Paragraph three reads: "It was also revealed, however, that Sheikh Faisal had recently stopped taking medication which was prescribed to him after he was diagnosed with extreme depression a few months ago. He had apparently also undergone psychotherapy and Quranic counseling for his condition following intervention from Sheikh Basel."

SSRI Stories note: Withdrawal, especially abrupt withdrawal, from any of these medications can cause severe neuropsychiatric and physical symptoms. It is important to withdraw extremely slowly from these drugs, often over a period of a year or more, under the supervision of a qualified and experienced specialist, if available. Withdrawal is sometimes more severe than the original symptoms or problems.

http://www.zawya.com/story.cfm/sidZAWYA20100621040301

Kuwait: Depression linked to sheikh murder case

21 June 2010

KUWAIT: As the late Sheikh Basel Al-Sabah was laid to rest, investigations are continuing into his murder, with detectives continuing to question his uncle and killer Sheikh Faisal Abdullah Al-Jaber Al-Sabah in their attempt to unravel the mystery surrounding the crime. Adding to the confusion about the murder, relatives of both the victim and his killer have denied that there was any animosity between the two. Sheikh Faisal, meanwhile, has continued to profess ignorance about the murder and related events, reportedly responding to all questions with "I don't know" and "I have no idea.

According to all accounts, the two men had enjoyed a close and harmonious relationship, with one family member claiming that the victim had intended to support his uncle's promotion to the position of head of the Quarter Mile Drag Race Club after he stepped down from the post in order to focus on his work heading the supreme authority for disabled citizens' affairs.

It was also revealed, however, that Sheikh Faisal had recently stopped taking medication which was prescribed to him after he was diagnosed with extreme depression a few months ago. He had apparently also undergone psychotherapy and Quranic counseling for his condition following intervention from Sheikh Basel.

One source close to both men told Al-Rai that Sheikh Faisal had always been renowned for his dedication to maintaining close family ties and to his erstwhile career as a high-ranking intelligence officer.

Since the onset of his depression which coincided with his family's move to a new home, however, he had become withdrawn and introverted, avoiding contact with people whenever possible and instructing his family to tell any visitors who called that he was not at home, the source explained. "He began staying in a darkened room ever since he moved to the new house in Al-Salam," said the insider.

On the night the murder took place, last Thursday, sources close to the two men said that they were having dinner at Sheikh Basel's diwaniya as they did every week, in the company of a number of friends. Following the dinner, those present reported that Sheikh Faisal briefly excused himself before returning with a gun which he used to shoot the victim dead.

During questioning, Sheikh Faisal apparently seemed unable to accept that he had committed the murder, although he appeared quite lucid in his responses to questions on other subjects.

The head of the Criminal Investigation Department is expected to summon Sheikh Faisal's psychotherapist in order to discuss the sheikh's psychological state and the possible side-effects that could have resulted from his decision to stop taking the medication prescribed to him.

Kuwait Times 2010