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Exploring Differences in Quality of Life in Clinical Populations of Depressed Outpatients with And Without Personality Disorders by Kool et al.

Raneem Baalbaki

Kool, Marit et al. “Exploring Differences in Quality of Life in Clinical Populations of Depressed Outpatients with And Without Personality Disorders” Journal of Affective Disorders, vol. 282, 7 January 2021, pp. 1125-1131.

In this journal article eight mental health psychologist from the university of Amsterdam talk about the differences in the quality of life in those who suffer from depression and personality disorders than those who don’t. personality disorders, mood disorders and depression tend to co-exist. That the thing about mental disorders it’s never just one thing it’s a little bit of something here and there to ultimately create a disorder. Patients with depression have reported to have an extremely low quality of life compared to those who don’t suffer from depression as well as those who suffer from personality disorders. this article will be very helpful to me for my final paper because it gives statistical evidence that a disorder as common as depression has a lower quality of life than a rare personality disorder. that means that more and more peoples quality of life is decreasing as their depression gets worse.

– “Patients in the depression-only group reported a lower quality of life compared to patients who suffered from comorbid diagnoses of depression and [personality disorders]. When subdividing the comorbid group, this difference was statistically significant for the depression + [personality disorders] group, but not for the [personality disorder] + depression group” (Kool et al. 1129)

– “Both depressive disorders and [personality disorders] are highly invalidating conditions that affect the quality of life of patients” (Kool et al. 1125)

When Death Is Sought: Assisted Suicide and Euthanasia in the Medical Context by New York State

Raneem Baalbaki

New York State Task Force on Life and the Law. “The Epidemiology of Suicide” When Death Is Sought: Assisted Suicide and Euthanasia in the Medical Context, New York State, April 2011, pp. 11.

In this book by the New York State Task Force on Life and the Law, chapter one talks about what it means to be suicidal and the thought process behind it. Suicide is the eighth leading causa of death in the U.S. Suicide is not the result of a little problem or a crisis someone is going through. Personal characteristics are associated with a higher risk of committing suicide. Society has tried its best to prevent suicide and has even seen attempts as a cry for help or the need for psychiatric treatment. Because of this the thought of patients being allowed to go through with assisted suicides seems wrong and seems to challenge the belief that suicide should be prevented. This book chapter goes into detail about suicide and how assisted suicides challenge society’s beliefs and norms, and this is information that will be very helpful for me in my final essay.

– “The common stimulus to suicide is intolerable psychological pain.  Suicide represents an escape or release from that pain” (New York State 11)

– “Studies that examine the psychological background of individuals who kill themselves show that 95 percent have a diagnosable mental disorder at the time of death.  Depression, accompanied by symptoms of hopelessness and helplessness, is the most prevalent condition among individuals who commit suicide” (New York State 11)

Euthanasia Spreads in Europe by Wesley J. Smith

Raneem Baalbaki

Smith, Wesley J. “Euthanasia Spreads in Europe.” National Review, 26 October 2011.

In this article by Wesley J. Smith, a lawyer and an award-winning author who is a senior fellow at the Discovery Institutes Center on Human Exceptionalism and is also a consultant to the Patient’s rights Council, talks about how allowing assisted suicides for patients suffering for psychiatric disorders is wrong and should not be allowed. He goes on to explain how we shouldn’t be supporting suicide but trying our best to stop it. Smith brings to light how at one point in time we stopped trying to keep people alive even though it could be a long and difficult process and started agreeing that dying would a much easier way out even though that is the exact thought process we are trying to avoid. This article will help for the opposing paragraph in my final paper.

– “The assisted-suicide movement has eroded society’s commitment to suicide prevention. It has created an atmosphere where many people now see ‘dead’ as better than ‘dying’ and suicide as a valid remedy” (Smith)

– “This is cause for great worry, for, once a society embraces doctor prescribed death as an acceptable answer to human suffering or as some kind of fundamental liberty right, there are no brakes” (Smith)

Personal Interview with Donya Ishaq

Brandon Digman

Donya Ishaq is a fellow classmate of mine in our college English class. She is a long standing practitioner of Islam, allowing me to choose her as testimony for Islamic practices and its teachings. In our conducted interview, I asked her a variety of questions related to Islam and how it affects her. Donya is a revered individual in her religious practices. She believes that discovering the true meaning of Islam can shape her life in a way that has meaning. She has never been made to be inferior or oppressed in her time as a practitioner. In fact, Donya argues that Islam actually gives women better rights and power. If she ever felt oppressed by Islam, she would not follow it at all. Islamic teachings such as dressing modestly helped her realize that her body is sacred and is not meant to be paraded around for others to see. She concluded by saying, as a woman, she has been given a sense of empowerment and respect. I believe this interview is crucial to include because it provides an outsider perspective. Donya is a practitioner of Islam in the United States, a country that has more religious tolerance than Iran. Her lifestyle can be used to provide an alternate practice when compared to Iranian Islam, which will allow me to further set the notion of my thesis, and therefore reinforce it.

  • 1 – “I have actively sought to discover the true meaning of Islam and how it can shape my life in a meaningful way. One of the ways I have done this is by researching Islamic teachings and principles, which has had a significant impact on my lifestyle choices” (Ishaq)
  • 2 – “I have never felt oppressed by my religion. I mean why would I follow a religion that treats me as inferior. Looking through an outsider’s perspective, I can see why they may think women are oppressed. When you only listen to the media and don’t research about the religion itself, Islam can look like a misogynistic religion. When in reality, Islam gave women basic human rights centuries before the West did” (Ishaq).

In the Eye of the Storm by Erika Friedl et al

Brandon Digman

Erika Friedl is an award winning author and the professor of anthropology at Western Michigan University. Many of her publications and contributions revolve around women and religion, specifically Islam. She and her contributors wrote the book, “In the Eye of the Storm: Women in Post-revolutionary Iran,” which highlights, as the title states, women’s lives in post-revolutionary Iran. The scope of this book takes place after 1979 and into the late 1900s, providing key factors of change to women’s lives that inadvertently decreased their social standing in many areas of life such as domestic life, life in the workforce, life in the media, etc. A significant thing to note is that the content also examines women’s protest in Iran post-revolution, and how their demands for more freedom in society have been answered to an extent. The main takeaway I want for this source to highlight in my essay is to provide post-revolutionary details, and any positive or negative outcomes. This source is also helpful as it contains information that is universal in the sense that it can be included in either my thesis or the counter-thesis to support it. 

  • 1 – “Since an Islamic society needs women in occupations such as medicine, education, and law, and since the Constitution calls on the government to facilitate and provide for the development of women, this bill would permit women to work and look after their families at the same time. Mr. Forughi believed that if women wanted fully to accept their responsibilities as described in the Quran, they should not work outside the house” (Friedl et al).
  • 2 – “On the other hand, comparison over time indicates that the situation has been improving during the decade of the Islamic Republic. The gender age gap in literacy has decreased from 23 percentage points to 19 percentage points overall, and among youths of 15 to 19 years of age it has decreased from 26 percentage points to 16 percentage points. The female proportion of the school enrollment has also increased in the last 15 years, and figures for the last five years show that the increase has continued quite steadily under the Islamic Republic” (Friedl et al).

Populism and Feminism in Iran by Haideh Moghissi

Brandon Digman

Moghissi, Haideh. Populism and Feminism in Iran. Cuny-Si.primo.exlibrisgroup, 2016

Hadieh Moghissi is an Iranian-Born sociologist, working as an Emerita Professor for York University in Toronto. She was also the founder of the Iranian National Union of Women, and had experienced the Islamic Revolution first hand. She wrote the academic journal, “Populism and Feminism in Iran,” which discusses the timeline of the women’s question in the country around the time of the revolution. The content of the journal addresses many instances of changes to law that had affected Iranian women, female counter-attacks of such laws, and analysis/explanation of them. Moghissi argues that the hindrance towards female progressiveness in Iran is attributed to the dictatorial power of the Islamic Regime. As such, the revolution had sparked many gender awareness ideas to fly around the country as women were being stripped of so much in society. This source will be important to include during the analysis and pre-analysis of my thesis as it shows the female reaction toward the revolution, as well as providing some reasoning as to why the Islamic Revolution changed women’s social life the way that they did.

  • 1 – “Both Islamist and socialist forces engaged in frequent criticism of feminists and feminist ideas. In these areas, the left contributed to the saliency and acceptance of Islamic populist themes. So male-centered were their views of social change and their definitions of democracy that they left no space for women’s democratic rights and voices” (Moghissi 2)
  • 2 – “A key factor in understanding this pattern, I will argue, is the central importance of female sexuality and sexual control in Islamic culture. It helps explain why the homogenizing forces of Islamic culture  are expressed with utmost clarity and strength in the assertion of male control and authority over women’s lives and in the uniformity of policies in the areas of women’s rights and status” (Moghissi 13).

Iranian Women Burn Their Hijabs as Hundreds Protest Death of Mahsa by Jessie Yeung et al

Brandon Digman

Yeung, Jessie, et al. “Iranian Women Burn Their Hijabs as Hundreds Protest Death of Mahsa 

Amini.” CNN, Cable News Network, 21 Sept. 2022 

Jessie Yeung is the Asia Pacific Writer for CNN, a renowned media company that covers multinational news, in Hong Kong. She and her fellow writers wrote this article, which covers the multiple protests in Iran after the death of Mahsa Amini. The article recounts that in September, 2022, Amini was violently beaten as punishment for improperly wearing her hijab in public, resulting in her death 3 days later while being held in police custody. As a result of this incident, many women took to public protesting in Iranian streets. Such acts of protests describe these women revealing their hair to the public and cutting it off, which is considered a violation of hijab laws in the country. However, this article also highlights the consequences of protest as some women were killed by Iranian security forces for their defiance. This article holds value as it lends direct support to my thesis and not of the opposing, The content of this article shall be used as an example of how women in present day Iran feel about a particular restrictive law, which can therefore be used to show the bigger picture about many other laws placed onto them. 

  • 1 – “The death last week of 22-year-old Mahsa Amini, who was arrested in Tehran by morality police – a dedicated unit that enforces strict dress codes for women, such as wearing the compulsory headscarf – has sparked an outpouring anger over issues ranging from freedoms in the Islamic Republic to the crippling economic impacts of sanctions” (Yeung et al).
  • 2 – “Footage shows some protesters chanting, ‘Women, life, freedom.’ Others can be seen setting up bonfires, scuffling with police, or removing and burning their headscarves – as well as destroying posters of the country’s Supreme Leader and shouting, ‘Death to the dictator’” (Yeung et al).

True Islam – Women’s Dress Code

Brandon Digman

“True Islam.” True Islam – Women Dress Code, 2001

True Islam is a non news, online version of the Quran, the holy book of the Islamic religion. Its principles have been translated to English with background information on its principles provided. Within this chapter of the book, the content provides the actual teachings set in place for the attire of women that practice the religion. The chapter preaches on women dressing absolutely modestly, covering private areas for the body, and being humble as God, also known as Allah, is always with them and watching. This source provides vital information to the teachings and practices of women’s wear, which is seen in Iran’s regulations placed onto women. This source can be used to enforce the opposing side of the argument as it can be beneficial in aiding the justification of women’s rights in that country. 

  • 1 – ““Revering God is the most important guideline for women when they choose their dress. The righteous reverent woman will know that God is always watching her, she will therefore dress modestly and in line with God’s requirements for decency and morality. Any woman knows full well what clothes are considered decent and what clothes are revealing, she will not need to be told. This is why God set the rule of reverence as the first rule” (True Islam)
  • 2 – “The third rule can also be found in 24:31. Here God commands women not to reveal their beauty spots except what is normally apparent such as the head (face and hair), arms, lower legs, etc” (True Islam).

Part 3: Iranian Laws on Women by Andrew Hanna

Brandon Digman

Hanna, Andrew. “Part 3: Iranian Laws on Women.” The Iran Primer, 10 Dec 2020

Andrew Hanna is a legislative and policy analyst for the U.S Senate, as well as a member of the Committee of Foreign Relations. He wrote the article, “Part 3: Iranian Laws on Women,” for the Iran Primer, a news website dedicated to all things related to Iranian affairs. In this article, Hanna provides a timeline of the many rules and regulations set in place by Iran’s government for its women to abide by whilst living in the country. Afterwards, notable activists that have tried to resist these regulations are listed. As Hanna states these rules, he labels them to be discriminatory laws, and then goes in depth on each one for the rest of the article. This article is beneficial for providing claims that can be used for the thesis and even the opposing thesis, given the content of the quote used. This source will also provide a deeper understanding on what women’s rights are like in Iran. 

  • 1 – “The second constitution, written by Islamic revolutionaries and passed overwhelmingly in a referendum in 1979, specifically stipulated that women were “equally protected.” But in practice, it gave women fewer social rights and personal liberties” (Hanna).
  • 2 – “Female activists and civil society organizations faced “harassment, intimidation, detention, and smear campaigns,” the State Department reported in 2019. Iranian courts have imposed harsh sentences on dozens of activists who challenged compulsory hijab laws” (Hanna).

Inside the Islamic Republic by Mahmood Monshipouri

Brandon Digman

Monshipouri, Mahmood. Inside the Islamic Republic. Google Books, Oxford University Press,  

15 Dec 2015

Mahmood Monshipouri is an Iranian-Born author and educator. He teaches international relations as a professor at San Francisco University. His book, “Inside the Islamic Republic,” discusses Iran after the 1979 Revolution in the new Islamic government. Mainly, he states and analyzes the major changes in Iran’s post-revolution, and how it has led to dramatic shifts within the society. Monshipouri also makes arguments that changes during post-revolution Iran have been deleterious on many occasions. This article is useful as it can provide a more broad context of Iran’s background, which will first generate an understanding that will eventually lead to the conflict surrounding women through the use of other sources. It is important for this source to be used in the beginning of my essay for context.

  • 1 -“It is worth noting that Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini depicted the 1979 Revolution as an Islamic rather than an exceptionally Iranian one, conferring further legitimacy on it as an anti-imperialist and anti-West movement capable of spreading. Both symbolically and substantively, this moved fueled pan-Islamism throughout the region and led to an increased disdain toward foreign influence” (Monshipouri 2).
  • 2 -“More broadly, these factors have led to cumulative uncertainties and policy failures in the wake of the dramatic socioeconomic, cultural, and political changes that the country has recently undergone, making it increasingly imperative to define and understand the broader contours of social and cultural change in Iran” (Monshipouri 2).