is a greater need for the accuracy of financial statements. The International Financial Reporting Standards standards need to be strictly adhered to and, as a result, the quality of the audits will need to increase.
6. Further transfer pricing enforcement
Transfer pricing enforcement, which refers to the practice of establishing prices for internal transactions between related entities, is expected to broaden in scope. The UAE will shortly open the possibility to negotiate advance pricing agreements, or essentially rulings for transfer pricing purposes.
7. Limited time periods for audits
Recent amendments also introduce a default five-year limitation period for tax audits and assessments, subject to specific statutory exceptions. While the standard audit and assessment period is five years, this may be extended to up to 15 years in cases involving fraud or tax evasion.
8. Pillar 2 implementation
Many multinational groups will begin to feel the practical effect of the Domestic Minimum Top-Up Tax (DMTT), the UAE's implementation of the OECD’s global minimum tax under Pillar 2. While the rules apply for financial years starting on or after January 1, 2025, it is 2026 that marks the transition to an operational phase.
9. Reduced compliance obligations for imported goods and services
Businesses that apply the reverse-charge mechanism for VAT purposes in the UAE may benefit from reduced compliance obligations.
10. Substance and CbC reporting focus
Tax authorities are expected to continue strengthening the enforcement of economic substance and Country-by-Country (CbC) reporting frameworks. In the UAE, these regimes are increasingly being used as risk-assessment tools, providing tax authorities with a comprehensive view of multinational groups’ global footprints and enabling them to assess whether profits are aligned with real economic activity.
Contributed by Thomas Vanhee and Hend Rashwan, Aurifer
Avatar: Fire and Ash
Director: James Cameron
Starring: Sam Worthington, Sigourney Weaver, Zoe Saldana
Rating: 4.5/5
The biog
Name: James Mullan
Nationality: Irish
Family: Wife, Pom; and daughters Kate, 18, and Ciara, 13, who attend Jumeirah English Speaking School (JESS)
Favourite book or author: “That’s a really difficult question. I’m a big fan of Donna Tartt, The Secret History. I’d recommend that, go and have a read of that.”
Dream: “It would be to continue to have fun and to work with really interesting people, which I have been very fortunate to do for a lot of my life. I just enjoy working with very smart, fun people.”
Rock in a Hard Place: Music and Mayhem in the Middle East
Orlando Crowcroft
Zed Books
Pharaoh's curse
British aristocrat Lord Carnarvon, who funded the expedition to find the Tutankhamun tomb, died in a Cairo hotel four months after the crypt was opened. He had been in poor health for many years after a car crash, and a mosquito bite made worse by a shaving cut led to blood poisoning and pneumonia. Reports at the time said Lord Carnarvon suffered from “pain as the inflammation affected the nasal passages and eyes”. Decades later, scientists contended he had died of aspergillosis after inhaling spores of the fungus aspergillus in the tomb, which can lie dormant for months. The fact several others who entered were also found dead withiin a short time led to the myth of the curse.
