1. MENTAL HEALTH AND
CULTURE
Disparity between Arab Perception and Western Treatment

2. OVERVIEW
• Mental Health - What is it?
• Comparisonof Perception and Treatment between Western
and Arab Culture of Mental Health Illnesses
• Cross Effects of Religion/Gender/Language
• Effects of Temporality
• Evaluation
• Conclusion

3. KEY TERMS
• Islam- Pertaining to the religious teachings found in the Qur’an or historical records of
Muhammad's life.
• Muslim- Pertaining to Islamic culture but not always rooted in Islamic practice. (Ex. Arabesque
architecture of Synagogue)
• Arab Descent (Geographic)- Genealogical origins are linked to Northern Africa (Algeria, Egypt,
Morocco) and Arabian Peninsula (Saudi Arabia, Iran, U.A.E.)
• Idioms- Expressions rooted in one’s culture whose meaning doesn’t come from the words
themselves (Ex. Raining cats and dogs)
• Sapir-Whorf Hypothesis- The idea that a person’s linguistic background affects their perception of
the world.
• Dilemma of Assimilation- Series of conflicts arising when one’s past culture is different form their
new location, resulting in a choice between maintenance and abandonment of cultural attitudes.

4. WHAT IS MENTAL HEALTH?
• Mental Illness- Psychiatric or behavioral patterns not expected within developmental or cultural
norms. (Ex. Depression, Anxiety, Schizophrenia)
• Neurotransmitters- Chemicals in the brain that relay messages within the nervous system. (Ex.
Serotonin, Nor-Epinephrine)
• Psychotherapy- Use of psychological practices to modify or eliminate a mental illness without
drugs/surgery. (Ex. Talk, music, or art therapy)
• Psychologist vs. Psychiatrist- Psychologists do not prescribe drugs and often use psychotherapy to
assist patients.
• Problems with agreement and classification- DSM vs. International Statistical Classification

5. PERCEPTION DIFFERENCES
(DIAGNOSTIC)
• Western Perceptions of Mental Health
• Biological/Technology
• Psychosocial
• Stress
• Catastrophe
• Acceptance?

6. PERCEPTION DIFFERENCES
(DIAGNOSTIC)
• Arab Perceptions of Mental Health
• Religion
• Gender
• Familial/Marital Obligations
• Acceptance?

7. PERCEPTION DIFFERENCES
(TREATMENT)
• Western Expectations?
• Western Methods?
• Drugs
• Therapy
• Time

8. PERCEPTION DIFFERENCES
(TREATMENT)
• Arab Expectation
• Cure
• Arab Methods
• Religion
• Fulfilling Roles
• Conflict with Western Treatment

9. ANALYSIS WITHIN SCOPE OF
RELIGION/GENDER/LANGUAGE
• How do they interact?
• Religion and Gender
• Gender and Language
• Religion and Language
• Proximity of Therapist

10. ANALYSIS REGARDING
TEMPORALITY
• Passage of Time
• Effect on Beliefs
• Age
• Perception of Time
• Western vs. Arab
• Distance and Time

11. EVALUATION
• Questions left-
• What happens when Arab treatment fails?
• What current research has been done?
• What education methods are put in place?
• How will the war affect their perception of mental health?

12. EVALUATION CONTINUED
• Suggestions
• Cultural education
• Establishing guidelines for open-minded therapists
• Consensus on Illness and what is normal

13. CONCLUSION
• Effect of stigmas outside of mental health
• Cultural
education offers treatment help, but don’t expect a
change in perception
• The need to break the cycle
• Personal mental health views

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