Mental health in Lebanon: less stigmatization, better education
By: Ghiwa Haidarahmad
Tags: Lebanon Explosion, Beirut Explosion, Mental Health Awareness, Lebanon, Mental Health

BY Ghiwa Haidar | DECEMBER 16, 2020

The battle for mental health in Lebanon is a long-standing fight and is more necessary than ever after the tragic recent blast in Beirut. Mental health is not only under-reported, but also stigmatized, which creates a dangerous disincentive for people to seek help.

With the recent blast in Beirut, Embrace is helping people in urgent need of our support with its latest initiative, “7a22ak Te7kina” which translates roughly as “Talk to us; it’s your right”.

Embrace, which was established in 2013, is an NGO with the mission of supporting people in need and shedding light on mental healthcare, as well as helping to eradicate the taboos associated with it.

The campaign, further emphasizing the rights of every person touched by the explosion to express themselves and share their thoughts and emotions, urges people to contact Embrace’s trustworthy volunteer team through their nationwide emotional care and suicide preventative services, Embrace Lifeline (1564).

As the globe is shaped by social media, Embrace’s partnership with Facebook in supporting the current “Talking Saves Lives” campaign, which kicked off last year, was the first in Lebanon and the Middle East suicide prevention hotline and is accessible through Facebook’s Safety Center.

In addition, right after the port blast, “Restart” organization began working on a response strategy adapted to meet the demands of the individuals impacted in Beirut’s explosion. The Restart Center for The Rehabilitation of Victims of Violence and Torture, one of UN Women’s partner programs in the “Dealing with the Past” project, essentially provides mental health assistance to the victims’ families who went missing during the civil war in Lebanon.

Meanwhile, mental health care in Lebanon continues to struggle with numerous obstacles, including limited state funding, the high costs of mental health care coupled with poor coverage of insurance and a lack of mental health professionals. Such difficulties have been compounded following the COVID-19 pandemic, the massive blast in Beirut’s port on August 4, 2020, and the political turmoil in Lebanon from October 2019.

In fact, it is normal for people to feel helpless and overwhelmed in this ongoing crisis in Lebanon, however, it is crucial that they acknowledge these feelings and take care of their mental health.

“I set up a new daily routine. I participate in many sports activities and get more involved with my friends to distract myself from the economic crisis and the pain of the Beirut blast,” said Jad haidar, a basketball player who survived the Beirut explosion.

Jad does yoga everyday as a part of his new daily routine. Photo credit: Ghiwa haidar

Jad started spending time at the beach as part of his daily routine. Photo credit: Ghiwa haidar

Jad started working out every morning near the beach. Photo credit: Ghiwa haidar

Farah al Sayed, (ER) Doctor, warns people to be aware and careful not to develop habits such as smoking and drinking that may harm them in the long run. She stresses the importance of a healthy and balanced diet to maintain good mental and physical health.

According to Linda Youssef, a psychologist, going for long walks in the nature is very important for mental health. Secondly, she recommends that people exercise at least twice a week to keep their bodies and minds healthy. Third, she explains that building a daily routine keeps people’s minds away from the difficult economic situation while helping them to be productive. “Wake up, do something productive, learn to cook and water your plants,” said Yousssef. Fourth, she added that interacting with friends and family is crucial for a better and happier life. Finally, following the news is important to keep people informed and up to date, but it is best for everyone to limit their news consumption so that they do not panic.

Interview with psychologist, a pharmacist and two other Lebanese people about mental health during the economic crisis in Lebanon

According to Arafat et al (2020), to enhance timely mental health care, Lebanon’s government and international institutions need focus on providing proper funding for Mental health care services, treatments, and education of health care professionals, developing community-based services, promotion of psychological health via awareness-raising activities, and the provision of adequate mental primary care.

The Lebanese Ministry of Public Health, in partnership with WHO and UNICEF, has launched a global action plan for mental wellness and psychosocial care in 2020 to deal with the mental health problems resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic.

Increased challenges due to the Beirut blast and political turmoil emphasize the urgent need for international organizations like WHO and UNICEF in supporting the Middle East Psychological Association and locally based mental health organizations.

This extra assistance would accelerate the process of seeking culturally suitable, urgent and powerful measures to enhance Lebanon’s mental health care.

Therefore, researchers, doctors and lawmakers must develop policies in the context of the present mental health system to narrow the gap in treatments and to enhance Lebanese people’s mental health.