Health is a holistic experience, maintains established psychologist Mohammed Redha Al Lawati, drawing parallels between Mind (mental wellness) and Body (physical health) to highlight the importance of establishing a balance between the two to enjoy all round wellness. “If you take care of your mental health alongside your physical, spiritual and social or environmental health, you will be an all around healthy person,” he states, as he shares his expertise on the subject, in the following interview, in which he throws the spotlight on the larger picture of mental health; he points out the triggers that could interfere with the balance and underscores the need for awareness.

What are some of the more common reasons people consult you for treatment/therapy?
Depression and anxiety, specifically, are the most common ones. However, some people come just to learn how to deal with stress. There are also family issues and marital problems.

What is the most common age range of the patients?

Our team at Al Harub Medical Centre sees a variety of patients, ranging from children to the elderly. Personally, for me, the most common age group has been the 20s.

Is stigma still a major concern for people to approach a mental health expert?
Yes, it is. But I have discovered that it is not peculiar to Oman alone; it is a worldwide phenomena. Many classify treatment as a sign of weakness; parents tend to think that it reflects poor parenting – which is not always the case. Sometimes you have the genetic predisposition, which is aggravated by environmental issues. Besides, some people want quick solutions, which is not possible in the domain of mental health. But the situation is getting better…

How does one define one’s mental state, as there is no thermometer to label one as average or otherwise?

We try to avoid labelling people, but if someone wants to assess his/her mental state, I would say there are a few factors:

• Psychological, mental or emotional ease;
• Awareness; and
• Coping mechanism

While ease means absence of distress, awareness is an understanding of what goes on in one’s mind. A lot of people who have anger issues have minimum awareness of why they are angry or what triggered their anger. And, on the coping front, it is important to identify that we all have issues in life. It is how you cope with it that dictates your mental state. For example, after a bad day at work, if you go for a jog, go to the gym, do yoga/meditation, talk to a friend or a therapist, you are indulging in healthy coping mechanism. On the other hand, overworking, over eating, overspending, over drinking, substance abuses are all unhealthy coping mechanisms.

Do you think there is a link between mindset and mental health?

Mental health is not very straight forward to describe. In the book ‘Mindset: The New Psychology of Success’, Carol S. Dweck talks about two different mindsets in people – people who have fixed mindsets and people who have growth mindsets. Fixed mindset people will have harder time coping with mental health issues or seeking help. Growth mindset people are more open to get feedback and approach for help.

Would you say the incidence of depression and/or anxiety has increased in the recent years?

Yes and no. Because of social media, more people are becoming aware of the availability of help. I have an Instagram account (@psych_mohammed) and I promote mental health; lots of people have come to me just to talk. While I do not have the numbers, I would say genetics play a big part, which means we do not know if someone is genetically predisposed to depression.

What are the risk factors for developing depression during childhood or adolescence?

Teen years are very confusing. Bullying, relationship issues, study stress can all activate depression if you are genetically predisposed. Besides, if parents are generally irate or abusive, it could also act as a trigger. It is also important to watch for changes in the behaviours of children and teens. Some people think it is normal for teenagers to be sad or gloomy, or lonesome. You need to be careful as the child/teen might actually have clinical depression and it will not just go away. We have seen teens committing suicide on social media platforms. If you have a friend, colleague family member who is expressing concern about his/her life, has suicidal thoughts and is generally feeling depressed, support him/her and encourage seeking help.

What has lifestyle got to do with our mental health? Does diet have a say in our state of mind?

A lot! Lifestyle choices can make or break our mental health. Smoking, drinking, caffeine, bad sleeping habits can increase or elevate psychological illnesses/disorders. For example, if you have anxiety, you should cut down caffeine or even stop it. I have seen many people whose anxieties have reduced by 40 percent after stopping caffeine.  Caffeine could escalate the problem among anxious people who also have depression.

On another level, diet becomes important owing to the growing obsession with body image. It is a major concern for teenagers and social media has aggravated the situation. I had a client who was 20 years old and was obsessed with becoming fit like the people she saw on Instagram. It took a long time to make her understand that she can create her own image; there is no need to copy somebody.

What is the role of environment in ensuring that we are healthy – mind and body?

Environment is extremely important. There is a huge debate on nature versus nurture. Although it is not so clear-cut, I would say if you have a healthy environment at home, in the society, school or office, you might go through your entire life without any mental illness, even though you might be genetically predisposed. But if you do have a problem and your environment is supportive, getting help and getting better will be easier.

One of the biggest issues I face here is that families are not supportive. Lots of people come for therapy secretively. Their parents don’t know, their spouses don’t know… When I ask them why, they say they don’t want to be judged.

The mind and body connection opens up a whole category of somatoform disorders where you have physiological complaints that have no biological basis. It is caused because of some mental issues. I always tell people that if we take care of our psychological or mental health, we will reduce physical illnesses in a very strong way. God forbid, even if you have a chronic disease and it stays with you for long, if you have a grasp of how your mind works, you will be able to cope better and your chances of getting better are high. That’s because you are not in a negative frame of mind, you are not defeated.

What are the triggers that could shift that balance towards mental ill-health?

Divorce, debt, loss of a loved one…are all very stressful experiences. Another trigger is bullying at school and work, as well as abuse, either at home or any other environment. For example, someone who has been sexually abused as a child, if not treated, can lead the rest of his/her life in trauma. To tackle bullying at work – by the boss or co-worker/s – the best solution is to approach the human resource personnel; at school it could be the student counsellor or principal/teacher or other students. The best remedy to mitigate all triggers is to lead a healthy lifestyle.

Is it common for people with mental illnesses to hide it under the garb of normalcy?

Yes. I had a client who contacted me and said he was in denial of his anxiety. He had social anxiety disorder or social phobia. He was in denial because he felt the label, psychological disorder or mental illness, made one an abnormal person. A lot of people do that just – denial is a coping mechanism and it is common for people to do it. Most common are those who have addiction problems.

Sometimes, however, you can manage these issues by sleeping better, eating right, exercising, etc. Even people who have anxiety can lead normal lives if they know how to deal with it. But if you cannot live your life normally, you need help, even if it is for one session to learn some skills.

How has technology changed the way you engage with individuals on mental health?

Technology is an amazing tool to spread information very quickly. For example, one-minute Instagram video on what is therapy can change lives in one click. But has technology, per se, crated new mental illnesses? Difficult to say; but it has made it easy for people who do have issues to act out. They are the ones who have anti-social personality disorders. If you notice, some people are very different in their real life, in comparison to their online life.

Could you provide any tips and suggestions to help people enjoy positive mental health? 

• Get a psychologist
• Get a complete blood test
• Follow a holistic lifestyle
• Be aware of your mental status
• Sleep & eat well
• Stay away from harmful habits
• Practice meditation/yoga
• Exercise regularly
• Talk to a positive person
• Initiate hobbies

A psychologist and trainer at the Al Harub Medical Centre, Mohammed has made it his mission to create general awareness on the subject of mental health. Towards this end, he devotes time to conducting workshops on learning and development, while using his social media account to reach out to people to bring out the common mental health issues that are, commonly, swept under the proverbial carpet.