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Shortly after receiving a diagnosis for depression seven years ago, Ahmed Abu Elhaz was hard-pressed to find psychotherapy services that were professional, reliable and cheap.
The glaring market gap inspired the young Egyptian entrepreneur to set up Shezlong, a Cairo-based start-up that provides online counselling services to Arabic speakers around the world from the comfort and privacy of their homes, in addition to addressing the social stigma around seeking mental health support.
Negative attitudes towards mental illness have meant that women in some countries have inadequate access to the required support, says Mr Abu Elhaz. Those battling mental health issues are often considered to have weak faith or poor resilience and people who try to seek professional help are often subjected to shame or ridicule, he says.