Sheikh Khalifa Medical City Urges Public to Seek Help for Extreme Mood Swings

Public Lecture as Part of On-going Series of Mental Health Awareness Talks – 9 December

Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates: Sheikh Khalifa Medical City (SKMC) is spotlighting mental health again this month, in an effort to help people experiencing severe and persistent mood swings.

A public lecture took place on 9 December at 6:30 pm in the Behavioural Sciences Pavilion (BSP) auditorium at SKMC, aimed at understanding the importance of differentiating between regular changes in mood and those that are related to disorders.

“Small mood swings, or emotional ups and downs, are part of most people’s lives, and part of being human is the wide range of emotions that one can experience,” said Dr. Abdulnaser Arida, a consultant psychiatrist in Abu Dhabi who conducted the talk.

“However, some mood swings can be so extreme or rapid that they can cause distress and affect everyday life functions, and people experiencing these extreme forms should consider seeking professional help. A professional can help accurately diagnose the problem, and suggest appropriate treatment,” Dr. Arida added.

Experiencing feelings such as happiness, stress, fear or depression occur when the brain releases chemicals called neurotransmitters, the release and re-absorption of which affects how a person feels. People who experience mood swings might have an imbalance of the neurotransmitters like serotonin, norepinephrine, and dopamine, which can be balanced with the right medication.

According to the World Health Organisation, 27 million people suffer from bipolar disorder, characterised by extreme mood swings, worldwide.

“Bipolar disorder knows no racial, cultural, or economic boundaries, and just like anything else in life, when something is out of balance, it can cause trouble. We want to urge anyone experiencing mood swings for more than a few weeks, that seriously affect daily life and relationships, to reach out and seek help – there is certainly help out there,” Dr. Arida said.

This health talk is part of the Mental Health Awareness Program that started in March 2010, and includes a series of health talks in Arabic language every month on different topics related to mental health and social problems.

SKMC is part of the SEHA Health System and is owned and operated by Abu Dhabi Health Services Company PJSC (SEHA), which is responsible for the curative activities of all the public hospitals and clinics in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi.

The Mental Health Awareness Program is organized by the BSP of SKMC, a comprehensive psychiatric facility committed to providing mental health treatment services in the UAE. The program consists of monthly public health talks about different topics related to mental health in the Arabic language. The talks are given by a panel of mental health professionals, including psychiatrists, psychologists as well as social workers from the BSP. Each session includes a question and answer session to answer the attendees’ inquiries.