I have a polygamist who says he "feels bad". He is well educated, well respected, and very prominent in his society.
Now let's bear in mind that polygamy is a 'normal thing' in his society.
He has symptoms of insecurity, "heaviness in the chest," and "a depressed mood".
My impression was that the guy has severe feelings of guilt. He has been to all kinds of therapists. He even mentioned that he went to a "magician" who put him in a dark room with people stoning him. He says he felt good after that that, but not for long.
He seems to be'happy to be depressed' since that would mean getting away "to get over depression", and that getting away takes him to another marriage, and hence, another phase of depression. He seems to be in a circle he cannot get out of.
Now I cannot allow myself to go against his "habit" of getting married, since it is a normal thing in desert societies (a way of building alliances among tribes).
He loves his first wife very much, and hates all the rest.. right after the first night, he just "cannot bear them."
I was thinking of doing something like separation of doing and feeling.
Would you please enlighten me.
It is a cultural issue that might not sound very ethical in other societies, and for that matter for me neither. But I have to deal with it.
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