BRITISH expats seemingly living the dream in Dubai are battling out of control sex, booze and boob job addictions in the "boring" city, says a report.
Darren Timms, an author and psychologist, says that British women are increasingly turning to "casual sex" and plastic surgery to combat low self-esteem.
He told Up News that behind closed doors, "many" were battling mental health issues, including social isolation, and postpartum depression.
Timms, author of Journey Back To Self, said that in the struggle to find happiness, away from friends and family back home, "they look for outside of themselves – they use casual sex, relationships, shopping, food or any number of addictions to reduce the pain of not having the pleasant emotions they seek."
Up News reports that mental health isn't widely discussed in the Middle East, and that those seeking help are put off by high costs.
Dr Tara Wyne told the website: "The amount of plastic surgery and cosmetic procedures is incredibly high here, and that will only grow as more and more young women see this place as a land of opportunity, and to put themselves in pole position – they think they should look at somehow."
She said that expats had to find a way of fitting in with a strange new culture.
Dr Marie Thompson, a British psychologist also living in Dubai, said those moving to the city from the UK also found it difficult adjusting to the "transitory nature" of the location, which could be "very destabilising" for newcomers.
At present, there are up to 200,000 Brits living in the UAE.
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