On the 16th of September Shahid released a brand-new series starring Yasmin Raeis and Mahmoud Nasr.
The show sheds light on a lot of important topics that weren’t usually discussed in Egyptian shows such as boundaries in therapy, sexual abuse, rape, mental illnesses, and domestic violence.
The first few episodes discuss the story of a popular psychiatrist and the mysterious execution of his wife who demands a divorce minutes before her death -very triggering, isn’t it? One of the topics discussed -which I found really interesting and well portrayed- is the psychological accumulations of mental illnesses, such as inherited ones.
Mental illnesses and therapy
To our very day, mental illnesses and therapy are sadly considered a shame; people would rather move past their children’s mistakes and decorate them with mottos about life and how mistakes are a part of who we are -regardless of how grave they are- than admit their children may need professional help. Said issues were perfectly represented in our new popular show.
For instance, instead of providing the kid with help, the mother created an unhealthy environment which drastically increases the disorder and strengthens its hold on the child’s mentality. In such cases, victims
are prone to feeling helpless and cornered into a tough position, which may lead to…
Another thing to admire about the show was the “post suicide attempt” sequence of events which is an important topic that is poorly represented in media and the film industry.
In a lot of cases, instead of providing a suicidal person with comfort and safety they are blamed for their
actions and pressured into thinking their feelings are invalid. However, the worst actions to be taken
would be declaring their fate doomed when it comes to whether they are going to be forgiven by God or
not, calling them faithless and giving upon them.
All in all, it’s safe to say that mental health is an essential subject. People should be granted help and
supported on their best and worst days and as much as important therapy is, there are boundaries that have
to be set and red flags usually aren’t paid much attention that sometimes it could worsen a patient’s health.
Here is a list of red flags that are utterly unacceptable and disturbing:
• Judgmental opinions on lifestyle, religion, relationships between family members and friends
• The mention of identities and private information of other clients
• Blackmailing and threatening to expose personal matters
• Sexual abuse, romantic relationships, and initiating physical touches -such as hugs or holding hands-
without consent.
• The therapist either talks too much without allowing you to express yourself or does not talk at all.
• Starts conversations about topics unrelated to why you’re there.
• Talk in an academic language or usage of complex vocabulary that might confuse you.
• Make promises and guarantees and not set a clear plan for your journey.
The show is becoming personally one of my favorites. The portray of such essential subjects and the coverage of various aspects of one case scenario, the flow of events, the dialogue, and how the characters are
written is beyond perfect. The show presents more than a story; it discusses important topics and lessons that I think everyone should be aware of, such as suicide and how to deal with a suicidal person.