It is known that mental health is the state of “well-being”
that empowers individuals to steer into their lives and face the different
conditions of living.
اضافة اعلان
Aside from death, severe injuries, or being completely
buried under the rubble, there are other alarming concerns regarding the
thousands of
victims in Gaza who are in urgent need of
specialized mental health services and essential medications.
Access challenges and the traumatizing conditions resulting from the ongoing violence exacerbate the already strained mental health situation. The escalation has created an environment where individuals struggle to cope with the psychological effects of the ongoing violence, leading to increased demand for the removed and already limited mental health services.
Let us start with the fact that the 15-year plus of blockade
has resulted in four out of five children in Gaza with depression,
grief and fear in their daily lives. Then move to consider how the persistent violence in Gaza, marked by the high
casualties and injuries, is anticipated to exacerbate and have lasting
repercussions on the mental “well-being” of the population.
Access challenges and the traumatizing conditions resulting
from the ongoing violence exacerbate the already strained mental health
situation. The escalation has created an environment where individuals struggle
to cope with the psychological effects of the ongoing violence, leading to
increased demand for the removed and already
limited mental health services.
The population in Gaza is currently grappling with various
mental and psychosocial problems, such as depression, anxiety, post-traumatic
stress disorder -perhaps more accurately to be described as
continuing-traumatic stress disorder-, bipolar disorder, and schizophrenia.
This is not to mention how
Wounded Child, No Surviving Family (WCNSF) will turn
out to be under these devastating conditions with no coping options.
The pervasive impact of the violence and traumatic events extends beyond individual suffering, affecting displaced populations, essential services workers across various sectors, and even those witnessing them.
The pervasive impact of the violence and traumatic events
extends beyond individual suffering, affecting displaced populations, essential
services workers across various sectors, and even those witnessing them. The
level of severe distress among these groups is challenging to measure, but its
wide-reaching effects underscore the urgent need for comprehensive and massive
mental health support- starting now and continuing for the long term.
Gaza has been described by the
UN Secretary-General, António Guterres, as a "graveyard for children” and might be later seen as a
crucible where the profound impact of untreated mental health issues
reverberates through generations, leaving an indelible mark on Gaza’s
community's “well-being”, and perhaps the watching world’s well-being too.
Mohannad Al Nsour, MD, PhD, Executive Director, Eastern Mediterranean Public Health
Network (EMPHNET)
Disclaimer:
Views expressed by writers in this section are their own and do not necessarily reflect Jordan News' point of view.
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