Infidelity and verbal and physical abuse by husbands are the main cause of wives' psychological problems. This is according to Hanan Ataallah, associate professor at King Saud University, who said that 95 percent of mostly Saudi women seeking assistance at her clinic have these complaints.
She said women often delay seeking help because they think that their husbands might change. Others do not want to leave because they fear being separated from their children, according to a report in a local publication recently.
Problems can usually be treated with minimal intervention, but there are some cases involving women with severe depression that require major treatment. Signs of depression include altered sleeping patterns, inability to enjoy life, change in appetite, and feelings of isolation, exhaustion and anger.
She urged women not to wait too long before dealing with their problems by seeking psychological counseling. It was dangerous for women to be tolerant of infidelity because they could be exposed to sexual diseases.
Women should also not raise their children in a problematic atmosphere, including allowing them to see their fathers take drugs, she said.
