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Substance Misuse in the UAE and the National Rehabilitation Center

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Mental Health and Psychological Practice in the United Arab Emirates

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Abstract

The life and lifestyle of people who are identified as Emiratis has changed rapidly since the unification of the seven Trucial States and subsequent birth of the nation in 1971. Since then, the UAE has undergone a rapid change in every sphere of life, which is perhaps unprecedented in history. For the indigenous Emirati, the transition from poverty to affluence in such a brief period has been an extraordinary one (Al Nahyan, 2014) and requires significant psychological adjustment (Thomas, 2013). The impact it has had on culture and identity is a worthy field of study in its own right. This rapid development has required a massive influx of a foreign and multinational workforce, which has significantly impacted Emirati culture, traditions, and social and family structures in addition to Westernization and globalization. There are perhaps no parallels in history to this transformation. This nonimmigrant influx of many cultures simultaneously and its impact on indigenous people is quite possibly a unique phenomenon.

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Authors
  1. Shamil Wanigaratne
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  2. Hamad Abdullah Al Ghaferi
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Editor information

Carrie York Al-Karam Amber Haque

Copyright information

© 2015 Shamil Wanigaratne and Hamad Abdullah Al Ghaferi

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Wanigaratne, S., Ghaferi, H.A.A. (2015). Substance Misuse in the UAE and the National Rehabilitation Center. In: Al-Karam, C.Y., Haque, A. (eds) Mental Health and Psychological Practice in the United Arab Emirates. Palgrave Macmillan, New York. https://doi.org/10.1057/9781137558237_12

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