Laughter gets harder in Egypt

Cairo: Egyptians have long been known for their sense of humour even during difficult times.

Economic woes, including high unemployment and price hikes, have apparently taken their toll on cheerfulness in this Arab country of 80 million. Local writers have recently wondered where Egyptians' flair for jokes has gone.

"Around 70 per cent of Egyptians who visit medical clinics and complain about physical diseases are diagnosed with ... tension and stress," said Ramez Taha, an Egyptian consultant psychologist.

Dr Taha has just launched "Triumph over Anxiety and Depression," a campaign aimed at teaching people how to manage their anger and overcome stress.

Forgiveness

"This includes simple methods such as deep breathing, regular sports, making new friends and even laughing," Dr Taha told Gulf News. The campaign, which involves other psychologists, seeks to promote forgiveness and tolerance among the public. "Volunteers also perform psychodrama that explores through dramatic action people's problems, aspirations and agonies," he explains. "With psychodrama, people learn how to psychoanalyse their problems."

Egypt ranked 74th on a scale of happiness covering 97 nations, where almost 90 per cent of the world's population live, according to a recent study. The study, published in the July issue of the academic journal "Perspectives on Psychological Science," measured happiness by asking people how happy they were and how satisfied they were with their lives.

The study, led by Ronald Inglehart a political scientist at the University of Michigan's Institute for Social Research, found the Danish the world's happiest people. Zimbabwe tailed the table of the 97 countries.

"Tension and stress are the main reasons for many physical and mental disorders," warns Dr Taha. "They may lead to high pressure that can in turn lead to coronary disease, heart problems and renal failure. They can also result in depression and suicidal attitudes."

The Toxicology Centre of the Ain Shams University, which is Egypt's second biggest university, treated in six months around 12,000 people who had attempted suicide. Around 43 per cent of those people were aged between 18 and 20, a recent Egyptian study has found. Some 26 per cent of the people covered by the same study attempted to kill themselves due to economic hardships.

Over recent months, Egypt has been gripped by a series of protests against high prices and low wages.

"Unemployment, price rises and living woes are new realities of life to Egyptians and Arabs in general," comments Dr Taha. "They have significantly contributed to feelings of depression."