scot47

Over on another forum I am confronted with someone who thinks it is okay to go to Saudi while suffering from mild to severe depression. I have tried to explain to the unfortunate involved that KSA is difficult for most of us - doubly so for anyone with mental health issues.

Any comments from those who have experienced KSA, psychotic symptoms, or both ?

Millhouse

a change is a good as a rest.

Bahtatboy

Surely it depends on what's causing the depression. If it's SAD then he'll be better off in Saudi.

Millhouse

could be the wife.

Bahtatboy

It has been known...

scot47

My adversary is taking the line that we should not discriminate against crazy people. There is racism and sexism. Ageism. He thinks that Crazyism is an issue ! Equal rights for mad people ! That includes access to the job market in Saudi. My line is that there are enough mad people in KSA. they do not need to import more.

Bahtatboy

The joke used to be that Japan was the biggest open asylum in the world, but after being abused by immigration at Dammam airport, threatened by homi/suicidal drivers and bare-facedly lied at during meetings, you get the feeling that the place is FUBAHope and would make an asylum look like a place of calm and reason. A crazy person's going to fit in just fine.

Flippancy aside, surely this isn't the forum to get the answers (unless one of our medical posters jumps in). When I lived in Saudi (a long, long time ago) there was excellent medical care, but I can't imagine an employer being happy to shell out for mental health care for a new employee, or put up with the time of work it would entail. And if the employer just thinks the problem's going to go away, they're as nuts as the place itself.

scot47

I told him his employer would put him on the next plane home.

weasel decentral

The normal antidotes for the depressed such as alcohol, drugs and women are not easily found in KSA.

Bahtatboy

That's why they built the confounded bridge.

Beakersful

ROFL!

They don't generally do scifi in the arab world. But there's one story I read once that told of a dry, dusty world populated by nomadic like tribes who moved to modern cities and lost their way. 'Fruit juice' could be order through the local mom'n'pop shop, 120sar for a waterbutt container based on prunes. Shady weed dealers could be found on each block right as the metal charirty bins to combat drug issues were found outside the religious establishments. Opiate type products, and amphetamines saturated the hot, headache inducing nights, with stamped 'smarties' far removed from the western electronic dance music appear from time to time (however pure the chemists find it) In the segregated environment there's houses of ill-repute where warm contact can be paid for by the hour/night in the capital, with independents in the countryside lesser known, and various contact applications in the electronic ether that work....... just............fine.

scot47

All vices are catered for within the borders of KSA. A surprising number come to Saudi thinking there is no booze so they can dry out there. It does not work that way.