Can we still ask questions here?
Yes you can! Go ahead!
Ask @SPEAKuwait
what is the cause of split personality? and are there levels to the severity of this issue?
Dissociative Identity Disorder (DID) was known previously as split personality or Multiple Personality Disorder . It is a condition where a person develops two or more separate identities each with its independent set of thoughts, behaviors, feelings, and memories.
As for the cause of DID, it is speculated that DID begins after a severe and horrifying trauma occurs, and in most cases the trauma occurs in childhood. Dissociation occurs in DID, which means a person mentally separates themselves from a situation that they found was to be too painful, abusive, or traumatic to accept that it has happened to them; for example, sexual abuse in childhood.
I'm not sure what you mean with the severity of the issue. Please clarify and I'll be more than happy to answer :) Thank you for asking about a mental illness that needs more awareness.
Dalal
As for the cause of DID, it is speculated that DID begins after a severe and horrifying trauma occurs, and in most cases the trauma occurs in childhood. Dissociation occurs in DID, which means a person mentally separates themselves from a situation that they found was to be too painful, abusive, or traumatic to accept that it has happened to them; for example, sexual abuse in childhood.
I'm not sure what you mean with the severity of the issue. Please clarify and I'll be more than happy to answer :) Thank you for asking about a mental illness that needs more awareness.
Dalal
What are your credentials?
Hello,
Thank you for asking this question ☺
Dalal and I are currently pursuing a bachelors of science in psychology at Northeastern University, where we are in the Undergraduate Honors Program.
We have both received extensive experience and training in the field of mental health. Dalal has worked in the Monroe Family Assessment Center in London, UK where she worked as a clinical assistant to a team of clinical psychologists. She mainly worked on child abuse cases where she observed and wrote clinical reports of individual, marital, and child psychotherapy sessions. I (Alaa) worked in the Centre of Brain and Cognitive Development in London, UK where I was a research assistant. My research experience includes psychophysiological and eye-tracking research with children and adults. I have also had some research experience with children with Autism Spectrum Disorder.
We currently work as full-time student research assistants in Boston, MA at the Chester M. Pierce, MD Division of Global Psychiatry in the Department of Psychiatry at Massachusetts General Hospital, the largest and oldest teaching hospital of Harvard Medical School. We provide critical support to Harvard faculty and MGH staff on global research, policy, and development projects that span the spectrum of adult and child mental health related areas. We also work as part-time research assistants in the Clinical Neuroscience and Development Neuropsychology Lab at Massachusetts General Hospital/Harvard Medical School where we assist in research projects using functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (fMRI) with adolescent populations.
As for our credentials with regards to the SPEAK campaign, Dalal and I firmly believed we needed to conduct research before starting this campaign. We approached two professors and created a customized class that researches the manifestations of mental illness and mental health stigma in Middle Eastern/Muslim societies. We also researched how to create an evidence-based campaign targeted to a Kuwaiti population. The result of that research was the SPEAK campaign. Our research has been presented at the Honors Undergraduate Research Evening at Northeastern University and will be also presented in the National Collegiate Honors Conference this November.
We are also members of the Psi Chi International Honors Society, American Psychological Association, and the National Alliance on Mental Illness.
Again, thank you for your question. We appreciate your support for our campaign! ☺
Alaa
Thank you for asking this question ☺
Dalal and I are currently pursuing a bachelors of science in psychology at Northeastern University, where we are in the Undergraduate Honors Program.
We have both received extensive experience and training in the field of mental health. Dalal has worked in the Monroe Family Assessment Center in London, UK where she worked as a clinical assistant to a team of clinical psychologists. She mainly worked on child abuse cases where she observed and wrote clinical reports of individual, marital, and child psychotherapy sessions. I (Alaa) worked in the Centre of Brain and Cognitive Development in London, UK where I was a research assistant. My research experience includes psychophysiological and eye-tracking research with children and adults. I have also had some research experience with children with Autism Spectrum Disorder.
We currently work as full-time student research assistants in Boston, MA at the Chester M. Pierce, MD Division of Global Psychiatry in the Department of Psychiatry at Massachusetts General Hospital, the largest and oldest teaching hospital of Harvard Medical School. We provide critical support to Harvard faculty and MGH staff on global research, policy, and development projects that span the spectrum of adult and child mental health related areas. We also work as part-time research assistants in the Clinical Neuroscience and Development Neuropsychology Lab at Massachusetts General Hospital/Harvard Medical School where we assist in research projects using functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (fMRI) with adolescent populations.
As for our credentials with regards to the SPEAK campaign, Dalal and I firmly believed we needed to conduct research before starting this campaign. We approached two professors and created a customized class that researches the manifestations of mental illness and mental health stigma in Middle Eastern/Muslim societies. We also researched how to create an evidence-based campaign targeted to a Kuwaiti population. The result of that research was the SPEAK campaign. Our research has been presented at the Honors Undergraduate Research Evening at Northeastern University and will be also presented in the National Collegiate Honors Conference this November.
We are also members of the Psi Chi International Honors Society, American Psychological Association, and the National Alliance on Mental Illness.
Again, thank you for your question. We appreciate your support for our campaign! ☺
Alaa
Related users
Thank you so much Dalal! AWJ.
You're welcome! Glad to help!
Dalal
Dalal
Hello again, I'm gonna start marking my questions with a AWJ in the end for you to recognize who is who. Thank you so much for the informative answer to my last question. I proudly say that I no longer have suicidal thoughts but I do get depressed sometimes. -AWJ
Hi AWJ. You're welcome, I and the SPEAK team are more than happy to be there for you always. I am very glad that you no longer have suicidal thoughts. That is a huge step forward. If you do still get depressed or stressed, please contact a psychologist/psychiatrist to help you resolve these problems. Treatment always makes things better, never worse. Please keep us updated on your courageous journey!
Dalal
Dalal
Hi Dalal! When it comes to progress I think I managed to change a lot. I was a depressed suicidal in my early teens and I had several failed attempts of taking my own life, as well as self harm. The thing is my family doesn't support that idea of me seeing a shrink because they think its a phase.
Hello,
First, I want to congratulate you on your progress! :)
Second: suicidal thoughts and depression are both very real and serious problems. What you are going through is a valid and real thing, not a phase. I have to say how proud I am of you for speaking up about your problem. I admire how courageous you are.
Unfortunately, in a society like ours people do not accept the idea of seeing a psychologist/psychiatrist and would prefer to bury the problem until it becomes even bigger than it started. Statistically, in Arab communities, people are seen by psychologists/psychiatrists when their problems are in their later stages. This is because families may sometimes urge their members not to seek help in the beginning. People cannot just "get over" their problems or "just forget" about them. And sometimes families fail to understand this. This is because families and other members of society may be misinformed. They don’t really know or understand what you are going through. I will talk about how to solve this problem below. However, remember that this doesn’t make your experience any less real. I understand what you are feeling and I recognize its importance. If you do not have support, please know that SPEAK supports you one hundred percent. We are here for you because you deserve it.
Please click on the link I have provided for you, it has very useful tips.
http://www.mind.org.uk/assets/0001/7290/How_to_cope_with_suicidal_feelings_2011.pdf
(Disclosure: this is a document that belongs to mind.org and is not a production of SPEAK, all rights are reserved to them.)
Also, please contact a psychologist from the Soor Center, their number is +965-2290-1677. However, this is my personal recommendation, you should go to any psychologist that makes you feel comfortable. It is very important to get help. If your family is not convinced, most psychologists will provide information for families to understand the importance of seeking treatment. Most of the time, families fail to support because they are not fully informed about the problem or are just scared. Your family should know that treatment can only make things better, never worse. What's the harm in trying? I know the Soor Center does a free consultation session.
Please keep us updated!
Dalal
First, I want to congratulate you on your progress! :)
Second: suicidal thoughts and depression are both very real and serious problems. What you are going through is a valid and real thing, not a phase. I have to say how proud I am of you for speaking up about your problem. I admire how courageous you are.
Unfortunately, in a society like ours people do not accept the idea of seeing a psychologist/psychiatrist and would prefer to bury the problem until it becomes even bigger than it started. Statistically, in Arab communities, people are seen by psychologists/psychiatrists when their problems are in their later stages. This is because families may sometimes urge their members not to seek help in the beginning. People cannot just "get over" their problems or "just forget" about them. And sometimes families fail to understand this. This is because families and other members of society may be misinformed. They don’t really know or understand what you are going through. I will talk about how to solve this problem below. However, remember that this doesn’t make your experience any less real. I understand what you are feeling and I recognize its importance. If you do not have support, please know that SPEAK supports you one hundred percent. We are here for you because you deserve it.
Please click on the link I have provided for you, it has very useful tips.
http://www.mind.org.uk/assets/0001/7290/How_to_cope_with_suicidal_feelings_2011.pdf
(Disclosure: this is a document that belongs to mind.org and is not a production of SPEAK, all rights are reserved to them.)
Also, please contact a psychologist from the Soor Center, their number is +965-2290-1677. However, this is my personal recommendation, you should go to any psychologist that makes you feel comfortable. It is very important to get help. If your family is not convinced, most psychologists will provide information for families to understand the importance of seeking treatment. Most of the time, families fail to support because they are not fully informed about the problem or are just scared. Your family should know that treatment can only make things better, never worse. What's the harm in trying? I know the Soor Center does a free consultation session.
Please keep us updated!
Dalal
Hi. I'm 18 years old and I think I have some psycological issues. I stress to the point where I start to stutter. My hands would shake whenever I'm angry and I get angry about almost anything. I also have a nervous colon issue, I cant drive cuz it stresses me. what can i do?
First of all, I would like to commend you on wanting to deal with your
problem and thank you for contacting us. In my opinion, what you are
describing is something that can be dealt with in therapy. I would
recommend seeing a psychologist or university counselor (only if they
have a PhD). With therapy, you will be able to get your stress, anger
and anxiety under control by learning how to cope with them and manage
them.
For an external psychologist, I personally recommend the Sour Center
in Kuwait, but in the end you should always go to a psychologist that
makes you feel most comfortable and this is key in getting help.
Lastly, I want to assure you that seeking treatment is a courageous
thing that you should be admired for and a personal choice that will
improve your well being. Please keep us updated on your progress. Good
luck! :)
Dalal
problem and thank you for contacting us. In my opinion, what you are
describing is something that can be dealt with in therapy. I would
recommend seeing a psychologist or university counselor (only if they
have a PhD). With therapy, you will be able to get your stress, anger
and anxiety under control by learning how to cope with them and manage
them.
For an external psychologist, I personally recommend the Sour Center
in Kuwait, but in the end you should always go to a psychologist that
makes you feel most comfortable and this is key in getting help.
Lastly, I want to assure you that seeking treatment is a courageous
thing that you should be admired for and a personal choice that will
improve your well being. Please keep us updated on your progress. Good
luck! :)
Dalal
By studying psychology, did you learn about the mental process that accompanies sexual desire and impulse? If so, is homosexuality a mental illness or a natural occurrence similar to hetrosexuality? and how does one control such impulse and feeling?
Unfortunately, we do not have the expertise to answer this question. However, we are aware of the importance of this question and the importance of getting an answer. Therefore, we advise you to ask someone who knows more about this subject (such as a psychologist) and who can accurately answer all your questions. A psychologist will also be able to provide you with all the information regarding sexual desires/impulses. Asking a professional is much better than relying on the Internet or personal opinions.
Our personal recommendation for a psychologist is to contact the Soor Center for Professional Therapy and Assessment (+965-2290-1677) because we know them personally. However, you should go to a psychologist that you would feel comfortable with. This is merely our recommendation, but it is your decision ☺
As for your other (private) question: please don’t worry about this. We all have challenges in our life. It is the brave ones who have the courage to face them!
We would like to make it clear that we are very glad you asked this question. And we would like to apologize for not being able to provide you with the answers. Please keep us updated and good luck! ☺
Our personal recommendation for a psychologist is to contact the Soor Center for Professional Therapy and Assessment (+965-2290-1677) because we know them personally. However, you should go to a psychologist that you would feel comfortable with. This is merely our recommendation, but it is your decision ☺
As for your other (private) question: please don’t worry about this. We all have challenges in our life. It is the brave ones who have the courage to face them!
We would like to make it clear that we are very glad you asked this question. And we would like to apologize for not being able to provide you with the answers. Please keep us updated and good luck! ☺
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Jameela Alnakkas
So i have been dying to study psychology. i am an undergrad now i was wondering if i get my PhD in clinical psychology and come to work in Kuwait would i be able to find a well paid job and could i work in hospitals. bcz my family says its a waste of my time but i love it too much.
First of all I would like to deeply apologize for answering this question so late. Unfortunately, I never received a notification about it. A PHD in clinical psychology, in my personal opinion, is a great choice for a career because Kuwait needs more people going into this field. The possibility of being part of a private practice or owning you own private practice in Kuwait is high, however, working in a hospital is also possible. For example Dr. Atrina Benjamin is the first psychologists to practice in a private hospital (Alseef Hospital). In Kuwait, there are many opportunities available. In addition, the good news is the Ministry of Health has now recognized the importance of opening psychological clinics in primary care facilities which will open great doors for you. The difference in Kuwait between now and after your PHD will be huge I suspect with the way things are moving currently. Also, remember a PHD in psychology is a rare thing in Kuwait, but it is deeply needed and highly appreciated, so you will definitely find people that need your help. If this is what you want, go for it and I commend you for choosing to pursue your dreams. And please keep us updated! Again, sorry for the late reply.
Dalal
Dalal
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Fares alsubaie⚔
SARA
في مجتمعاتنا صورة الاضطرابات و الامراض النفسية غلط و الناس تخاف منها.. اتمى تتغير هالصورة.. و الناس تخاف تراجع استشاري نفسي او طبيب نفسي لهسبب.. يعطيكم العافية على جهودكم و على مجموعتكم المميزة.. و اتمنى لكم التميز للافضل.. شيء جميل الصراحة
نشكرك على هذه الكلمات الطيبة. نعم، انها مشكلة حقيقية وصعبة. ولكن مع المعلومات الصحيحة يمكننا التغلب عليها .والكويت بلد مستعد لهذا التغيير ولم يخجلنا الشعب الكويتي وتقبلنا بحرارة. لذا نرى أن المستقبل واعد جداً. الحمدللة.
I'm a recent graduate of psychology and got accepted into a marketing firm. Do you think I have an ethical responsibility to decline, or is it right to use my knowledge for advertisement?
Graduates of psychology can go into many careers. In fact, therapy/other clinical services are only one subfield of psychology. People with a degree in psychology can work in the fields of law, business, education, etc. You can apply your knowledge in psychology into any field that deals with people. And advertisement is one of the most fields that hires people with backgrounds in psychology. To market products, you need to understand the people (consumers) that you are marketing your product to. You will see that your knowledge will prove to be invaluable to your employers.
In the end, please bear in mind that this should be YOUR decision. You shouldn't do anything that makes you feel uncomfortable or even, that you don't enjoy. Choose the career that you want, that you would enjoy putting your time and effort into. I hope your future brings you happiness and success. Thank you for asking us and good luck!
-Alaa
In the end, please bear in mind that this should be YOUR decision. You shouldn't do anything that makes you feel uncomfortable or even, that you don't enjoy. Choose the career that you want, that you would enjoy putting your time and effort into. I hope your future brings you happiness and success. Thank you for asking us and good luck!
-Alaa
Liked by:
xx
walah il3atheem you guys have no idea how inspirational you are. You have no idea how much you have moved me, how much respect I have for you, and how much you have changed me to the better. Words can not express how I feel and this message is a mere insult of a thank you. If only you knew. THANK YO
Your welcome!!!! Your words are so kind!! People like you are inspirational because you fight for this cause as well! Please feel free to contact us at anytime. We are here for anyone that needs us. =)
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xx
Any thoughts on how to deal with people'e reactions about self harm scars? I have BPD and self harm is one of my symptoms. Thank you for your efforts!
Bare in mind that those that judge you are misinformed. They do not know what you're going through and they certainly don't understand it. However, remember that this doesn't make your experience any less real. We will always meet people that will judge us based on anything in our looks or personality, its an almost integral part of the human experience. But, you can choose to emphasize the negative or the positive in your life. Surround yourself with the positive and try not to dwell on the negative because you deserve better!
And more importantly remember that you do have people in your life that love you and support you. Don't shut them out, tell them about your experience and keep them (the supportive ones) around you. No one deserves to go through any life experience alone :) Hope this helps!
-Dalal
And more importantly remember that you do have people in your life that love you and support you. Don't shut them out, tell them about your experience and keep them (the supportive ones) around you. No one deserves to go through any life experience alone :) Hope this helps!
-Dalal
Liked by:
xx
My 16 little girl come to me yesturday and say she want me exact like you and want make university in landon or america becayos you give her insperation thank you too much
You're very welcome! It makes us very happy to know we inspired anyone! It is wonderful that you are supporting your daughter in pursuing her dreams. Psychology is a great field and Kuwait needs it. Inshallah, just like your daughter, and hopefully more people get interested in this field in the future. Thank you for this inspiring message and let us know if we can help your daughter with anything!
Liked by:
xx
Im back **Fahad
Reading the other question I understand you've been enlightened by a class in NE Uni which inspired you to study psychiatry. So in Kuwait you were never exposed to mental illnesses? and if so, I'm assuming you came to the US with the intension of studying some other major; what was this other major?
The class at Northeastern University sparked our interest in the stigma of mental illness and the rights of people living with mental illnesses. However, we both transferred to the US to study psychology. We have always loved the field of mental health, we always knew that was the field we wanted.
We have seen many people with mental illnesses in Kuwait. As we have repeatedly said in our campaign, people living with mental illnesses are all around us, it is stigma that forces them to hide. So many people go about their lives thinking they have never met someone with a mental illness. The truth is chances are all of us have encountered a person living with a mental illness (i.e. depression, bipolar) but we weren't aware of it at the time.
We have seen many people with mental illnesses in Kuwait. As we have repeatedly said in our campaign, people living with mental illnesses are all around us, it is stigma that forces them to hide. So many people go about their lives thinking they have never met someone with a mental illness. The truth is chances are all of us have encountered a person living with a mental illness (i.e. depression, bipolar) but we weren't aware of it at the time.
Liked by:
xx
If you could start any other campaign, not mental health related, what would is be? and why?
This is a difficult question since my interests have always been in the field of mental health. However, if I were to start a campaign not related to mental health at all, it would be for the rights of animals. I have always loved animals and I cannot bear seeing them hurt. So I would campaign to get them safe shelters, set up adoption agencies, and ultimately a state-of-the-art hospital.
-Alaa
-Alaa
Liked by:
xx
Do you believe that all you hard work is actually paying off in a national scale? and what is your goals?
We believe that our hard work is paying off as long as one person has learned something from our campaign. Whether it is learning that stigmatizing people living with mental illnesses is wrong, or that mental health treatment is available and works, or even that psychology and mental health can help society, any information picked up from our campaign means success to us. Is it paying off on a national scale? We believe it is really getting there. We cannot tell you how many more people, newspapers, magazines, etc. are now finally at least talking about and recognizing mental illnesses, treatment, and are truly helping us fight the stigma. No longer can we say that the issue of stigma is hidden in our society.
Our goals are ultimately to eliminate the stigma of mental illness. People living with mental illness in society are just that, people, it is their right to integrate into society and live their lives as full respected members of society.
Our goals are ultimately to eliminate the stigma of mental illness. People living with mental illness in society are just that, people, it is their right to integrate into society and live their lives as full respected members of society.
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xx
Do you have a person acc. I may ask you something in?
Unfortunately the founders of SPEAK don't have personal accounts. However, If you want to ask the founders questions like (why did u start the campaign? why r u interested in psychology? etc.) Go ahead and ask here!
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xx
are there any special programs for teenagers with Bipolar disorder/depression/Schizoaffective disorder ?
You can contact Dr. Nicholas Scull at the Fawzia Sultan Rehabilitation Institute and he will be able to help you with these specific conditions. Also, you may contact Dr. Sadiqa or Dr. Andrea Al-Adwani at the Soor Center and they may help you as well. Hope it works out!
Liked by:
xx
Sorry from taking away from your time and perhaps even spamming but I really wanted to share. Again, thank you guys so much, I am forever in you debt. I hope you enjoyed reading as much as I enjoy following your campaign.
No worries! Stories are fun! Thank you again for being brave enough to share your story with us and keep us updated!!
Liked by:
xx
In the end all I want to say is that u guys are the reason for filling the once empty place in me. How the emptiness and dyslexia come into play, I don't know, I'll leave the psych majors to figure it out. But please bare in mind that you have change my life to the better and one day I will repay u!
Wow! To say that you have just moved us tremendously would be an understatement. What an inspirational person you are!! I am sorry that we are in a society where you can't say your name (one day that will change inshallah!), but all I want to do is put your name up as an example of an amazing and brave person! You are the reason we are doing this. We want to see our information help people. And even if it only helped you, your story makes it worth all those long hours we spent working on this project.
You are a phenomenal person and a courageous Kuwaiti! If we were your inspiration then know that you are an inspiration to us and all of Kuwait! What a beautiful soul and mind! Thank you so very much for sharing your story! And may the discovery of your "disability" be a "gift" that will enrich your life and those around you.
(PS. Sorry about not answering you right away, we study in Boston and were moving to start out Fall semester)
-Dalal and Alaa
You are a phenomenal person and a courageous Kuwaiti! If we were your inspiration then know that you are an inspiration to us and all of Kuwait! What a beautiful soul and mind! Thank you so very much for sharing your story! And may the discovery of your "disability" be a "gift" that will enrich your life and those around you.
(PS. Sorry about not answering you right away, we study in Boston and were moving to start out Fall semester)
-Dalal and Alaa
Liked by:
xx
a disability because society labels it as such. It is up to you to make good of it". Those few words are tattooed to my heart. Since then, I have been learning skills, under my counselor's guidance, to overcome the side effects my my high "visualization skills" and I hope this small story is proof
.....
Liked by:
xx
understand why I my brain and hand don't correlate when it comes to writing. I see what I want to see and not what I have written down. "You may call it a disability" he told me "but this is what is making you a good engineer; you have better visualization skills then the average person. It is only
.......
Liked by:
xx
strong. I refused to seek further help and denied the whole matter. A few days later after it all sunk in, I used the previous knowledge I gained because of you to somewhat accept it and go back to the counselor. He helped me understand what form of dyslexia I have and at a shallow level helped me
......
Liked by:
xx
give me a simple advice that changed the course of my life. She told me to go speak with the uni counselor and even though I was reluctant at first, I eventually did. To my surprised, I found out I was dyslexic. This did not make sense to me because despite my poor writing skills I am academically..
......
Liked by:
xx
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