Can a hobby become an obsession?
A colleague recently told me about his son, a young man in his early 20s who had taken up fishing as a hobby. Initially, his parents were delighted as fishing seemed to offer a healthy escape from...
The man who feared losing his passport
A man in his mid-sixties came to my clinic complaining about a recurring dream that had been troubling him for months. Every night, he found himself stranded in an airport after losing his passport...
The ‘White Bear’ effect: Why trying not to think fails
While preparing for a workshop on how to deal with negative thoughts, I came across a very interesting psychological experiment conducted by an American researcher Daniel Wenger. In this experiment,...
Kaizen and the science of sustainable growth
A colleague recently told me about his son, who is in his late twenties and works as an IT specialist, spending much of his day seated behind a desk. His routine consists of long working hours,...
The psychology of the missing 30 millilitres
At a recent family dinner, my almost 26-year-old was staring at his can of soft drink in amusement. His action annoyed me, so I said in a light joke, 'someone is preoccupied today.' With a...
What do we know about the psychology of evil?
I have always been curious about why some people commit evil crimes. This is why, when I read about the movie ‘Nuremberg’, I was curious to watch it. The movie is based on the book ‘The Nazi and...
What happened to our best friends?
I recently attended a social gathering for former classmates. It was a pleasant evening filled with laughter and shared memories. For a few hours, we stepped back into a time when life felt simpler...
Recognising emotional instability in relationships
Miss A is a psychologist who is very passionate about her job. She was in her mid-thirties when a young man proposed to marry her. He had a stable job and came from a decent family, yet when they...
The myth of 'Dark Psychology'
Many people are interested in psychology, and books in the field are often among the bestsellers. Some believe reading about psychology would give them power to analyse and influence human behaviour. ...
Should we consider banning social media for under-15s?
A few months ago, I came across a news post stating that members of the French parliament voted in favour of a landmark bill that would ban children under 15 from using social media platforms. This is...
The psychological impacts of performance evaluation systems
A few weeks ago, a colleague shared a photograph on social media of him holding a piece of paper informing his patients that his recent performance evaluation had rated him as ‘Good,’ and that...
Not fine, and that’s perfectly human
One of the habits I developed recently during the Eid holiday is to try out new coffee shops in my old town. Most coffee shops have a collection of old books that I often read while waiting for...
The hidden psychological cost of war news
When the attack on Iran began, I happened to be on a short visit to Saudi Arabia. Between a busy schedule and the rhythm of Ramadhan, I had not been following social media or the news as closely as I...
Why some battered wives always go back
Mrs A was in her forties when she attended my clinic with symptoms of depression and severe sleep disturbance following a major argument with her husband. She described him as emotionally abusive and...
When do we become ‘old’? Rethinking age in a changing world
It was around 7 pm when the doorbell rang. My 28-year-old son was sitting in the living room. He rushed to open the door, only to find two young boys standing outside. “Sorry, uncle, can we have our...
When losing a job feels like losing yourself
The Korean film 'No Other Choice' begins with Yoo Man-su, a manager at a paper factory, enjoying a barbecue with his wife, two children and their dogs. It is an ordinary moment,...
Why some workplace well-being programmes miss the point
I recently attended a well-being at work event in Muscat where experts from around the globe presented their initiatives in this field. The discussion was fascinating, and I was happy to see...
When resignation becomes a path to healing
Mrs B, a 45-year-old mother of four, came to my clinic feeling sad with frequent anxiety attacks, losing interest in almost everything and having self-doubts about her ability to do her job. She was...
Are workplaces failing millennials?
Last weekend, I invited my 25-year-old son out for hot chocolate. Halfway through the drive, I told him, “You get to pick the café — and you’re paying”. His usually serious expression...
When the therapist takes the patient: Lessons from Stutz
My son recommended that I watch the documentary Stutz, saying, “I’m sure you’ll enjoy it, as it talks about the life of a psychiatrist.” I quickly stopped him from spoiling the plot and added...