Understanding Muslim Mental Health

Suhayl Patel - Muslims have shared their experiences of living with mental health problems as part of a training course exploring how those in the faith could be better supported. The free online programme, developed by Cardiff University's Centre for the Study of Islam in the UK, is aimed at a broad range of health and social care practitioners, including teachers, police officers, social workers and religious pastoral care providers like imams. Mental health issues affect Muslims in Britain more than other faith communities, yet they are less likely to access formal support for these problems - and when they do, their rates of improvement are lower. As well as people with lived experiences of mental health problems, leading experts and practitioners in the field have also contributed to the course, which launches on online platform FutureLearn on Monday (May 16). Course contributor Suhayl Patel, a mental health practitioner for Beacon Counselling Trust, uses his experience of gambling addiction to help others going through similar problems. He believes there is a lot of stigma associated with mental health problems among Muslim communities. The 38-year-old from Oldham, who has shared his story with course participants, said: "I grew up in a very orthodox community.