When Will We Stop Shaming Those Who Seek Mental Support? Sherif Desouky Speaks Up
Ramadan 2020 brought to the spotlight many new stars, one of them being Sherif Desouky, or more commonly known as ‘Saba3ba3’ from ‘B 100 Wesh.’ Many of those watching the series loved his role and his talent, and enjoyed his comic stunts. However, there have been several rumors in the past few months circulating around him. In response to these rumors, Desouky was featured on Amr Adib’s ‘El Hekaya’ TV show last night, where he broke down in tears, and expressed his sadness and disappointment from people’s comments and judgements about him.
From being an alcoholic to visiting a mental health hospital, these were just some of the rumors that people spread about Desouky. In the interview, Desouky explained that he visited a psychiatrist 20 years ago, after he and his wife got divorced, and stressed that there is nothing wrong with that. He also stated that he worked with Egypt’s most prominent film directors like Sherif Arafa, Kamla Abu Zekry, Ahmed El-Gendy, and Ahmed Khaled Moussa. He then told Amr Adib to ask them about his behavior, highlighting that he was astonished to find out that people had been accusing him of going to shoots whilst under the influence of alcohol. “I reach the location two hours prior to the shooting time,” he said. Desouky assured the public that he would never go to a shooting while being drunk, and demanded for people to stop spreading false accusations about him.
In a Facebook post, Desouky said that he had left the shooting location due to a leg injury, and when he went to the hospital, he found out that he is diabetic. Following which, rumors were then spread that he was kicked out of the shooting location due to being intoxicated, which Desouky stressed on being absolutely false.
It isn’t uncommon for artists to be subject to bullying or rumors for visiting mental health specialists, or seeking mental support in general. Unfortunately, Arab societies still stigmatize mental health issues, and point fingers to anyone seeking help. The rumors regarding Sherif Desouky have revived the importance and the need to tackle this current mentality.
