AMMAN — A study enhanced by the results of discussion groups
entitled "
Social Services and Mental Health of Youth in Jordan: Needs and
Challenges" revealed the possibility that 2.5 million people in the
country are at risk of mental disorders during their lifetimes, compared to the
global indicator that suggests one in every four people is exposed to these
disorders during their lifetime.
اضافة اعلان
The study recommended the need to adopt
a unified national protocol and a "specialized" law to address the
growing risk of mental disorders among young people, as well as intensive
awareness campaigns to combat the "social stigma" associated with
seeking psychological and social services, Al Ghad reported.
The study, conducted by the
Family Health Care Institute and the Information and Research Center in partnership
with the
Danish Institute Against Torture, focused on the inadequacy of
services provided to the groups covered by the study. It also considered
economic challenges such as low income, the difficulty of transitioning to the
workforce, marriage and family formation, and low employment rates as key
factors contributing to the prevalence of mental disorders in the Kingdom.
Seek social and psychological
support services from specialists outside the countryThe study revealed that both
females and males in the age group between 16-35 years tend to seek social and
psychological support services from specialists outside the country to avoid
the "shame" in the face of the "prevalence of depression,
anxiety, and fear" among Jordanians, as well as the prevalence of
depression among young
Syrians in refugee camps.
According to those involved in the
study, it relied on a methodology that involved reviewing all previous studies
related to the mental health of youth in Jordan and verifying the key findings
through focused discussion groups in the north, central, and south of the
Kingdom. It emphasized that society's perception of those in need of
psychological and social support remains the most significant barrier to
receiving the service, followed by the absence of specialized legislation to
deal with mental disorders, which impacts the provision of therapeutic and
preventive programs and services.
The study also used previous
statistics from the
Ministry of Health, which reported reviewing 96,000 cases
in 2021 at mental health clinics affiliated with healthcare organizations and
associations. Jordanians accounted for more than 16,000 cases compared to over
73,000 cases for Syrians and 5,000 cases from other nationalities, while
200,000 visits were recorded to the National Center for Mental Health in 2021.
The study considered the absence
of specific legislation to address mental disorders in the Kingdom, while data
from the
World Health Organization indicates that 75 percent of countries
worldwide have specialized legislation for psychological and social support.
Locally, this is reflected in the Syrian Crisis Response Plan 2020, the
National Mental Health Policy 2011, and the
National Mental Health Action Plan 2018-2026.
The study emphasized that losing
the right to mental health and social support is not just a loss of
"health" but a loss of the right to life, stating that dealing with
suicide cases in the country is an indicator of "neglect of mental
health," as "suicide cases" and "suicide attempts" are
closed without considering the mental disorders or mental health of the
victims.
Feelings of hopelessness and
joylessness
The study also highlighted
previous statistics, which indicated a 43 percent rate of feelings of
hopelessness among young people and a 49 percent rate of feelings of
joylessness among them, based on several studies.
Trust among the youth has
decreased
Among the results of the
verification phase in the study, it concluded that "the role of the family
in proper child rearing from childhood to adolescence has diminished, and
teaching methods and curricula in schools and universities lack topics related
to psychological and social support." Additionally, trust among the youth
covered by the study in the services provided by
public mental health centers has decreased, and they avoid resorting to the private sector due to the high
cost of services.
The study called for increasing allocations
related to providing psychological and social support services in the budgets
of relevant ministries and institutions, increasing the number of service
centers, developing a specific national protocol for dealing with cases in need
of
psychological and mental health support, and the importance of providing a
unified and comprehensive database for all parties involved in mental health
and social support, as well as enhancing the capabilities of workers and
expanding specialized centers to the northern and southern governorates.
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